New York Ripper DVD

...talking about Lucio Fulci's The New York Ripper, one of the original "video nasties" and although it still has been cut by 34 seconds the fact that this DVD is widely available on UK shelves is a breath of fresh air. It would seem pertinent then that when new DVD company Shameless were scheduled to launch their business in the UK they would pick one of the most iconic and revered titles they could.

In the 1970's a director ...
...laurels Fulci was pushing into new styles of horror, his intention to make horror possible in a realistic sense. The result of this was The Black Cat, and New York Ripper both the sort of horror we could encounter every day.

New York Ripper (Lo Squatatore Di New York)begins as it means to continue, an elderly man throwing sticks for his beloved dog is rather mortified to discover his dog returns not with a stick but with a hand, luckily ... more

It seems like only yesterday that a series of armed police escorted the UK's most dangerous offender out of the country and back to its native Italy, so concerned were they of the effect this vicious criminal would have on UK residents they banned it ever to return. Twenty years later it was given the permission to return to the UK providing its message was heavily censored, having made a few limited appearances the results were less than pleasing. But in 2007 it was time to try again... Of course I'm not talking about a person I'm talking about Lucio Fulci's The New York Ripper, one of the original "video nasties" and although it still has been cut by 34 seconds the fact that this DVD is widely available on UK shelves is a breath of fresh air. It would seem pertinent then that when new DVD company Shameless were scheduled to launch their business in the UK they would pick one of the most iconic and revered titles they could.

In the 1970's a director best associated with comedies and musicals began making horror movies, that director was Lucio Fulci who was and still is one of the most influential men in shaping modern horror. His successful movies The Beyond, Zombi, House By The Cemetery, and City Of The Living Dead were landmark zombie movies. But not content to rest on his laurels Fulci was pushing into new styles of horror, his intention to make horror possible in a realistic sense. The result of this was The Black Cat, and New York Ripper both the sort of horror we could encounter every day.

New York Ripper (Lo Squatatore Di New York)begins as it means to continue, an elderly man throwing sticks for his beloved dog is rather mortified to discover his dog returns not with a stick but with a hand, luckily or unluckily for the owner the hand is not attached to anyone.

Lt. Fred Williams (Jack Hedley) is called in to solve the case, but then a cyclist is found murdered on the Statten Island Ferry, killed in the most brutal of ways. The chief of police (a cunning cameo from director Lucio Fulci) insists that Williams gets to the bottom of the killings sooner rather than later "We don't want another Atlanta!" he warns, and with that seemingly gives Williams the keys to the New York Police's bank account. Having hired the best genius around to help him solve the crime Williams has to literally wait for the killer to strike again. But when he does there is not much to go on except that the killer talks like a duck. Meanwhile a sexually liberated woman tours New York's most seedy dives looking for sex, a well to do woman with a reputable husband her need for sexual gratification take her closer and closer to the killer.

To help you build up an image we have a killer that talks like a duck, and as we later discover has two digits missing from his right hand; nice image?

I cannot say that New York Ripper is a real high point in horror history, its rather seedy reputation is actually far stronger than the menace it delivers; before I saw the movie some 8 years ago the film to some degree was almost like a myth. When you looked on the internet you could find pictures of graphic razorblade torture and sexual activity; website realmofhorror.co.uk gave me the best insight in the form of the trailer, which allowed for a certain feel to the movie. Sadly my eagerness to see the movie was met with a kind of cold and unworthy story, that sexually is incredibly risky compared to other movies, especially when death often occurs by things being forced into a certain part of a woman's body. This is not a movie that overly inspired me, however having watched it yesterday in its slightly edited form (for the first time I may add, always seeing it uncut before) I kind of had a greater appreciation for the film. The aspects that annoyed me no longer did and the story, which at times before I felt jutted in and out of context seemed far more fluid.

Before I go on I should say if you find movies like Jeepers Creepers, Scream, or the Freddy or Jason movies a little bit scary or graphic even in a cut form this is not a movie you should be seeing. Although the effects are not always so special, when a razor blade strikes you see it enter, cut and exit. You also see a rather painful finger slicing that is incredibly plausible and believably realistic.

Shot on the hoof so to speak in New York, the movie shows a pretty accurate view of New York back in the early 80's. It shows the class differences, the devastation and almost wasteland as industry has left the city for more rural locations. There is nothing clean looking about the majority of the movies locations. In case you wonder about my on the hoof comment as was commonplace with Italian horror movies no permission was gained from the places they filmed, certainly when out of the UK. Often filming took place by literally people jumping out of the car filming a few shots and then heading off before the police arrived; this is blatantly obvious here by the length of the outdoor scenes.

The cast is an interesting gathering Jack Hedley's name might ring a bell because not only was he in For Your Eyes Only, but he also played General Von Karzibrot in Allo Allo. Paulo Malco who plays Dr Paul Davis recently starred in the ITV's version of A Room With A View. While the movies toe pervert (you need to see it to believe it) is played by 24's Josh Cruze. Granted not names you might think "oh yeah I know" but certainly faces you will know.

About The DVD

The movie is presented in 16X9 Widescreen and the print is lovely and clear. I honestly can say that I never clearly identified where the 34 seconds of cuts took place but having examined the BBFC website I discover it's during a razor attack. One thing is for sure the cut does not have a detrimental effect on the end product; in the past some movies almost suffered due to the cuts.

There is a trailer for New York Ripper, which apparently shows a second of the edits from the movie. I will say this is a pretty sexy old trailer and likely to encourage the brown mac brigade to watch and purchase.

Other trailers on the disc include Baba Yaga, Manhattan Baby, The Black Cat, Phantom Of Death, and Torso.

The case is yellow (as is the plastic amaray case that the cover goes in) making the DVD's clearly distinctive. The kitsch look of the covers echoes the 1980's when the trend was to make video covers as strikingly horrific as they could. The cover is very detailed even noting a missing finger on the killers hand as he shows his control over New York, looming over the city like a black cloud. Looking at the back cover you could easily believe the movie should still be banned, photographs of dead bodies, throat slashings, knife attacks, and sado masochism illustrate the harshness of the movie.

New York Ripper is available on the Shameless DVD label priced £12.99 from HMV and £8.99 from Play.com.

For those wanting to see the uncut version visit playusa.com where you can get the region 1 DVD, but to be honest the difference is minimal.

Spencer Hawken 02/08 

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