YouTube’s been one of the most popular platforms in recent years, and many YouTubers have become stars, turning their videos into their career, becoming massive figures in the public eye.
One such YouTuber is David Wångstedt, better known as Lemmino. Starting out with “Top Ten Facts” videos, before moving on towards documentaries, he’s gained over four and a half million subscribers. He’s covered subjects such as the MH370 incident, and the D.B. Cooper incident, which a certain TV show has made much more relevant today.
Lemmino’s most recent upload, The Enduring Mystery of Jack the Ripper, his first hour long video on the channel, is one of Lemmino’s best, and a perfect example of his typical style. A documentary that retells the saga of infamous serial killer Jack the Ripper, first by discussing the killings, and then the potential suspects. The production flows naturally, and gets you deep enough into the narrative that by the end, it doesn’t feel like an hour.
The visuals are also perfect for the story, with Lemmino’s depictions of the scenes simple, yet cloaked in enough darkness to give the audience a hint of fear, allowing us to relate to the scared population at the time. The simple human silhouettes without faces, the red color of the deceased victims, it all comes together into a professional and tense visual for the audience to watch as the story unfolds.
Beyond the specially created visuals, Lemmino makes good use of real life portraits and pictures, using them in a way that feels fresh and interesting. Even the font he uses for the text stands out, keeping the feel and tone of the screen. And while the music isn’t as standout as it was in his iconic Cicada 3301 video, it works for this production, and keeps the slightly haunting vibe of the video intact.
What makes this production all come together, however, is his voice. In terms of narrated documentaries, a good voice is essential for keeping the audience invested and watching. A good voice can uplift a terrible looking video, while a bad voice can tank a terrible looking video.
Thankfully, Lemmino has both. His voice has the necessary deep tone to keep the video’s haunting feel, while also containing enough emotion to keep the audience’s attention. Far too many documentaries fall into the trap of having a narrator that sounds like a bored schoolteacher, which makes Lemmino’s strong and engaging voice all the more impressive.
If you have an hour or two to spare, this video is a must watch. Even those who despise documentaries will soon find themselves swept up in this one, and perhaps may find a new appreciation for the medium.
I’d even say that this one deserves a theatrical release, even if it’s just a small one. After a small bit of his video getting a cameo in 2019’s The Mandela Effect, it seems like the natural path to take. Especially given that The Enduring Mystery of Jack the Ripper is Lemmino’s first “feature length” production, it would feel especially fitting. It’s just simply too good to only be seen on YouTube.
