13 Best Movies About Jack The Ripper That You Should Watching Update 04/2024

Movies About Jack The Ripper

The infamous serial killer known as Jack the Ripper lived in the 1800s and continues to be the subject of fiction, television, and film to this day. IMDb has ranked these as the finest of the best.

Serial killers have been the subject of numerous films and television shows. Hannibal Lecter and The Candyman, for example, are fictional serial killers, but they nevertheless draw an audience when they appear on the big screen. Jack the Ripper was one of the most infamous murderers who was never caught in the act.

In 1888, serial killer Jack the Ripper terrorized the Whitechapel neighborhood of London. He managed to avoid the authorities despite his grisly method of killing sex workers and mutilating victims. It’s a narrative that’s been retold numerous times on the small and large screen. Even documentaries have been made in an attempt to find out who he really is.

Added Ben Hathaway: December 19, 2021

If you haven’t already, now is a great time to revisit some of the best films and television shows on Jack the Ripper, possibly the world’s most renowned serial killer. However, there are someJack the Ripper films and series that make a lasting impression even though they are based on familiar material.

13. Jack The Ripper: The London Slasher (2016) – 5.2

Jack The Ripper The London Slasher (2016)

The events depicted in this film take place in the midst of London’s notorious “Jack the Ripper” killing spree. There are several characters in this film, including a young woman who travels to London to pursue her ambition of becoming a photographer. Instead of the quaint metropolis of London, she is confronted with squalor and violence.

The movie’s main focus is on the female character, which makes it intriguing to watch. When her brother is wrongfully implicated, she sets out on her own to find out who the real killer is. Unknown to most people, this Jack the Ripper film dives into the fascinating story behind the notorious serial killer.

12.  Edge Of Sanity (1989) – 5.2

Anthony Perkins had a lot to live up to as the hero of one of the greatest serial killer movies of all time in 1989’s Edge of Sanity. Edge of Sanity, on the other hand, is a shambles in comparison toPsycho.

It’s a mix of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Jack the Ripper. A strange movie with an even stranger performance by Anthony Perkins (frequently covered in odious makeup). While he’s portraying Dr. Jekyll, this Dr. Jekyll is a cocaine addict. He spends half of the movie freebasing and the other half murdering sex employees. I found the film to be highly unnerving and Brian De Palma-lite at best.

11.  The Lodger (2009) – 5.7

The Lodger (2009)

The film introduces two parallel narratives to the audience. Jack the Ripper isn’t featured in this film, but rather a copycat. On Sunset Boulevard, a sex worker is brutally murdered, and it all begins with that murder.

Almost immediately, a detective on the case recognizes that he or she is dealing with a copycat of the Ripper. When a married woman decides to host a guest at their guest house, the opposite happens. Nevertheless, the plot twists and the married woman falls for the lodger and accuses him, but will do anything to keep his innocence. This film features a surprise finale that no one expects.

10. Jack’s Back (1988) – 5.9

Spader has been in many films, including the MCU’s Ultron and The Blacklist, but in 1988 he appeared in a Jack the Ripper-themed crime/thriller. Another film about Jack the Ripper’s murders, but not the man himself, is Jack’s Back.

Jack the Ripper-like murders have been committed by a doctor in Los Angeles. The primary suspect is shot and killed by police, leaving them to search for the real killer. It turns out that the doctor’s twin brother claims to have seen the real perpetrator in his visions. Critics didn’t like the movie and gave it a low rating.

9. Man In The Attic (1953) – 6.2

Man In The Attic (1953)

Another remake of The Lodger, starring the late Jack Palance, was called Man in the Attic and was released in 1976. Despite the fact that this isn’t one of the best serial killer films, the actor is always welcome.

Palance plays a pathologist who lives in an attic in the heart of London and is known for his quiet demeanor and penchant for secrecy. The landlady’s daughter, however, rejects his advances once he does so. At this point, young women’s bodies start turning up on the streets, and no one can figure out who they belong to.

8. Time After Time (2017) – 6.7

Time After Time, like many other television shows, began as a novel in 1979 before being made into a film the following year. From period drama to crime/thriller to science fiction, this show has it all. Due to low viewership, the show was only renewed for one season.

Time After Time has a novel approach to the issue of the Jack the Ripper murders. In 1893, H.G. Wells, a famous author, takes part in the first part of the story (Freddie Stroma). The police arrive to apprehend Jack the Ripper just as Wells demonstrates his time machine during a dinner party. Wells embarks on a manhunt through contemporary Manhattan in an effort to apprehend him and put an end to any further killings.

7. From Hell (2001) – 6.8

In the film From Hell, the hunt is on. Inspector Fred Abberline, played by Johnny Depp, was the star of the 2001 film. The narrative of Jack the Ripper is told in this video, loosely based on the graphic novel of the same name.

When it comes to catching Jack the Ripper, Inspector Abberline is adamant. However, certain nuances in the novel add intrigue, such as Abberline’s use of opium-induced visions. The Ripper’s prospective next victim, a love interest of Abberline, is entwined in the plot. As one of the most well-known depictions of the life and times of Jack the Ripper, the film is filled with blood and guts.

6.  Murder By Decree (1979) – 6.9

Murder By Decree (1979)

One of Christopher Plummer’s greatest heroic appearances as famed detective Sherlock Holmes was directed by Bob Clark (Black Christmas, A Christmas Story).

Dr. Watson (the legendary James Mason) accompanied Holmes as he combed the streets of London for Jack the Ripper. It’s strange that people don’t hold the film in more esteem than it currently does with a cast that included Donald Sutherland and Genevieve Bujold.

5. The Lodger: A Story Of The London Fog (1927) – 7.3

The Londoner: A Tale of the City’s Denizens Jack the Ripper’s identity is never mentioned in the account that Fogus tells. While it’s unclear at this point whether the killer is referred to as “The Avenger” or not, there are some unsettling similarities between this film and The Lodger from 2009.

After hearing about the recent killings, a beautiful blonde model goes home to find a new secretive guest staying at her family’s lodging house. To the chagrin of her policeman sweetheart, she begins to develop feelings for the lodger. After a number of murders, the family begins to mistrust their new guest, and strange events begin to take place regarding his innocence or guilt.

4. Black Butler (2008-2014) – 7.8

Black Butler (2008-2014)

Jack the Ripper is a minor plot point in Black Butler. The plot of this manga-inspired show is incredibly intricate, and we only got a glimpse of it for a brief time. A 12-year-old child sells his soul to the devil in order to avenge the loss of his family.

The Queen sends the main character, a Watchdog, to find out who Jack the Ripper really is. The plot of this novel is based on the true story of Jack the Ripper. He murders and removes the reproductive organs of sex workers in London. As a result of this portion of the show, it is revealed that Jack the Ripper is not the mastermind of the killings.

3. Jack The Ripper (1988) – 7.6

Michael Caine starred in this miniseries prior to his roles as one of the most beloved Alfreds in the Batman films and as a pageant coach in Miss Congeniality. As Chief Inspector Frederick Abberline, Abberline was the lead detective in the Jack the Ripper investigation in the 1988 film.

The Ripper’s killing rampage in London is the only focus of the miniseries.

When it comes to finding the assassin and bringing him to justice, Abberline is walking a fine line. On top of that, authorities in London’s East End are on high alert for an impending uprising.

2. Whitechapel (2009-2013) – 7.9

Whitechapel (2009-2013)

Popular British crime drama Whitechapel focused on a team of detectives investigating crimes in the Whitechapel neighborhood of London. A copycat killer was the main subject of the episode, just like in earlier interpretations of the Jack the Ripper legend.

Additionally, it concentrated on the chemistry between the three main investigators as they worked together to uncover long-buried truths and track down a murderer. Many viewers were captivated by the show’s ability to tie together historical and contemporary themes in order to solve murders in Whitechapel, as well as the interplay between the principal actors.

1. Ripper Street (2012-2016) – 8.1

Binge-watching the entire series of Ripper Street is highly recommended. For the main plot of the British drama, the character of Jack the Ripper served as a starting point. Even though Jack the Ripper’s last murder occurred in 1888, the show takes place months later, when a supposedly tranquil London is confronted with another horrifying murder.

When Edmund Reid (Matthew Macfadyen) first saw Jack the Ripper, it resulted to tragedy, and that is something that haunts him still. While attempting to keep Whitechapel safe from the looming threat of Jack the Ripper’s return, Reid and his trusted advisors become entangled in the seedy underbelly of Victorian London.