My ideal 'Jack the Ripper' movie.

[I1ariusz]

Not sure if that wasn't already proposed somewhere. In any case I'm gonna say what I would love to see in one true Jack the Ripper movie:

• Genre: realistic thriller and/or drama;
• Plot not following any specific idea of who exactly Ripper was (just as we don't know who he was) - or following the idea of lone, lower-class serial killer from the area; especially plot is avoiding this ridiculous Royal Conspiracy theory (we have two films already);
• Plot is trying to depict the story as it was - with as much researched details as possible;
• Not full of gore: but with real depiction of how the scene of the crimes would look like;
• With proper atmosphere of Victorian East End: it's alleys, streets, people and misery;
• Told perhaps from the perspective of the local or reporter who wants to really know the truth;
• Directed more in the manner of realistic cinema of the 70s and 80s;

Inspirations: Sweeney Todd - Tim Burton (the atmosphere of places); Silence of the Lambs (in my personal opinion - the best film about serial killers); Zodiac - David Fincher (the best serial killer thriller with most faithful story); The Girl with Dragon Tattoo (also Fincher); Seven (Fincher yet again); The Lighthouse - Robert Eggers (one of the best depictions of 19th c. people and interiors); Promised Land (also in terms of depicting 19th c. - although Poland; directed by Adrzej Wajda); Elephant Man - David Lynch (I have not seen anything better in showing 19th c. East End and London).

The best directors:

• David Fincher - the best in a genre of serial killers movies. I would although be a bit scepitcal as to if he could really depict time period;
• David Lynch - a bit too old now and too much into abstract and surreal; but his "Elephant Man" is almost as close to perfection about Victorian period as it can be; he also clearly has an instinct for disturbing things and characters;
• Robert Eggers - rising star of the film industry; his "Nosferatu" is supposedly next great film from him (not seen yet); after watching his three films I really hope in my heart that he is interested in JTR story and is planning to do something about this

Anybody has their own ideas? Please share them here! I'm also sure that there might be some great UK directors who are very much capable of doing this story.

M

[Lewis C]

I've had an idea similar to this, but one other thing my idea includes is that everyone that has been named as a suspect in the case that is known to be a part of the case besides just being a suspect would be a character in the movie. So Lechmere, Richardson, Diemschutz, Barnet, Richardson, Le Grande, Bachert, Mann, and Stephenson would all be characters in the movie. Maybe also James Kelly, Tumblety, and Bury would have characters, since there was police awareness and at least mild suspicion of each of them at the time of the murders.

Each of these characters would be presented in a way that neither points the finger toward or away from them, but just presents them in a way that is consistent with what is known to be true about them.

[Geddy2112]

The problem is a movie's stance is generally to entertain. The likelihood is the true Jack The Ripper story is quite bland and not entertaining.

[I1ariusz]

Lewis C - thanks for reply!

I think that your suggestion would require an entire show . It wouldn't be possible to keep so many characters in one film. But show is also a good idea - right now we have a comeback of film in series.

Sadly we would really need someone (screenwriter and director) with good knowledge of the case and a certain love for the Victorian period. Otherwise we would receive yet again commercial stuff like "From Hell" - which was not as bad, but still far from ideal.

Myself I'm also very much interested in video games and there was an interesting efford made in "Sherlock Holmes vs Jack the Ripper". We can see that whoever did that game knew his stuff - creators also brought multiple suspects to the plot. Today it's awfuly old but still worth seeing and playing.

[I1ariusz]

The problem is a movie's stance is generally to entertain. The likelihood is the true Jack The Ripper story is quite bland and not entertaining.

I dissagree. I think it has very much potential to create a good and deep drama: Victorian era, East end and it's misery, real disturbing and bizzare killer on the loose, everyday problems and fears of East End inhabitants, birth of Zionism and modern communism/socialism etc.

[Geddy2112]

I dissagree. I think it has very much potential to create a good and deep drama: Victorian era, East end and it's misery, real disturbing and bizzare killer on the loose, everyday problems and fears of East End inhabitants, birth of Zionism and modern communism/socialism etc.

What I mean is the killer's story more than likely will be bland, no Royal Connection, no authors, no painters, no Freemason cover ups. Nothing just a nobody going around slaughtering woman in the night.

[I1ariusz]

What I mean is the killer's story more than likely will be bland, no Royal Connection, no authors, no painters, no Freemason cover ups. Nothing just a nobody going around slaughtering woman in the night.

And I think that's more interesting than fantasy. Real killer as meanigless nobody and yet someone capable to do such horrible things that he is still remembered. Exploring the psychology of this has far more depth than any conspiracy theory. Just take a look at "Silence of the Lambs", except for the Hannibal Lecter, you have Buffallo Bill who is virtually nobody and yet film creates such atmosphere that it is considered the best in its genre. Exactly because of its psychological depth.