Mutant Reviewers from Hell do
“Jack? I’ve been meaning to tell you: you do good work.”

[year/rating] 1988 R [genre] Horror Thriller [director] Rowdy Herrington [starring] James Spader Cynthia Gibb Jim Haynie Robert Picardo

Tagline

One hundred years ago the world was shocked by a man they called The Ripper. He was never caught...

Summary Capsule

100 years after the original Jack the Ripper murders, copycat killings start plaguing Los Angeles, and it will take the double the James Spader to solve this mystery

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Kyle's Rating: A pure 80's murder mystery, streamlined for timeless appeal
Kyle's Review: It’s come to my attention that I tend to get overly wordy and complex in my reviews, as though I’m trying to compete with the professional artistry of specific films by being both aloof and mysterious in an interesting way. The obvious response here is: Duh! Also, I am never to blame: it’s probably the Red Bull and my residual “juice” from daily Scrabble tournaments. But it’s worth a shot to remix and refine. Was it Socrates or Sheryl Crow who sang “A change (a change!) will do you good”? Doesn’t matter.

"It’s come to my attention that I tend to get overly wordy and complex in my reviews, as though I’m trying to compete with the professional artistry of specific films by being both aloof and mysterious in an interesting way."

Curiously, the film Jack’s Back provides opportunity for both me to change my writing habits and for you to change your horror habits. Jack’s Back had been haunting me for years; a videocassette box with a big picture of sweaty James Spader on the front and the promise of an intricate Jack the Ripper-inspired written on the back. My mom never let me rent it at Safeway (where she held the lone rental card!) and I couldn’t find it anywhere else. But then it was on IFC, and I realized my destiny had come full circle. Would it live up to the hype of my memories and subsequent research in horror film tomes? Or would it be another 1980’s slasher pic that rightfully faded into VHS anonymity like so many comers did? How could James Spader go wrong?

Thank the horror muses: viewing Jack’s Back should make you feel like your 80's suspense love is back. It’s a film that is stuck solidly in the me decade, with odd fashions, a decisive divide between the have’s and have-not’s, and loads of cigarettes. It’s a film shot in the style of Michael Mann (think Manhunter) and written in the style of your favorite mystery writer, with the sole supernatural twist centering on the psychic (?) bond between twins. The murders aren’t as gory as they are wince-inducing, and the hard-boiled characters are memorable and honest. Plus, you may think you have the mystery solved, but you don’t! Well, maybe you do. I was surprised and fooled, but I’m slow. I can admit it.

James Spader is excellent and effective in dual roles, playing estranged twins whose experiences combine into a very bad 48 hours (insert Doublemint gum joke here). The rest of the cast, including a big beefy dude who may just be a big beefy red herring named Jack, is also quite good, looking appropriately moody, suspicious, and nicotine-addicted as necessary. But it’s Spader that we stick with for like 85% of the time, and it’s Spader that successfully carries the weight. Whether he’s the quirky and playfully shy the doctor twin, or he’s the mysterious yet valiant loner shoe salesman, Spader’s a magnetic presence. I used to wonder why the video cover was just a sweaty yet slightly disturbing James Spader head shot. Now I know. And you should, too!

Which brings me to you. Too often, it seems like modern film fans don’t always have the patience and understanding to watch older films without shooting the footage and story through their modern prisms and finding these older films painfully inadequate. Even horror genre fans, who are forced by the smallish (relatively speaking) selection of films for them to go nuts over, can’t resist giving in to their residual ironic tendencies and pointing out “A cell phone would have solved everything” and “Didn’t they sell bullets everywhere back then?” I’m not saying that’s what you’re like. I’m just sayin’. But if you can get over any irritation towards the past you may carry within, Jack’s Back is a great murder mystery with sinister undertones. Sure, if it took place today a lot of stuff would go down differently. But as a product of the times, Jack’s Back is super-cool. Give it a chance!

Yeah, Jack’s Back is good stuff. The Spader is kick-ass, the Jack the Ripper connection provides a lot of weight, and the 80's-soaked Thunderdome-esque streets of Los Angeles are the perfect seedy setting for such dangerous goings-on. It’s a relic of a time when everybody smoked and twins were like freakish abnormalities, but it’s a very entertaining and rewarding relic, when a slasher movie wasn’t considered an easy product for cheap scares but a vehicle for intelligent drama that happened in and around horrific on-screen murders. It might be tough to find unless you’ve got Independent Film Channel or a well-stocked rental place, but it’s worth the effort. Great moody 80's stuff! Who’s up for a remake? I know I am!

Didja Notice? [some sources: IMDb]

• In true 80's movie fashion, you can spot James Spader’s stunt double pretty clearly in some scenes, with one occurrence being so blatant it’s like “Whoa, who is this new character dressed like James Spader?”
• False endings are awesome!

Is It Worth Staying Through End Credits?

Sure, to either experience a pure ‘80s synth score again or for the first time!

Unnecessary Background

Jack the Ripper, largely considered the most famous serial killer ever, informs the plot of this film (and certainly the title) but doesn’t play too much of a real role in the film, since all but one of the copycat murders have occurred before the events of the film. If you’re interested in knowing more about Jack the Ripper, an internet search will serve you well, and Alan Moore’s From Hell is a good source for information, though From Hell is slightly less so.

Intermission! [some sources: IMDb]

Los Angeles, or at least Echo Park, isn’t quite as dirty and gross anymore as it seems to have been in the 1980’s, but there is also a lot less smoking out here so that probably helps. Whew!

I mean, you could smoke in shopping malls? Yikes!

Kyle couldn’t confirm or deny this, but someone mentioned that “Saucony shoes apparently paid for product placement in this film.” Considering that shoes do play a somewhat integral role in the plot, it could be true!

Groovy Quotes

Random chick handing Rick a porno mag: I’m on page 51.

Friend assessing John’s skills with the ladies: Do you even have a penis?

Rick: I need a gun.
Shady Guy: What’s a nice man like you want with a gun?
Rick: Wedding present.

Random Dude: You look familiar. Have I seen you around before?
Rick: I don’t know. Watch Dynasty?

Rick: I couldn’t shoot the motherf**ker if I wanted to. I don’t have any bullets.
Chris: No bullets?
Rick: The guy sells guns; he doesn’t sell bullets.
Chris: That’s pretty stupid. What good is a gun without any bullets?

Rick: I remember people always thought I was jealous of John. That pissed me off.

Soundtrack Review

It’s oh, so ‘80s, and completely matches the scenery. “Red Harvest” by Paul Saaz permeates the entire film, but the entire score will send you back to the big hair decade when you could smoke EVERYWHERE.

If you liked this movie, try these:

• From Hell
• Manhunter
• Dead Ringers