The Ripper

THE RIPPER (1985) Director Christopher Lewis. Wade Tower, Mona Van Pernis, Tom Savini.

College professor is posessed by the evil within Jack the Ripper's Ring that he purchases at a pawn shop. Hence, a brutal spree of Jack the Ripper style murders spread all over town whenever he has a dream!

Well written, and well told story, delivers the goods as far as gore goes. But the acting is way too cheeseball, making it look like an infomercial, or better yet, a public access version of Jack the Ripper. It was nice to have Tom save the day during the last ten minutes.

Filmed in Tulsa Oklahoma, shot on Super VHS, and released direct to video. ** (out of 4*'s)

Granted, while I had never heard about the 1985 slasher horror movie "The Ripper", from writer Bill Groves and director Christopher Lewis, I still opted to watch it as I had the opportunity here in 2025. I didn't know what I was in for, so I harbored no expectations to the movie. So I suppose the writer and director had every opportunity to entertain me.

The script in the movie was okay. I mean, it was an adequate enough slasher story, though you're not in for anything extraordinary or particularly memorable.

Of the entire cast ensemble, I was only familiar with actor Tom Savini. The acting performances in the movie were actually fair enough.

The effects in the movie were okay, and I assume that Tom Savini himself was working on the special effects aside from just only acting in the movie.

"The Ripper" is suitable for a single viewing, but that is about it. There is no replay value to be found in the movie.

My rating of the 1985 slasher horror movie "The Ripper" lands on a four out of ten stars.

A college professor stumbles across a ring that belongs to Jack the Ripper and goes on a murderous rampage. This gory garbage plays like a cheap early 80s music video. How did special effects genius Tom Savini end up in this loser? Avoid this crap at all costs. My evaluation: (no stars).

The last time I saw such a cheesy movie with laughable acting and script it was rated XXX ! the parts that kept my attention were so bad I felt my mind freezing over. *** WARNING *** this movie contains a bad 80's group dancing sequence that is more sickening than the stabbings and gut ripping. AVOID -2/10

Awful film that looks like it was filmed in a college's mass media department. Extremely gory, but almost laughable plot about a professor who is possessed by the spirit of Jack the Ripper. Very cheap. Very Bad.