Introduction
Victims
Suspects
Witnesses
Ripper Letters
Police Officials
Official Documents
Press Reports
Victorian London
Message Boards
Ripper Media
Authors
Dissertations
Timelines
Games & Diversions
About the Casebook

 Search:
 

Join the Chat Room!

The Gorilla Log Out | Topics | Search
Moderators | Edit Profile

Casebook: Jack the Ripper - Message Boards » Books, Films and Other Media » Movies » The Gorilla « Previous Next »

Author Message
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Chris Scott
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Chris

Post Number: 1047
Registered: 4-2003
Posted on Thursday, March 11, 2004 - 10:46 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Thought the attached might be of interest - especially to Gary!!!
It's from the Mansfield News (Ohio) 27 November 1927

gor
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Jeffrey Bloomfied
Inspector
Username: Mayerling

Post Number: 322
Registered: 2-2003
Posted on Monday, March 22, 2004 - 10:29 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

I don't know if this film still exists (many silent films disintegrated in the last century because of the film stock, which had nitrates in them). But two thoughts cross my mind regarding this 1927 movie.

First - an obvious connection to Poe, and his
"gorilla" murderer in "THE MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE". Oddly enough, the other day a gorilla injured several people in the zoo in Dallas, Texas, and had to be killed as it threatened a baby. But gorilla killers became a running subject in horror and "B" features in the sound period. In 1935 the Poe story was the basis of a horror film (with the same title) starring Bela
Lugosi as a mad professor named "Mirakle" (a name borrowed from the opera "TALES OF HOFFMAN"), and Leon Ames (here using his real name of Waykoff) as C. Auguste Dupin.

The second is a thought linking this film, with the title character strangling women - in 1927 the
whole of North America was following the hunt and
capture of Earle Nelson, a drifter who went around the midwest and Canada strangling women. Nelson was eventually captured and tried in Winnipeg, and hanged there in 1928 (after conviction). Nelson was nicknamed "THE GORILLA MAN" due to his supposed strength and physique.
Possibly the film was made to capitalize on this
serial killer's career.

Jeff

Topics | Last Day | Last Week | Tree View | Search | User List | Help/Instructions | Register now! Administration

Use of these message boards implies agreement and consent to our Terms of Use. The views expressed here in no way reflect the views of the owners and operators of Casebook: Jack the Ripper.
Our old message board content (45,000+ messages) is no longer available online, but a complete archive is available on the Casebook At Home Edition, for 19.99 (US) plus shipping. The "At Home" Edition works just like the real web site, but with absolutely no advertisements. You can browse it anywhere - in the car, on the plane, on your front porch - without ever needing to hook up to an internet connection. Click here to buy the Casebook At Home Edition.