The New York Ripper (1982)

A burned-out New York police detective teams up with a college psychoanalyst to track down a vicious serial killer randomly stalking and killing various young women around the city.

Director:

Lucio Fulci

Writers:

Gianfranco Clerici (story), Vincenzo Mannino (story)

Stars:

Jack Hedley, Almanta Suska, Howard Ross

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jack Hedley	...	Lt. Fred Williams
Almanta Suska	...	Fay Majors (as Almanta Keller)
Howard Ross	...	Mickey Scellenda
Andrea Occhipinti	...	Peter Bunch (as Andrew Painter)
Alexandra Delli Colli	...	Jane Forrester Lodge
Paolo Malco	...	Dr. Paul Davis
Cinzia de Ponti	...	Rosie - Ferry victim
Cosimo Cinieri	...	Dr. Lodge (as Laurence Welles)
Daniela Doria	...	Kitty
Babette New	...	Mrs. Weissburger
Zora Kerova	...	Eva - Sex show performer (as Zora Kerowa)
Paul E. Guskin	...	Desk Sergeant (as Paul Guskin)
Antone Pagán	...	Morales (as Anthon Kagan)
Josh Cruze	...	Chico (as Johs Cruze)
Marsha MacBride	...	Policewoman

Storyline

Killer who talks like a duck wanders around New York City killing women by various means including slicing an eyeball with a razorblade. Detective Jack Headly is hot on his trail.

---

Plot Keywords:

giallo | serial killer | psychopathic killer | live sex show | detective | 

---

Taglines:

Slashing Up Women Was His Pleasure!

---

Genres:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian Spanish

Release Date:

31 July 1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

New York Ripper

Filming Locations:

Columbia University - Broadway & 116th Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fulvia Film, Silent Warrior Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min 93 min (director's cut) 80 min (cut) (1989) (video)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

After many years of being banned in Britain the rights were purchased by UK company Vipco who issued the film originally as an export-only VHS version under close censor & police supervision. When censorship laws were relaxed in the UK it was submitted to the BBFC for a certificate in 2002 and received 22 secs of cuts to the razor-blade murder, as well as a strict guideline that the film could only be released with minimal publicity. The film was then issued on VHS by Vipco but a DVD release was canceled after some UK DVD distributors refused to stock it. Consequently it was never available on UK DVD until 2007 when the movie was released by Shameless Films, and this version contained similar cuts but reduced to 19 secs via a different edit.

---

Goofs

When Cinzia de Ponti's character gets stabbed in her breast, it was on the right side of her nipple. But later in the morgue, it is shown that the stab wound was on the left side of the nipple.

---

Quotes

[overseeing the autopsy on the 'Ripper' Scellenda]
Lt. Fred Williams: So, what's the good news, Barry?
Dr. Barry Jones, Coroner: Well, from the pulmonary result, the cause of death was suffocation. Self-inflicted by the plastic bag thrown over his head.
Lt. Fred Williams: What about the time of death?
Dr. Barry Jones, Coroner: That I have for you exactly. Between four and five AM on Tuesday the 10th, eight days ago.
Lt. Fred Williams: Eight days? Bullshit! That son-of-a-bitch murdered Kitty just four days ago. He couldn't have have been dead for eight days! You're wrong!
Dr. Barry Jones, Coroner: Come on, Barnaby. How long have...
[...]

---

Alternate Versions

After being banned for many years, the film's eventual release in 2002 by Vipco was cut by 22 secs by the BBFC to heavily edit the sight of a woman's stomach and breast being cut with a razor blade in accordance with the BBFC's guidelines over eroticised sexual violence. The 2007 Shameless DVD release reduced the cuts to 19 secs via editing.

---

Connections

Referenced in Nightwatch (1994)

User Reviews

a real video nasty

Lt. Fred Williams a new york cop is investigating a number of disturbing killings where the women are to say the least butchered. His first clue is that the killer speaks like Donald Duck, and soon the killer is calling and taunting Williams, so he calls in the help of a local Professor of Psychology to help profile the killer. There are plenty of gruesome killings and seedy set pieces to keep any sleaze fan happy ie.A Latino *beep* a woman with his foot, the same woman masturbating in a live sex porno theatre and taping it to pleasure her husband with later,a girl being butchered with a razor blade ripping open her face right down through her eyeball…pretty gruesome….but wholly enjoyable as only Fulci can do. The dubbed dialogue is poor at times but it didn't take away from my enjoyment…a real video nasty