Jack the Ripper (1976)

Director:

Jesus Franco

Writer:

Jesus Franco

Release Date:

23 September 1976 (West Germany)

Genre:

Crime | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Close your eyes and whisper his name...

Plot:

A serial killer whose mother was a prostitute starts killing streetwalkers as a way of paying back his mother for her abuse.

Plot Keywords:

Prostitute | Serial Killer | Doctor | Undercover | Jack The Ripper

Cast

Klaus Kinski	...	Dr. Dennis Orloff / Jack the Ripper
Josephine Chaplin	...	Cynthia
Andreas Mannkopff	...	Inspektor Selby
Herbert Fux	...	Charlie, the Fisherman
Lina Romay	...	Marika
Nikola Weisse	...	Frieda
Ursula von Wiese	...	Miss Higgins (as Ursula v. Wiese)
Hans Gaugler	...	Blind man
Francine Custer	...	First victim
Olga Gebhard	...	Ms. Baxter
Angelika Arndts
Peter Nüsch	...	Sergeant Ruppert (as Peter Nuesch)
Regine Elsener
Esther Studer	...	Prostitute Jeanny, second victim
Lorli Bucher
Mike Lederer	...	Coach Driver
Otto Dornbierer	...	Charlie's friend
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Friedrich Schoenfelder	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Jesus Franco		(as Jess Franco)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Jesus Franco		(as Jess Franco)

Produced by
Erwin C. Dietrich	....	producer
Max Dora	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Walter Baumgartner

Cinematography by
Peter Baumgartner
Peter Spoerri

Film Editing by
Marie-Luise Buschke

Production Design by
Rolf Engler

Costume Design by
Sylvia De Stoutz

Makeup Department
Rita Burkhart	....	makeup artist
Jakob Peier	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Eduard Stoeckli	....	production manager (as Eduard A. Stöckli)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mark M. Rissi	....	assistant director (as Mark Rissi)
Alfi Sinniger	....	assistant director (as Alfons Sinniger)

Art Department
Rolf Krebs	....	property master
Bernhard Sauter	....	property master

Sound Department
Klaus Hein	....	sound
Hans-Walter Kramski	....	noises
Karlheinz Reiber	....	noises
Hubertus Schmandtke	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Ruedi Küttel	....	assistant camera (as Rudolf Kütell)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ellen Salzmann	....	wardrobe

Production Companies

• Elite Film
• Ascot Film
• Cinemec

Distributors

• Cinépix Film Properties (CFP) (1978) (Canada) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Cineshowcase (1979) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Mid-America Releasing (1979) (USA) (theatrical) (USA: Midwest) (dubbed)
• Vestron Video (1984) (USA) (VHS)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2001) (Switzerland) (DVD) (as VIP Entertainment)
• Diamond Entertainment Group (DEG) (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Platinum Disc (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (UK) (2004) (UK) (DVD)
• Big Sky Video (2004) (Australia) (DVD)
• VIP Video (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Avco Film  dubbing
• VIP Musik  music published by

Also Known As:

Runtime:

92 min | USA:82 min (cut version) | USA:87 min

Country:

Switzerland | West Germany

Language:

German

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 (cut) (1989) | Finland:K-18 (cut) (1979) | Netherlands:16 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18 | Australia:R

Filming Locations:

Zürich, Kanton Zürich, Switzerland

Company:

Elite Film

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The royal coat of arms shown outside Scotland Yard bears the letters ER - presumably for the current Queen: Elizabeth Regina. In 1888 when Jack the Ripper was loose Victoria was on the throne and the letters would have been VR: Victoria Regina.

Movie Connections:

Version of From Hell (2001)

Fairly good movie.

In several respects, this movie seems to be a little untypical for a Franco movie. Since Franco proposed the subject himself, the film seems to be a rather personal project. Nevertheless, it is one of his most conventional movies. One could say that it is a rather tame slasher movie.

Sexual perversion is still a subject, but in "Jack the Ripper" it is confined to the madmen and is not the general background. There is also some gore which - at least on some occasions - would have better been left out.

What is equally untypical for a Franco movie are the production values. One can see that Franco worked on a higher budget. The film plays most of the time during the night, and the night photography is carried out in an excellent way. The scene when Lina Romay is killed in a foggy park is certainly one of the best Franco has ever filmed. A funny fact here is that apart from a few exteriors (like Big Ben), all the movie was shot in Zuerich Switzerland. It is much fun to see how Franco has transformed this into London (especially if you know the places in Zuerich Franco used). The interiors are also nice and colourful, and this is complemented by the costumes. Finally, the great plus of the movie is that is has Klaus Kinsky in it. Kinsky was one of the few actors who could create a certain ambiance by their mere presence. Of course, Kinsky's acting is also very subtle. Especially, his transformations from philanthrop into madman and back.

The only thing which spoiled my viewing of "Jack the Ripper" a bit where some stupid beginner's mistakes by Franco. The two most obvious ones are: 1) Klaus Kinsky standing at the wrong side of the car when he "meets" the inspector's girl friend; 2) When Lina Romay is killed, the puppet used for the (cheap looking) gore effect is lit in a completely false color (maybe this is the producer's fault who might have insisted on including some gore). One less obvious mistake occurs at the beginning: The first hooker which is killed walks (on her way home!) back half the way she came.

All in all, "Jack the Ripper" is an atmospheric, unpretentious, and well directed slasher movie with a formidable Klaus Kinsky as the madman.