Jack the Ripper is a 200-minute masterpiece that belongs in every serious movie buff's collection. It was released to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the murders.

This movie is based upon extensive research into every aspect of information and evidence from the 1888 series of prostitute murders in the Whitechapel district of London. It follows the investigation into the murders and reveals the conclusion reached by the writers. It includes questions of conspiracy to protect the royal family.

You won't find a lot of special effects or worthless fluff in this movie. It is one of the most intensely serious movies I have seen. The sets and scenery are expansive, yet minutely detailed. The clothing and accessories are fabulous. The carriages, harnesses and horses are something for history buffs and horse lovers to dwell upon.

The writing is top notch. The writers wisely broke up the intensity of the work with moments of levity. (Otherwise, some viewers could not have stood the tremendous stress for so long.)

I am not going to reveal much of the plot and am purposely being guarded with my comments. I do not want to give away anything.

The story focuses on the investigation from the point of Detective Inspector Frederick Abberline (Michael Caine) and his partner Detective George Gottlieb (Lewis Collins). They have enough complications to the case to keep an army of detectives busy for a month. Newspaper reporter, Benjamin Bates(Jonathan Moore ) will do anything for a story and has total apathy about everything else.

American actor Richard Mansfield (Armand Assante) makes the suspect list but he's a friend of the royal family and becomes most uncooperative. Clairvoyant Robert James Lees (Ken Bones), the queen's psychic adviser, has visions of the murders, but always too little or too late to help. Dr. Theodore Acland (Richard Morant) is hostile about the investigation and claims it is because they are bringing bad press to his profession. His father-in-law is physician to the royal family.

George Lusk (Michael Gothard), a rebel rouser, spends his time stirring up the people and causing riots in the streets. Abberline's former girlfriend, Emma (Jane Seymour), is an artist commissioned by the newspaper and a magazine to do sketches of Richard Mansfield doing his impersonation of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The harder Abberline tries to keep her away from him, the more time she spends with him.

Rumors are circulating about the prince visiting brothels in Whitechapel. The rumors could destroy the monarchy.

Police surgeon Llewellyn (Michael Hughes) examines a body and does not even notice that it has been gutted. Orders are repeatedly given to the police to wash away blood or otherwise remove evidence.

When a murder happens, the coroner's inquest is scheduled for the next day, which does not allow the detectives any time to prepare their evidence and to present the case.

Jack the Ripper defies categorization into a single genre. It is drama, action, mystery, suspense, horror and, above all else, completely based on a true story until the conclusion. It carries a disclaimer which explains that the ending is the conclusion of these writers and that other historians or criminologists may reach a different conclusion.

Regardless of category, Jack the Ripper is quality entertainment of the very best kind. Your purchase of this film is definitely money well spent.