Just perfect...

Absolutely Brilliant!

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

Superior to both the Kinski mass-gore version and the more recent Johnny Depp attempt, Michael Caine is wonderfully cast as the non conformist, alcoholic Inspector Abberline, a local hero whose unreliable nature is kept in check by his faithful Sergeant, George Godley (Collins, in his best role to date outside of "The Professionals"). The length of this mini-series shouldn't deter you; there's substantial content, and enough sub-plots to maintain the momentum.Of course the identity of the infamous Jack the Ripper is core to this rendition, and much of the narrative focuses on a discreet few suspects, who are variably implicated or exonerated as the investigation progresses. The supporting cast is an ideal mix of experience (McAnally, Seymour, Assante, Gothard and George) and new faces (Lysette Anthony and George Sweeney in particular). Sweeney's characterisation of the carriage-driver John Netley is chilling, while Ken Bones as the royal clairvoyant who "sees" the villain's two faces, adds a clever dimension that is perhaps both indicative of the historical context and yet, just as applicable in more contemporary manhunts of this ilk. Either or, it's a boon for this picture.The sequence of events is already known, and so details become the essence of the picture, with Abberline and Godley painstakingly deconstructing each new murder with clinical precision, but with 19th century know-how. Consequently, the victims continue to fall and pressure soon mounts on the administration to capture the predator, as social uprising begins to shake the aristocracy from its precarious perch. Without alluding to the identity of the culprit (according to this version), it's a very satisfying climax built on compounding suspense and perfect timing. The haunting score is excellent, so too the sets and costumes, and the dialogue is unpretentious and at times, highly amusing as intended.Overall, I found this epic (three hours) to be well paced, scary, intelligent and exciting to the last drop. In my opinion, the best Ripper translation to date. Highly recommended.

Simply the best world-wide TV production ever. It's a SHAME there's no french version of this gem available on DVD. Why should I write ten lines of text about it, just get it and see by yourself : a splendid time is guaranteed for all ! I'd like to tell the IMDb crew that it's not easy for non-English speaking people to write 10-line commentaries, so they should be allowed to mail shorter texts ! Some might call it R.E.S.P.E.C.T. ! But I want to post this one, so I'll do what I am asked to : what do U think 'bout the following words : cats, dogs, chairs, beds, beards, heads, ears, legs, feet, arms, stomach, torso, music, book, trees, birds, walls, paper, pencil, cars, roads ... well, the ten lines are done, I think I can quit now.

This is easily my favourite Jack the Ripper film. I was disappointed with the ending which I guessed near to the start of the film as I have read the Stephen Knight book. The Richard Mansfield bits were good but unnecessary. This version is far from perfect but is certainly does it's best to be accurate. It gets the locations right, the order of the crimes correct and uses real Police Officers to investigate. I found all the acting to be good. Whatever happened to Lewis Collins ? I agree with others that the prostitutes, apart from Mary Kelly were too good looking for the times. When I read the Stephen Knight book, it certainly appeared plausible but now I haven't a clue who the actual ripper was.

Hi all. In this film,the way they piece together the clues is just amazing! None of us really know what really happened in 1888,but i have watched this film,over,and over again,and i find it definitive. But,this was made before the discovery of 'The diary of jack the ripper'And thats another story! I love the cast in this 1988 film,it,s a sensible portrayal of a true mystery,and i rate this very high,(mistakes aside) If you look at the facts in this film,they REALLY do make sense!!!The coach theory,where there was a driver and a killer is very interesting,it might explain why not much blood was found at the murder scene! I,m glad this film cut out the gore,and concentrated on the mystery,this is a MUST for any ripperoligist! Excellent!