Night Ripper is a blast! A guy who does glamour shots for models and the like gets mixed up in a series of mutilation killings. The murders bare a resemblance to those committed by Jack the Ripper, and the victims are all models. Naturally, the photographer becomes a suspect. He also falls for one of his models and must try to protect her from the true killer.
Shot on video, this film looks better and less amateurish than some of the SOV films I've seen. Perhaps it's just me, but I find that SOV can actually make a film more endearing in certain cases. This is one of them. But anyway, to get back to the gist of things, Night Ripper is heavy on the cheese factor. The so-called love story between the lead and his new squeeze makes for some solid amusement. We also get a pair of cops who are way past being past their prime, yet they give chase to a fleeing suspect anyway. Then there's the other photographer, himself a suspect, who mugs for the camera on a nonstop basis.
The killer's identity is kept a secret until the climax, though I managed to accurately guess who it was from the character's very first scene. As if I wasn't sure enough already, there's also a later scene that's a dead giveaway if you've been paying attention. The climax takes place in a mannequin factory, and the final death scene of the film is something to see. Not because of gore, mind you, but the way in which it happens.
A cheesy delight, Night Ripper is entertaining SOV slasher goodness. It seems to be quite rare, but if you come across a copy, don't hesitate to snag it.
