Hands of the Ripper (1971)
Angharad Rees plays the daughter of Jack the Ripper who becomes possessed by his spirit and goes on a killing spree.
The script is more psychological horror than stalk and slash film, the film observes how Rees becomes afflicted from childhood memories of witnessing her father murder her mother. Eric Porter plays the psychologist attempting to break through the girls possession and prevent her doing her father's will.
Whilst a good film, the script suffers from lack of incident, the bulk of the running time seemingly being taken up by discussion. This wouldn't be a bad thing except the cast, Rees and Porter aside, are not in the least bit interesting. Porter played Professor Moriarty in the ITV series of Sherlock Holmes, and it is that series the film most resembles. Having Jeremy Brett play Sherlock Holmes would have been a big help here. Jane Merrow and Keith Bell are instantly forgettable despite having sizable roles. It's probable that director Peter Sasdy went for a more thought provoking film than a basic slasher, and it's clear from this and the following years Demons of the Mind that Hammer were trying something different from the usual vampire and Frankenstein films. Does this new approach work? Personally i don't think so as both films lacked basically a Cushing and or Lee to add gravitas. Hammer's best Ripper type film in my opinion came the following year with the wonderfully off beat Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde.
The sets and costume design are as always wonderful, always a strong point of any Hammer film and the finale filmed on the Whispering Gallery at St Paul's Cathedral is certainly memorable however the high points of the film for me are Roy Ashton's gory make up effects. The knifing of the maid Dolly is a particular highlight and is one of Hammer's most iconic murder scenes. The knife protruding from her neck is very bloody for a 1971 Gothic potboiler.
I also watched it with the commentary from Angharad Rees along with experts Kim Newman and Stephen Jones - an entertaining listen and watch which was probably as good as the film itself.
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