Traci Ashbe Dark Epic Fantasy Author

First off I want to thank Traci for giving me some space on her blog to ramble about things related to Shadows Fall Away http://kitforbes.com/shadows_fall_away.html

I’ve always been fascinated with the history of London especially in the later 1800s so it was no surprise that I’d be intrigued by the mystery surrounding the most famous “whodunit” ever: Jack the Ripper. Even thought recent reports claim DNA has positively come up with Jack’s identity many of the folks knowledgeable in the case still have their doubts and those lingering doubts are the stuff fiction is made of.

I thought I’d come and share some of my all time favorite movies on the subject. So, in no particular order here you go:

Jack the Ripper 1988
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095388/

This was a made for TV one to mark the 100th anniversary of Jack’s crime spree. It stars the legendary Michael Caine as real life Inspector Abberline and has a solid cast and an interesting nefarious government angle.
From Hell 2001
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120681/

Johnny Depp as Inspector Abberline in this one and is very different from the older version. If you like dark and gritty this one is for you The visuals are stunning and is much the way I pictured how my Mark saw things.

The Ripper 1997
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120023/?ref_=fn_al_tt_3

This made for TV movie with Patrick Bergin as an investigator features my favorite Ripper conspiracy theory.

Time After Time 1979
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080025/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

Why did Jack’s crime spree suddenly end? He escaped Victorian London in HG Wells’ time machine prototype, that’s why! A fun thriller.

Murder by Decree 1979
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079592/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

Sherlock Holmes & Watson vs. Jack. If you like the bromance vibes the Holmes films with Robert Downey & Jude Law you might like this, imagining them as older and still snarky with one another like this, my fave Holmes/Watson scene ever:

The last two don’t hold up all that well but I still love them

The Ripper: Kolchak the Nightstallker S1E1 1974
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0621544/

They tried to reboot this show some years back but failed miserably because for me they missed the ting that made it a must watch–Darrin McGavin’s portrayal of an off the wall reporter of weird tabloid stories.

Terror at London Bridge (Bridge Across Time) 1985
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088852/

This one is fairly “meh” all around but it features one of my favorite paranormal themes: evil that lingers and if memory serves, the guy playing the ripper was kind of cute ^_^

If you’re interested in the more factual side of things pop on over the best web resource around Casebook.org or cruise over to YouTube and see what documentaries are there. There were quite a few the last time I checked.