The New York Ripper (1982)
Anchor Bay Entertainment
Cast: Jack Hedley, Almanta Keller, Howard Ross, Andrew Painter, Alessandra Delli Colli
Extras: Theatrical Trailer
Rating:

Italian cult director Lucio Fulci’s most savage thriller has come to DVD recently, courtesy of Anchor Bay Entertainment. The film has been stunningly revived in an uncut version that is unexpectedly presented in a brand-new 16×9 enhanced widescreen transfer on this release, that is much superior to the film’s previous releases. The level of detail and the definition is very good, although the source material shows minor defects and a bit of grain. The color reproduction on this DVD is well balanced, nicely restoring Fulci’s somewhat desaturated, cold look with deep blacks and good highlights, a color scheme he has used almsot throughout all of his films.

“The New York Ripper” contains a Dolby Digital mono audio track in English. Although the dub seems a bit odd at times, it is a well-produced audio track without noticeable distortion. It carries a synth soundtrack of the kind that has become so typical for Fulci’s films, and manages to nicely recreate the 80s feel of the mean streets of New York City.

For fans of Lucio Fulci’s body of work, this DVD is a revelation in its quality. But also if you would like to take a look into ferocious European thrillers for the first time, this DVD is a great release that should not be missed.