A new BBC One documentary about one of the most infamous serial killers of all time.

[Herlock Sholmes]

Mmm. I started rewatching the Barlow and Watts series again today (thanks Sam for the reminder). Something like tha using up-to-date info would be great.

I haven’t seen that one for ages. Something similar would be good. Maybe a bit of CGI recreation of the locations thrown in.

[Sam Flynn]

I went to the new ripper opera last night - it had some musical merit but the artistic licence they took with the crimes and the history of the victims was unfortunate in the extreme.

I'm a huge fan of ENO, and literally attended every performance they staged in the 1980s when I was at university in London - I even auditioned for the chorus! - but I'm glad I didn't attend this production. I'm sure it was well done in the scheme of things, but the evident "fictionalisation" would have definitely grated on me.

[Herlock Sholmes]

I'd like to see that, but may be a hard sell for mainstream media - though if it included the history, the victim's stories in some detail and avoided the suspect speculation and stuck to an objective review of potential culprits, it could work.

I went to the new ripper opera last night - it had some musical merit but the artistic licence they took with the crimes and the history of the victims was unfortunate in the extreme. Especially as it purported to provide an insight into the lives of the victims. I wouldn't recommend spending money on it if you hope to gain any understanding of the crimes or the victims.

I didn’t know there was a new ripper opera. I like a bit of opera but I have to admit to also being a heavy metal fan. It’s certainly surprising that no heavy metal band has yet done a ripper concept album.

There have been individual songs though.

https://youtu.be/lriWlHZAy8A

[etenguy]

I'm a huge fan of ENO, and literally attended every performance they staged in the 1980s when I was at university in London - I even auditioned for the chorus! - but I'm glad I didn't attend this production. I'm sure it was well done in the scheme of things, but the evident "fictionalisation" would have definitely grated on me.

I think i would have enjoyed it more if they had sold it as inspired by events, but they didn't, they made a point of selling it on the need to shine a light on the victim's lives - and then completely failed to represent them with any semblance of truth. But, the staging, lighting, production values and performances were excellent.

[etenguy]

I didn’t know there was a new ripper opera. I like a bit of opera but I have to admit to also being a heavy metal fan. It’s certainly surprising that no heavy metal band has yet done a ripper concept album.

There have been individual songs though.

https://youtu.be/lriWlHZAy8A

That's a blast from the past.

[Joshua Rogan]

It’s certainly surprising that no heavy metal band has yet done a ripper concept album.

There have been individual songs though.

Er, yeah!

https://youtu.be/6Bytig-oavY

[Sam Flynn]

I didn’t I like a bit of opera but I have to admit to also being a heavy metal fan.[/URL]

Same thing

Seriously, I always thought that heavy metal was the closest thing to opera among the various genres of rock music

[Svensson]

Hello Jon,

I will lay BIG money on yet another fit up for Aaron Kosminski.

Sadly.

Phil

and we have a winner!!!

I thought it was a little disappointing on the canonical 5 but at least as they had left out of lot of relevant info (and the "crime scene reconstructions" were more something like I'd expect to see in a school play).... There was some more info on why they think that Tabram was the first Ripper victim and I think they presented this in a way that makes it all the more plausible that we really should be talking about the canonical 6 (again). That and the suggested change of clothes on the night of the double-event can only lead to the "big reveal" that is A.Kosminski. However, it DID feel like one of this documentaries where the suspect was decided on first and then backed up but the choice of "information" (for lack of real "evidence") that was presented.

So I'd give it a 3 out of 5 and that's me being generous because of the bottle of Leffe Blonde I had. In the end, nothing is likely to challenge Channel 5's 2-parter as the daddy of Ripper documentaries just yet....

[Svensson]

P.S: at the start of the program I was thinking that maybe this could be the first Lechmere/Cross documentary. Isn't it time for one by now? Or did I just poke the Hornet's nest here..?

[Sam Flynn]

P.S: at the start of the program I was thinking that maybe this could be the first Lechmere/Cross documentary. Isn't it time for one by now?

I may have been having a nightmare, but I seem to recall that's already happened.

[Busy Beaver]

All I can say is we've done a much better job here on Casebook and this show has just repeated what is on these boards. I only agree that Martha was the first Ripper victim. I'm still not sure about Kos- he's always going to be the ripper, just like the feminine guy always plays widow twanky.

[Herlock Sholmes]

Same thing

Seriously, I always thought that heavy metal was the closest thing to opera among the various genres of rock music

Couldn’t agree more Sam. There are a lot of classically trained musicians in rock/metal and vocalists with amazing vocal ranges. And of course it’s often very dramatic and yes some might say overblown.

[Herlock Sholmes]

All I can say is we've done a much better job here on Casebook and this show has just repeated what is on these boards. I only agree that Martha was the first Ripper victim. I'm still not sure about Kos- he's always going to be the ripper, just like the feminine guy always plays widow twanky.

I now have the image of Christopher Biggins stalking the East End Of London looking for victims to the occasional cry of ‘“he’s behind you’.”

[richardnunweek]

I agree also that Martha. was his first. its possible there are similarities in that her killer, rather like with Chapman , Eddowes , and Kelly, moved in after these women had serviced a client. Tabram with the soldier. Chapman with Mrs Longs man, and Eddowes seen with a man of sailor appearance at Church passage, and Mary Kelly with Hutchinson's man. I suggest that 'jack' was waiting his chance, knowing that where his victim was about to service was a known safe spot.

[Inspector Reid]

Think I will catch this on iPlayer this evening, was going to record it but forgot