Product: Hands of the Ripper [VHS] (1972)
Rating: 5.0
Another Hammer horror goodie
Another horror production from Hammer studios in England which details the story of the daughter of Jack the Ripper who continues his murderous rampage after she becomes a young adult. She witnesses the murder of her mother as a young child and is traumatized by the experience and becomes a possessed killer when the memories from her father's actions are triggered by a bright shining light and a kiss. The murder scenes are a little graphic (especially the eye gouging scene). Angharad Rees (of Poldark fame) plays the possessed daughter of Jack the Ripper. Her exceptional performance displays a young innocent woman who doesn't comprehend the underpinnings of suppressed murderous tendencies. The role of Dr. Pritchard who tries to understand the young women's psychological background and how she got that way is well played by Eric Porter. As Dr. Pritchard tries to shield the young woman from her killings, in the end he realizes that it might all have been a futile endeavor on his part.