It's a smooth, elegantly orchestrated thriller with handsome sets and vivid locations, and the fogbound cobblestone streets, dark alleys, and eerily empty mansions create a genuinely spooky ambiance. He also tosses in a wild, creepy, thoroughly modern experimental score. Franco went on to direct more than 150 films under a dozen pseudonyms, most of which make the brief flashes of flesh and perversity here look tame, but this trendsetting landmark is still considered one of his greatest. Image's new widescreen edition, mastered from a gorgeous French print, is reportedly restored but contains some abrupt transitions and jump cuts. --Sean Axmaker
Synapse's Blu-ray/DVD combo presentation compares favorably to its home video presentations of the equally obscure Twins and Vampire Circus, offering not only an uncut edition of the film but also a wealth of new and archival extras. The Devil's Bloody Plaything is a lengthy making-of featurette from Ballyhoo Motion Pictures that covers a wide range of subjects within the orbit of Ripper, from the state of Hammer at the dawn of the 1970s to the work of producer Aida Young and Sasdy's corner-cutting measures for providing maximum screen value (using M's office from the James Bond franchise and still photos from St. Peter's Cathedral as rear-projection backdrop for the finale) through interviews with the director himself and costar Jane Merrow (The Lion in Winter), as well as filmmaker Joe Dante and author Kim Newman. Slaughter of Innocence is a slide show of production photos focusing on the grisliest moments from Hammer horror. Said gore set pieces forced Universal to substantially trim Ripper for broadcast on American television during the mid-1970s; the new scenes, featuring actor Severn Darden as a psychologist spouting vast amounts of expositional psycho-babble, are presented in audio-only format (the video master was apparently lost in the 2008 fire at Universal). An appropriately overwrought theatrical trailer and TV spots round out this terrific set. --Paul Gaita
The better she does at her job, the happier and more confident she becomes. But this change makes her husband extremely unhappy. He finally insists that she resign her position. He'll find a part-time job instead. But just before she can do this, there is a run on Subrata's bank and it must close. Jobless, he has to live with the shame of having his wife support him. Like Charulata, this film eventually resolves itself on a more hopeful note than much of director Satyajit Ray's work.
Although made in 1963, this film has a surprisingly modern feel to it. The problems faced by the Mazumdar family in Calcutta do not seem too different from those faced by families in Cincinnati or Cairo today. Ray does a masterful job of visual storytelling, and the performances of the entire cast are both evocative and moving. Ray favorite Madhabi Mukherjee, who also appeared in Charauta, is simply amazing as she transforms herself from an obedient, spoiled wife to a confident, hardworking career woman. --Luanne Brown
