The New York Ripper (1982)

Acting:		Partying:		Girls:
Blood:		Language:		Gore:
Violence:		Humor:		Sexuality:
Torture:		Predictability:		Overall:

Ah yes, New York City! It's a place to behold, at least once, by everyone. I was always under the impression that people see this gaping hell-mouth of a city as a place of life or death, no in between about it. Many films show its lighter sides, but many more will show its darkest side of all; whores and murders, the works! Still, it's understandable how someone can find the most decrepit neighborhoods home and I've always believed that anyone can find comfort in anything familiar, and no matter how sourly my first impression was of "the city that never sleeps", again, it brings comfort to some; that feeling you're home. Perhaps films like "Ghouls" and "The New York Ripper" had something to do with me preparing myself for the worst life experience (well, maybe not worst because I did better than Homer Simpson when he ventured to NYC); but especially with New York Ripper. This Lucio Fulci film marks his one attempt to show the world that he just didn't give a darn tootin about the censors or even any line that was ever not crossed in all film history. If there was ever a line, he was sure about to cross it. With Ripper, Fulci creates a film that is not only an above average giallo, but also a portrait of what New York City really is like when sex, torture, and love, are thrown into its streets and all your morals are completely scrutinized, then torn into bloody shreds. You will scream, but do remember, after all, this is a Lucio Fulci film.

Before viewing New York Ripper, you should have a little bit of knowledge of Fulci's past films and the history of their censorship. His films are regularly banned in Germany as well as many other countries in Europe. Throughout the rest of the world, if he hasn't already been banned, his films were restricted to minimal promotional standards, and upon that, heavily cut, not by seconds, but cut by many minutes do to their scenes of torture and gore. But it's all in fun...really! With most of Fulci's work, the gore is always overdone to the point where you are not only disgusted, but also are in a state of shock that effects can be so gruesome, unreal, but at the same time, incredible realistic. Fulci tends to take you to the breaking point while still offering the viewer loads of entertainment value...well, only if you can stomach the gore scenes that are always neatly scattered throughout his most acclaimed work. New York Ripper is really no different; although, it does tend to be grittier in its approach do to its setting. It also holds more nudity than any other Fulci flick, but most importantly, it shows us the greatest scenes of gore that Fulci shot ...

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