Monthly recommendation #3 is a BBC documentary in the Timewatch series called ‘Shadow of the Ripper‘, made in 1988 – 100 years after the infamous murders. I watched it on a whim a while ago, thinking it might be a trashy and salacious attempt to figure out who the murder is (even though I believe we’ll never know). Which, to be honest, was what I was in the mood for at the time. What I got instead was a very sober and, to me at least, fascinating account of why this particular serial killer became so famous. (I had no idea, for example, that the East End was such a politically charged issue that George Bernard Shaw and William Morris thought there was a possibility that the murders might be part of a propaganda campaign.) It starts with the premise that yes, we will never know who the real Jack was. But we know a fair bit about who made the legend.
Current favourite aspect:
Made before you would ever need to look at a moustache and try to work out if it’s an ironic fashion statement.