Rent Hands of the Ripper Online DVD & Blu-ray Rental

Rent Hands of the Ripper (1971)

3.3 of 5 from 62 ratings
1h 21min
  • General info
  • Available formats
Synopsis:
Anna (Angharad Rees) is unknowingly the daughter of Jack the Ripper, and as a child witnessed the death of her mother at her evil father's hands. Some fifteen years later the young woman has become terribly troubled by something and enters strange violent trances. Her case is assigned to psychiatrist Dr Pritchard (Eric Porter) who believes he can cure Anna, but as he uncovers her violent memories and her murderous behavior is unleashed he starts to fear that the case is spiraling out of control.
Actors:
, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Tallulah Miller
Directors:
Producers:
Aida Young
Writers:
Lewis Davidson, Edward Spencer Shew
Studio:
Network
Genres:
Classics, Horror
Collections:
A Brief History of Hammer Horror, Cinema Paradiso's 2023 Centenary Club: Part 1, A Brief History of Film..., What We Were Watching in 1971
BBFC:
Release Date:
09/10/2006
Run Time:
81 minutes
Languages:
English Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono
Subtitles:
None
DVD Regions:
Region 2
Formats:
Pal
Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen 1.78:1 / 16:9
Colour:
Colour
BBFC:
Release Date:
18/08/2014
Run Time:
84 minutes
Languages:
English Dolby Digital 1.0
Subtitles:
English
Formats:
Pal
Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen 1.66:1
Colour:
Colour
BLU-RAY Regions:
B
Bonus:
  • Audio commentary with Angharad Rees and horror historians Kim Newman and Stephen Jones Original theatrical trailer
  • Thriller: Once the Killing Starts
  • Extensive image galleries
  • Commemorative Booklet by Stephen Jones

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Reviews (1) of Hands of the Ripper

Stylish latter day Hammer Horror - spoilers follow - Hands of the Ripper review by NP

Spoiler Alert
20/02/2021

Viewed fifty years after its production, there is no doubt that Doctor Pritchard’s (Eric Porter) interest in pretty young waif Anna (the much missed Angharad Rees) is decidedly creepy at times. Dressing her in his dead wife’s clothes, casually walking in while she’s bathing, moving her into his home etc. goes well beyond professional etiquette, but his behaviour never strays beyond the avuncular.

An interesting and classy-looking latter-day Hammer horror, ‘Hands of the Ripper’ nevertheless delivers at its core a slightly cumbersome trigger for Anna’s transformation from innocent into a killer. In a SPOILER, as a child, she witnessed the brutal murder of her mother by none other than Jack the Ripper in front of an open fire, which caused myriad sparkling reflections. Following this atrocity, Jack picks up the little girl, embraces and kisses her. Subsequently, to arouse the darker side of her split personality, the adult Anna has to be embraced and kissed in front of any reflective surface that sparkles.

It’s noticeable that apart from Pritchard, the strongest characters here are female – and that includes Dora Bryan as rolling-eyed clairvoyant Mrs Golding, and lovely Lynda Baron’s salty prostitute, the wonderfully named Long Liz. Whereas Jane Merrow’s blind Laura is too cheerful to be true, Rees is charming and captivating throughout, making Anna’s story heart-breaking. The ending, inevitably, is a real tragedy.

A stylish production, Peter Sasdy’s sweeping direction gives little indication that by this time, Hammer were struggling. With productions like this, that itself is a tragedy. My score is 7 out of 10.

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