Director: The Hughes Brothers
Starring: Johnny Depp, Heather Graham, Ian Holm, Robbie Coltraine
Related Links
From Hell
IMDB
Release Dates
IMDB
Merchandise Links
Related Books
|
|
The Jack the Ripper case is a persistent and iconic footnote in British history that, as the Hughes Brothers drive home in their take on the legend, is deemed to represent the problems inherent in the then-coming twentieth century.
Set in and around the Whitechapel of 1888, the film has much to commend it. With the sheer attention to accuracy of both the murders (order, execution and location are spot on) and to the one conspiracy with which Alan Moore's landmark comic examined and riffed on, From Hell is a film to confound and delight Ripperologists. They'll take pleasure in the clinical attempt to display not only the graphic horror of the murders but also the social upheaval and effect the crimes had on London at the time. A basic knowledge of the case will lead you to marvel at just how much the Hughes have stayed true to the little details. For example, while nothing is ever spelled out you do get the impression of why the Ripper was so able to take advantage of the poverty of his hunting ground and why the women were so willing to degrade themselves with added risk of a psycho on the loose. Of course the fans (if that's the right word) will be annoyed that more film-makers have decided to go down the curious but ludicrous conspiracy route that involves the Royal family and Freemasons, well stomped across by other films, TV series, books and the very special graphic novel on which this is all based.
So apart from the amateur sleuths and Victorian gore hounds, what does From Hell offer a more uninitiated audience looking for drama, horror or thrills. Not a huge amount unfortunately. As a drama, the characters all seemed to have wondered in from other films. Johnny Depp is a grungier, drugged out version of his Sleepy Hollow sleuth complete with flashbacks and threateningly modern methods. Heather Graham's hooker has feminist leanings and (you guessed it) a heart of gold. Ian Holm is the quiet voiced expert who just might be in on the conspiracy. Accents aside, they all give solid performance considering the not particularly interesting characters they are being asked to rehash. As much as you don't want to see the ladies of the night being dismembered, you know it is imminent, giving them a cattle-like quality. Equally, Depp's detachment leaves you with no-one to emphasise with. As a murder mystery, the cat is let out of the bag far too early on. Sure there is some tension in seeing how it pans out but no real surprises ever occur. Equally the few set pieces that should get the drink holders gripped manage to be over in as little as four shots leaving a lot of build up with little pay off. As for the nasty stuff, as stated before the murders are pretty accurately recreated and therefore should send a shiver down most peoples spines. But how many gushes of arterial blood and subliminal shots of dismembered vaginas you can one enjoy?
So while unsatisfying in a Friday night sense, From Hell still has much to recommend it as piece of cinematic art. The production design is, shall we say, interesting. Like the 'cor blimey' accents, there is something very Hammer-esque about the recreated Victorian London slums which will seem off-putting to most people's sense of verisimilitude. In contrast, the aggressive use of Ripper iconography of top hat, black cloak and Gladstone bag may appeal to most viewers' ideas of who the Ripper is but has very little congruity with what actually happened. But the apparently cursory shots of derelicts in fits, alley-ways soaked in piss, blood red skies over the Thames dividing the upper class from the underlings, and a cameo from a rather less than well treated John Merrick, all somehow create a new language of horror. Part Jacob's Ladder, part JFK, the Hughes' Ripper lives in a land where morality is cheap and reality is a heart boiling in a kettle. Conspiracy and mythology aside the world the Hughes have created is recognisable and repellent. When you finally get to stare into the killer's dark, liver-like eyes there is something wicked in what the Hughes have artfully constructed.
Reviewed by Bob Carroll
Reader comments about From Hell
Richard D. Carrier (Email address withheld) writes:
I suppose you could call me a Ripperologist so I am aware of the details of the Whitechapel murders and of the likely suspects. Before I watched the film I had read the excellent masterpiece of a graphic novel 'From Hell' and eagerly anticipated the film's release. When I left the theatre I was left with several opinions. As a piece of cinema i think it's great, the gothic nature, the atmospheric music, the acting (even Depp's dodgy accent was excusable). However, it isn't exactely accurate historical (like the fact that Abberline was married at the time) but then if it was it would be boring probably. What did affect its quality were the things missing its narrative from the original Graphic novel. The problem I find was the fact that the film makers wanted to make From Hell into a who-dunnit flick. The novel revealed the identity of 'Jack' early on so his psychololgy could be explored better and his past. I think that elements such as these shouldn't have discarded because, at the end of the day, it's not that hard to guess who murderer is after a while. Also, the visions that Jack has of the future before, during and after the murders was an element I especially liked and added mystery and the supernatural leanings of the tale that are replaced in part by depp's visions in the film. They somewhat explained the line 'one day men will look back and say I gave birth to the twentieth century'. The appearence of the krays, the Wests and other famous killers during the Kelly murder in the novel I think should have been used somehow in the film. So, if you're a die-hard fan of the Graphic novel you might not like how the original story has been chopped up and re-arranged for the film format. As a film I recommend it as it's better than the majority of those on Jack the Ripper and artistic and atmospheric in look. i certainly enjoyed it.
Danielle Lane(age 15) (Email address withheld) writes:
I was looking forward to seeing From Hell as I am extremely interested in serial killers, especially Jack the Ripper. However, i was disappointed by the end of the film, mostly by the fact that Mary Kelly lived, whereas in real life she was the last woman to be murdered before the Ripper inexplicably disappeared. Also, the identity of Jack the Ripper was never revealed, although I understand as it was a film deemed for entertainment it had to have a conclusion. I also feel that the involvement of The Nicols Gang was unnecessary, although at the beginning of the investigation they were suspects.
Another thing which irritated me was the fact that Jack the Ripper involved another party(his carriage driver) in his murders. It is a common fact that the Ripper worked absolutely alone, never giving anyone else a chance to hold him in suspicion.
However, I was pleased to note some of the correct details, such as the letter signed 'From Hell' containing the kidney; another clue that the Ripper was an educated man was the letters he sent to the police; one containg a rhyme that begins:
'8 little whores with no hope of heaven, Gladstone may save one, then there'll be 7.
7 little whores begging for a shilling
1 sidles up to Jack, then there's a killing...'
and so on.
Also, the theory that Jack or a relative of his caught syphilis from a prostitute and his killings were revenge is widely accepted.
Much of the evidence, if researched well, points to a retired Russian army surgeon, who worked as a comestic surgeon accross the river, who moved to America after the murder of Mary Kelly and died there. I gathered most of my information from the book 'The Secret Identity of Jack the Ripper' published in the '50s, however, I sadly cannot remember who it is by.
However, it must be understood that I did enjoy the film, it merely irritates me that the general public will go away believing the things shown in the film to be facts, when in fact they are not. I must admit that the fact that annoyed me most was that Mary Kelly did not die, when in real life she did.
The film is highly enjoyable as fiction, but not for someone wanting facts about Jack the Ripper.
cal (Email address withheld) writes:
Err... the film offers explanations for it's anomalies with real events. The police believed it was Mary Kelly's body so that would explain that. The killer was uncovered but never exposed to the world. So the film does fit in with the facts we know and the theory you read. Whether the Ripper worked alone is just a theory, their were other copy cat crimes. Good film, it's a pity you need to give away the ending.
andy (Email address withheld) writes:
i enjoyed the recreations of murder sights and felt the cinematography excellent. as far as the story of course they were going to go with the most controversial yet questionable royal masons theory, yet i think every theory to do with the case is questionable anyway. it's the acting,i wish they just used a british cast depp's a good actor although he seems to mumble through the role in a rather wooden fashion,heather graham i'm sure is a good actress yet she's totally miscast seemingly struggling with the accent,and the hilarious typically american obligatory romance interest between abberline and her is hilarious (abberline and kelly never met,just too hollywood) susan lynch who played stride i beleive was outstanding and a realistic portrait of the character,coltrane and depp didn't seem to click as well as say mcnally and caine in the 88 j.t.r film. overall a good movie which may perk interest in this fascinating case which is still and possibly will always remain unsolved
pam bridge (Email address withheld) writes:
a thoroughly entertaining film, although, in my opinion, completely off track from the facts of the case. despite other comments, I thought Johnny Depp was brilliantly cast, and showed Abberline as a man defeated, rather than an actor performing 'wooden' (as was suggested by andy on this site), although I have to agree that depp was rather young for the part. But how seriously do we take it all? A completely accurate re-enactment of the story is impossible because no-one knows exactly what happened. So as far as films go, this was extremely good, but as for history - well I rest my case! Enjoy!
Stephanie Jane Manuel (stephmanueluk@yahoo.co.uk) writes:
I thought that the first time i saw it, it was more about the romance and not the fact that some crazy person was mutilateng the whores of Whitechapel. I am very interested in Jack the Ripper because i am MAry Jane Kelly's great grandaughter so i do know quite alot about it eventhough i am only 15. But overall i thiught the movie itself was very well done and accurate.
steven potter (Email address withheld) writes:
a disappointing film. some good bits and quite clever, yet it cant save it from a false ending (Mary Kelly actually died) and some borin moments. it may seem like it's goin to be good but, from a horror and murder/mystery movies fan, its disappointing.
Holly Garland (Email address withheld) writes:
I think the movie was okay. I'm not one that like movies with a lot of blood. I think the twist at the end is good because i realy thought that it was Kelly and not Ada in the bed. As for Liz Stride (Susan Lynch) well she was amazing! i loved how she nearly escaped and was held down by the coach man. And how they make that look like the attack which actually happened. I feel though that Abberline being kind of kidnapped near the end was not that good. I think that there should have been more of the life of the five victims before they died, Like how they meet, why they are so close etc etc. I would love to have seen netley, the coach man die in the end or something like that. so thats why the murder was never revelled because the reason in the movie is just stupid
zero g (Email address withheld) writes:
I have a morbid interest in serial killers,like what type of systematic abuse made this person what he or she is.But when i watched this...i really did'nt care.This movie bored the hell out of me.
Robert Hinton (bob@hinton330.fsnet.co.uk) writes:
An adequate film but about as useful in finding out what really happened as reading a shopping list.
Two especially effective moments, washing the bloody hands with the camera looking up throught the water and the steps on the carriage folding down - both very spooky!
Add your comments about From Hell [About]
|
