science

Hands of the Ripper

Hands of the Ripper is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Hands of the Ripper rather than just read about it. In short: Hands of the Ripper is a 1971 British horror film directed by Peter Sasdy and starring Eric Porter, Angharad Rees and Jane Merrow. It was produced by Aida Young for Hammer Film Productions, and written by L.

Key takeaways

Hands of the Ripper belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Hands of the Ripper to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Hands of the Ripper from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Hands of the Ripper is a 1971 British horror film directed by Peter Sasdy and starring Eric Porter, Angharad Rees and Jane Merrow. It was produced by Aida Young for Hammer Film Productions, and written by L. W. Davidson from a story by Edward Spencer Shew. The film was released in the U.S. as a double feature with Twins of Evil (1971).

Plot

As a three-year-old, the daughter of Jack the Ripper is witness to the brutal murder of her mother by her father. Fifteen years later, she is a troubled young girl who is seemingly possessed by the spirit of her late father. While in a psychotic trance she continues his murderous spree, but has no recollection of the events afterwards. A sympathetic psychiatrist takes her in and is convinced he can cure her condition. However, he soon regrets his decision.

Cast Eric Porter as Dr. John Pritchard Angharad Rees as Anna Jane Merrow as Laura Keith Bell as Michael Pritchard Derek Godfrey as Mr. Dysart Dora Bryan as Mrs. "Granny" Golding Marjorie Rhodes as Mrs. Bryant Lynda Baron as Long Liz Marjie Lawrence as Dolly, the maid Margaret Rawlings as Madame Bullard Elizabeth MacLennan as Mrs. Wilson Barry Lowe as Mr. Wilson April Wilding as Catherine Douglas Chippendale as Jack the Ripper

Production It was filmed at Pinewood Studios, with some location work at St. Paul's Cathedral, London. The film was financed by the Rank Organisation.

Critical reception The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Disappointingly routine Hammer offering, with the usual virtues of good performances and period authenticity, but all the faults as well – a weakly developed plot, rhubarbing extras, and a basic appeal to sadism rather than imagination in the horror sequences. ... Peter Sasdy does his best with the traumas (flickering light on Anna's face, slow zoom-in intercut with flash shots from the early murder scene), but the bloodlust turns into a parade of picturesque variations on the theme of impalement (poker, hat pins, broadsword – even lorgnettes). The traditional Hammer formula – bizarre atrocities erupting in a soberly recreated past – fails here because the rift is too great: the atrocities are not so much bizarre as outlandish, and the period recreation has taken on the stuffed, solemnly expensive look of a BBC costume serial." The Independent Film Journal wrote: "Above average Hammer film with a far-fetched plot about Jack the Ripper's daughter who's inherited a few of Daddy's peculiarities. What distinguishes the film is an excellent cast led by Eric Porter and, especially, Peter Sasdy's direction. An atmospheric feast for Victorian horror lovers. And, believe it or not, it makes for one of the better Hammer Films in quite some time." Variety wrote: "Here Hammer breaks away from its vampires and monster formula and gives a highly intriguing twist to the Jack the Ripper murders which shook London back in the 90s and have fascinated writers and filmmakers. Weil-directed by Peter Sasdy, the tension is skillfully developed. Murders are particularly gruesome and there are shocks that will have the most hardened filmgoer sitting up." Boxoffice wrote: "This Hammer production has the usual virtues of this genre: good performances, fine sets, and period authenticity. ... It follows the traditional Hammer formula: bizarre atrocities erupting in a psychologically recreated past. The final sequence is especially well done. This film will interest general audiences and intrigue horror film buffs.'' Critic Leonard Maltin gave the film 2.5 out of a possible 4 stars. In his review he stated that the film had "[a] good atmosphere and solid performances, but after a good start, dissolves into a series of bloody murders." The Radio Times Guide to Films gave the film 3/5 stars, writing: "This entertaining piece of nonsense from Hammer is about Jack the Ripper's daughter who, having watched her dad dismember mama, goes barmy whenever she gets kissed in a flickering light. Cue therapist Eric Porter, who tries to cure her but then starts covering up her murders. Porter is too serious for these proceedings, but Angharad Rees is a swell Ms Ripper." The Hammer Story: The Authorised History of Hammer Films wrote that the film "expertly mixes the sophistication expected of Hammer's films with the gore its new audiences demanded." Andy Boot considers the film "flawed, and so close to the fag end of Gothic that it could almost be a parody", but that it is "nonetheless a film well worth watching". He opines that Peter Sasdy "atoned for his appalling Countess Dracula [1971] with a much pacier handling of this story." Film review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 86%, based on seven reviews, with a rating average of 7.1/10.

References

Sources Hearn, Marcus; Barnes, Alan (September 2007). "Hands of the Ripper". The Hammer Story: The Authorised History of Hammer Films (limited ed.). Titan Books. ISBN 978-1-84576-185-1.

External links Hands of the Ripper at IMDb Hands of the Ripper at the TCM Movie Database (archived) Hands of the Ripper at Rotten Tomatoes

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Hands of the Ripper

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Hands of the Ripper claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Hands of the Ripper before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Hands of the Ripper ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Hands of the Ripper

In research: Hands of the Ripper appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Hands of the Ripper in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Hands of the Ripper is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1970s historical horror films, 1971 British films, 1971 English-language films, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Hands of the Ripper outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Hands of the Ripper in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Hands of the Ripper means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Hands of the Ripper out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Hands of the Ripper in simple terms?

Why does Hands of the Ripper matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Hands of the Ripper?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Hands of the Ripper.