TV movies have so much entertainment to offer that one wonders whether they are actually the guilty party behind the couch potato syndrome of millions. E.W. Swackhame’s Terror at London Bridge from 1985 is one of those countless retro gems with an interesting premise – the appearance of Jack the Ripper in the contemporary America (meaning America at the time of the movie’s release).
Alternatively titled Bridge Across Time, the movie stars ‘80s TV heartthrob David Hasselhoff as police detective Don Gregory who investigates the mysterious slasher killings of women in the area surrounding the newly inaugurated London Bridge in Lake Havasu, Arizona. His new friend and love interest Angie (Stepfanie Kramer of Hunter) partners with him in the quest to find out the killer even when Don’s clues lead to the mind-boggling conclusion that the killer is none else than the original Jack the Ripper.
The story by prolific author and screenwriter William F. Nolan has a cool premise. The production benefits from two famous celebs of mid ‘80s TV – Hoff and Kramer – as well as a great filming location that perfectly reflects the movie’s theme.
Despite being a softcore slasher and a few scenes of stalking victims in dark corners, Terror at London Bridge doesn’t really qualify for a horror movie. It’s just not at that level and not for being a TV movie for that; seemingly it was supposed to be a mystery/thriller with a touch of the paranormal. But just like its possible time-travel component of the story doesn’t make it a sci-fi, the toned down stalking and killing scenes don’t make it a horror as such. It could be argued that it’s more of a Hoff-Kramer romance than a scary movie.
The title Bridge Across Time does sound somewhat more appealing than the more cheesy Terror at London Bridge that seems like an attempt at enhancing the movie’s appeal with an emotive/shock word at the beginning. Maybe The Killer at London Bridge would have been a perfect title for the movie. But it’s pretty late to get it through to the proprietor.
