First broadcast on ITV in 1988 to tie in with the centenary of the Ripper murders, this dramatisation features Michael Caine as Inspector Abberline and Lewis The Professionals Collins as his right-hand man Sergeant Godley. Faithfully recreating the streets of Whitechapel and basing its conspiracy theories on declassified documents, this was British TV at its most ambitious. Fifteen years on, its low gore/ high luvvie ratio and obvious breaks in the action for adverts and News At Ten look dated.
DVD Extras:
Michael Caine didn't record a commentary, leaving it to director David Wickes and journalist Jonathan Sothcott to get their hands bloody with a tiresome discussion of Ripper-lore. Out-takes from rehearsals and some biographies complete the ho-hum package.
