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Mystery thriller

Jack’s Back (1988): Cast & Plot

Jack’s Back (1988) movie poster

Jack’s Back is a 1988 mystery thriller directed by Rowdy Herrington, starring Rex Ryon as Jack Pendler, James Spader and Rod Loomis. It runs 1 hour 37 minutes.

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Read the plot summary
Jack’s Back (1988) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 37m (97 min)
Director
Rowdy Herrington
Genres
Mystery , Crime , Horror , Thriller
Original language
English
Studio
Cinema Group
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Jack’s Back About?

The premise of Jack’s Back without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A century earlier in London's Whitechapel slum, a murderer shocked the world by raping, mutilating and killing five women, never caught. Decades later a young doctor is blamed for a series of Jack the Ripper copycat killings. After the doctor is slain, his identical twin claims visions that point to the true killer.

Jack’s Back Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • murder of a prostitute
  • female victim
  • prostitute
  • woman in jeopardy
  • female removes her clothes
  • tighty whities
  • psychopathic killer
  • strip club owner
  • peeping tom
  • illegal abortion
  • twin telepathy
  • reference to jack the ripper
+38 more
  • panties
  • dual role
  • hypnosis
  • independent film
  • murder
  • murder of a pregnant woman
  • woman wears eyeglasses
  • pregnancy
  • blood
  • subjective camera
  • strangulation
  • dead body
  • name in title
  • photograph
  • criminal
  • killing spree
  • killer on the loose
  • written by director
  • blood on hands
  • hand injury
  • scream
  • screaming woman
  • bloody face
  • mutilation
  • lighting a cigarette
  • anniversary
  • police station
  • camp
  • detective
  • police detective
  • investigation
  • police investigation
  • clinic
  • investigator
  • police investigator
  • african american detective
  • newspaper article
  • newspaper clipping
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Cast & crew

Jack’s Back Cast & Characters

Rex Ryon leads the cast as Jack Pendler, with James Spader as John Allen Wesford / Richard Wesford and Rod Loomis as Dr. Sidney Tannerson. Directed by Rowdy Herrington; 30 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Jack’s Back

· 26 more
Show all 30 cast members
From the director

More from Rowdy Herrington

More films directed by Rowdy Herrington, best-rated first: Gladiator, Road House, Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius and Striking Distance.

Full filmography
Plot

Jack’s Back Plot Summary

What happens in Jack’s Back from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In Los Angeles, a young doctor named John Wesford becomes a suspect when a string of Jack the Ripper–style copycat killings shocks the city. He and another young doctor, Jack Pendler, are at the scene of the latest crime; both work for the same medical unit, reporting to the abusive Dr. Sidney Tannerson. Pendler realizes that Wesford’s testimony could seal his fate, and in a tense, ambiguously staged moment, Pendler murders him and makes the death look like a suicide. The police quickly name Wesford as the killer and suggest he killed himself out of guilt, a conclusion that unsettles everyone involved.

Full summary

The whole story of Jack’s Back, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Jack’s Back?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Which character is the young doctor initially suspected of the killings?
Cars

Cars in Jack’s Back

20 cars on screen, including the 1986 BMW 635 CSi E24 and the 1981 Chevrolet Impala.

All 20 cars
  • 1986 BMW 635 CSi E24 in Jack’s Back 1986 BMW 635 CSi E24 Important role
  • 1981 Chevrolet Impala in Jack’s Back 1981 Chevrolet Impala Important role
  • 1976 Ford F-250 in Jack’s Back 1976 Ford F-250 Important role
  • 1974 Triumph TR6 in Jack’s Back 1974 Triumph TR6 Important role
Details

Jack’s Back Also Known As

16 alternative titles, including “A Volta de Jack” and “O Estripador”.

Also known as
  • A Volta de Jack
  • O Estripador
  • Η Επιστροφή του Τζακ
  • Red Rain
  • Возвращение Джека
  • Джек вернулся
  • Возвращение убийцы
  • The Ripper
  • El regreso de Jack el destripador
  • 킬러 잭
  • 神秘的背影
  • Jack Rozparovač se vrací
+4 more
  • Sur le fil du scalpel
  • El retorn d’en Jack
  • Le retour de Jack l'éventreur
  • Джек-потрошитель возвращается

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Movies Like Jack’s Back

Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Jack the Ripper, Jack and Jack the Ripper.

FAQ

Jack’s Back FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of Jack’s Back, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Jack’s Back?

Jack’s Back runs 1 hour 37 minutes (97 minutes).

When was Jack’s Back released?

Jack’s Back was released on May 6, 1988.

Who directed Jack’s Back?

Jack’s Back was directed by Rowdy Herrington.

More films by Rowdy Herrington

Who is in the cast of Jack’s Back?

Jack’s Back stars Rex Ryon as Jack Pendler, James Spader as John Allen Wesford / Richard Wesford and Rod Loomis as Dr. Sidney Tannerson, among 30 credited actors.

Does Jack’s Back have a post-credit scene?

No. Jack’s Back has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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