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Directed by Robert S. Baker, Monty Berman
UK 1959

 

In 1959, legendary showman Joseph E. Levine unleashed this grisly UK thriller on American moviegoers. But when audiences were horrified by the film's startling violence, graphic nudity and bloody Technicolor climax, it became one of Levine's most notorious failures. Today - in its notorious UK cut and the American version with a brassy new score - it remains among the most underappreciated and provocative shockers of its time.

Eddie Byrne (THE MUMMY), Lee Patterson (TV's SURFSIDE 6) and John Le Mesurier (DAD'S ARMY) star in this lurid classic produced/directed by Robert S. Baker & Monty Berman (BLOOD OF THE VAMPIRE) and written by Hammer Films' legendary Jimmy Sangster (THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, HORROR OF DRACULA) that FilmFracture calls "The perfect combination of murder mystery and horror film with just the right amount of lovely ladies!"

***

Suspenseful, interesting, and macabre, this period piece by Robert S. Baker overcomes a weakness in characterization by sheer dint of storyline and action. Jack the Ripper still remains the unidentified killer of at least three, probably five, and possibly even eight prostitutes living or working in London's East End in 1888. The murders occurred in August, September, and November of that year and were never solved. Because various internal organs of the dead victims (their throats were cut after they were strangled into unconsciousness) were removed rapidly and with an accurate surgical technique, investigators have postulated that the demented serial killer was a surgeon. In this cinematic version, the murders are shown as they happened while Inspector O'Neill (Eddie Byrne), along with an American detective Sam Lowry (Lee Patterson) try to track down suspects and prevent the next killing. The theory put forward here is that Jack the Ripper was looking for one particular woman. As the tension mounts, his suggested identity -- and what happened to him -- is revealed. 

Excerpt from B+N located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: May 28th, 1959 (London)

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Review: Severin - Region FREE - Blu-ray

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Distribution Severin - Region FREE - Blu-ray
UK Version US Version
Runtime 1:21:05.610          1:25:04.641 
Video

1.33:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 39,753,342,894 bytes

Feature: 16,911,011,904 bytes

Video Bitrate: 22.99 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

1.66:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 39,753,342,894 bytes

Feature: 15,874,508,544 bytes

Video Bitrate: 22.00 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate UK Blu-ray:

Bitrate US Blu-ray:

Audio

LPCM Audio English 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps / 16-bit
Commentary on UK version only:

LPCM Audio English 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps / 16-bit

Subtitles English (only on UK version), None
Features Release Information:
Studio:
Severin

 

UK:

1.33:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 39,753,342,894 bytes

Feature: 16,911,011,904 bytes

Video Bitrate: 22.99 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

US:

1.66:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 39,753,342,894 bytes

Feature: 15,874,508,544 bytes

Video Bitrate: 22.00 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

Audio Commentary with Co-Director/Co-Producer/Co-Cinematographer Robert S. Baker, Screenwriter Jimmy Sangster, Assistant Director Peter Manley, Moderated by British horror Historian Marcus Hearn (only on UK version)
Alternate Continental takes (10:56)
Interview with Denis Meikle, author of Jack the Ripper: The Murders and the Movies (10:33)
The Real Jack the Ripper featurette (13:31)
Theatrical Trailer (2:28)
Poster and Still Gallery.


Blu-ray Release Date:
January 15th, 2018
Standard Blu-ray Case

Chapters 8 X 2

 

 

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

Severin bring the 1959 crime-horror-mystery film Jack the Ripper to a new Blu-ray edition. It contains both the UK (1-hour-21-minute) version as well as the US (1-hour 25-minute) version - on separate transfers with about the same bitrate. With the original film elements lost - the video quality is compromised on both versions. The film was composed for 1.66:1 but the UK version is cropped to 1.33:1 where the longer US cut is transferred in the preferred accurate widescreen. There are scratches, and hazy shots that almost look like Kinescope. Both have grain but the UK is weaker with instances of chroma and artifacts. I will say that the quality limitations didn't hinde the appreciation of seeing the film for this reviewer.    

This statement prefaces the UK version:

"All of the original film elements on every version of JACK THE RIPPER are currently lost. This cut of the film is technically the closest to the director's cut despite some instances of censorship at the hands of the BBFC. It also features the filmmaker approved score by Stanley Black. This master was created around 2005 via an HD telecine. The master was matted at 1.33:1 for reasons unknown.
Thanks to David Sehring
"

This is before the US version presentation:

"Distributor/showman Joseph E. Levine released the film stateside after introducing a few creative tweaks, not least of which was a whole new score by Jimmy McHugh and Pete Rugolo. This new 2k scan was created from a 1960 release print on loan from the Library of Congress film archive and is presented in the original 1.66:1 aspect ratio."

Both versions have linear PCM 2.0 stereo 16-bit , transfers that suffer as much as the video in terms of inconsistency with the US version being a slight notch ahead. The UK version has a score by
Stanley Black (War Gods of the Deep, The Day the Earth Caught Fire, 1960's Hammer film Stop Me Before I Kill! ), and it has some aggressive moments. The US scare is by Jimmy McHugh and Pete Rugolo (notable for many TV shows including the iconic The Fugitive with David Janssen.) I quite liked it despite the warts inherent in the surviving elements. The audio quality is equally compromised but dialogue relatively audible. There are optional English subtitles only on the UK version. This is a Region FREE Blu-ray.

Available, only on UK version, is an audio commentary with Co-Director/Co-Producer/Co-Cinematographer Robert S. Baker, Screenwriter Jimmy Sangster, Assistant Director Peter Manley, and it is moderated by British horror Historian Marcus Hearn. I have yet to indulge but I have high expectations. We lost Sangster in 2011, so I presume it is archival from him. There are 11-minutes of Alternate Continental takes - also in quite poor quality. Many will appreciate the 10-minute interview with Denis Meikle, author of Jack the Ripper: The Murders and the Movies where he discusses the mythology and truisms of the Ripper lore on screen. It actually started with Alfred Hitchcock's silent film The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog (1927), eventually remade as The Lodger (1944) with another version about a decade later - Man in the Attic (1953) with Jack Palance. I also like the 1988 version with Michael Caine, also entitled Jack the Ripper. Covering more of the real history of the Whitechapel murders of the late 1880s is a 14-minute featurette; The Real Jack the Ripper. There is also a theatrical trailer (predictably in rough shape) and a poster and stills gallery.

We have an obsession with serial killers especially the unsolved variety.  Theories of Jack the Ripper abound with most cinema recreations being heavily fictionalized - but popular with fans. The
Blu-ray transfer is at the mercy of the elements but it is admirable for Severin to include both cuts as well as a commentary and the other extras. I loved the deliberate pace and found it built suspense. Certainly another interesting take on this historical enigma. Crime-horror fans that can accept the source elements will get a lot out of this Blu-ray package.

Gary Tooze

 


Menus / Extras

 

 


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Subtitle Sample - Severin (UK version) - Region FREE - Blu-ray (no subtitles on US version)

 

 

 

1) Severin (UK version) - Region FREE - Blu-ray - TOP

2) Severin (US version) - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


 

1) Severin (UK version) - Region FREE - Blu-ray - TOP

2) Severin (US version) - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


 

1) Severin (UK version) - Region FREE - Blu-ray - TOP

2) Severin (US version) - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


 

1) Severin (UK version) - Region FREE - Blu-ray - TOP

2) Severin (US version) - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


 

1) Severin (UK version) - Region FREE - Blu-ray - TOP

2) Severin (US version) - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


More Severin (US version) - Region FREE - Blu-ray Captures

 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

  

 

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Distribution Severin - Region FREE - Blu-ray


 


 

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