Ripper Street starts tonight (30th Dec) on UK TV (BBC1)

[lynn cates]

serious

Hello Rivkah. Thanks.

"I enjoyed From Hell much more when I stopped trying to take it seriously as a Ripper history"

See, if I could do that, I'd like it too. But I just can't--and yell at the screen in consequence.

Cheers.
LC

[RivkahChaya]

"I enjoyed From Hell much more when I stopped trying to take it seriously as a Ripper history"

See, if I could do that, I'd like it too. But I just can't--and yell at the screen in consequence.

That was really a sort of flippant comment, but out of curiosity, have you seen films like Edward Scissorhands, or Ed Wood? If you've seen some of Johnny Depp's really campy films, it's easier not to take From Hell so seriously. I realize it's frustrating when you later meet someone who has seen it, but knows nothing else of Ripper history, and tries to argue a point based on the film, but you really shouldn't be arguing with such a person anyway.

You can't say people should never make fanciful history. Time after Time was a great movie, with enough fantasy elements that many fewer people take it for history, I'd hope-- although there are probably some people who actually believe that HG Wells hunted Jack the Ripper, or tried to physically construct a time machine.

[spyglass]

Hello Rivkah. Thanks.

"I enjoyed From Hell much more when I stopped trying to take it seriously as a Ripper history"

See, if I could do that, I'd like it too. But I just can't--and yell at the screen in consequence.

Cheers.
LC

Hi again Lynn,
Out of curiosity, have you read the graphic novel " from hell " on which the film was loosely based on...would you agree that was a superb piece of work ?

Regards

[jason_c]

Im not sure what I made of it. The police and street scenes were enjoyable enough. I didn't much care for the storyline of the snuff film, the murderer, or his intended victim. I sighed at yet another toff committing murder.

The US doctor seemed to be a hint towards a US market(Downton Abbey with cockney accents). Plus, do these shows now have more nudity than before? It's as if boobs and ass are a prerequisite for these shows nowadays.

[Bridewell]

Micky Pearce

I did think though that the actor playing the journslist Best, had been watching "fom hell" and was doing an inpersonation of Depp.

Hi Spyglass,

That's funny because I thought he was a dead ringer for Micky Pearce out of 'Only Fools and Horses'!

Regards, Bridewell.

[Cogidubnus]

I didn't get the bit with the photo of the blank wall though! Did that bloke use his movie camera before during and after the writing? If not, why would he have an identically positioned shot to the one with writing?

Interestingly 1888 was actually a key year in the development of celluloid film as a photographic negative material, though it would be a very advanced practitioner indeed who had it already in use....it was obviously this material (as opposed to glass plates) which made repetitive photography feasible.

At the murder scene though it wasn't the "movie camera" which was used (and it was nothing to do with the subsequent piecing together of images a la Muyerbridge). The photographer was using a standard box/bellows camera, and it was simply the fact that he'd recorded the scene as it appeared when he first arrived...and there was no message on the wall.

The subsequent images taken under Reid's direction showed the (painted?) message on the wall indicating that it had been added after the photographer and journalist had arrived...and that was the clue that led to the deduction that Best had added effects to spice up the story...

All the best

Dave

[Bridewell]

The subsequent images taken under Reid's direction showed the (painted?) message on the wall indicating that it had been added after the photographer and journalist had arrived...and that was the clue that led to the deduction that Best had added effects to spice up the story...

That's just typical of Micky Pearce!

Happy New Year, Dave et al.

Bridewell.

[Cogidubnus]

Reciprocated

And to you Colin

Every good wish

Dave

PS Yes he does rather look like Mickey Pearce!

[evertonmarc]

Not sure if any of you noticed, but the culprit in the first episode, was the same actor that played Prince Albert in "From Hell".......

[APerno]

What series? Damn!

I do envy you all; maybe PBS will air the show (in the States) two or three years from now. (Ouch!)

[evertonmarc]

I do envy you all; maybe PBS will air the show (in the States) two or three years from now. (Ouch!)

ouchie thats not good.
The basic premise is that it is shortly after Mary Jane Kellys murder (not sure exactly how long after...maybe a few months).
The Ripper hasn't been seen in a while, the series is based around the whitechapel area and the people that live there.

So it's not a "ripper hunt" and i doubt we will see him/her.

[RivkahChaya]

The cable-only station, BBC America, has been advertising it, but is isn't scheduled to air yet. Is it a limited run show? Usually, those will run their course, then run in the US. I'm really not sure why, since the technology exists for people to record them, and post them, or post torrents, and scoop the legitimate stations. I guess the exclusive contract the BBC has even excludes non-competitive venues.

Or maybe it's because they are re-edited, to get rid of really obscure references of slang words Americans wouldn't understand, and make them fit into US time slots.

It made more sense 20 years ago, when they had to be sold outright to a US outlet, and having the stats for UK viewerage was helpful, but when it's just going to run on BBCA which already owns them, you wouldn't think that would be a problem. BBCA runs Dr. Who, I think, concurrent with the UK run, but that show is ongoing. It runs Law & Order: UK, too, but out of order-- I mean, out of order for the UK, which is already out of order, in that the US episodes they are adapting are not in order, they just sort of random select from the 20 years of the US show. But the order that is broadcast here is not some attempt to broadcast them in US order. It's sort of jarring, really.

[Bridewell]

Second Episode just started in the UK.

Regards, Bridewell.

[Bridewell]

Well worth watching this week, even if the character of George Lusk seems to alternate between Mile End businessman and street corner shyster.

Regards, Bridewell.

[Cogidubnus]

Was it supposed to be a Teddy Bear that the toymaker plucked from the shop and subsequently thrust at the street urchin? If so, surely some years too soon?

All the best

Dave