Dvd/150: HANDS OF THE RIPPER (Peter Sasdy, 1971)

Peter Sasdy's Hammer film is packed with stock characters - rhubarbing cockneys,  ratty brasses shouting "'ere darlin' want a good time", nasty toffs and Hansom cabs clattering over cobbles - and dead bodies. But it also has a rare starring role for the marvellous Eric Porter and is a very guilty pleasure.

Jack The Ripper murders his wife in front of their daughter then kisses her goodbye.  Anna grows into a meek girl working for a fake medium but she turns into a deranged killer when kissed!

 

When she murders the medium, a psychiatrist Dr Pritchard takes pity on her and invites her into his home but her murderous fugues make him realize his error too late...

Eric Porter brings a warm gravitas to the lead role but Angharad Rees doesn't bring much to the murderous Anna.

The script races through to an operatic ending but to the detriment of character development.

Shelf or charity shop? The bodies can pile up on the shelf for a while yet...