From Hell (Widescreen Edition) | Johnny Depp, Heather Graham

From Hell (Widescreen Edition) | Johnny Depp, Heather Graham | Johnny Depp

DVDs:

From Hell (Widescr...

	From Hell (Widescreen Edition) Johnny Depp, Heather Graham 20th Century Fox, 2002 average customer review:based on 359 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Very Satisfied Customer.

It was recieved earlier than expected and in perfect condition. I was very satisfied with my purchase.

Johnny Depp

As usual, a riveting performance fromone of my favorites. Highly recommended for Depp fans.

"A different breed of killer, altogether."

The diversely talented Johnny Depp stars in this Hughes Brothers fictionalization of the story of Jack the Ripper, the prostitute-killing serial murderer of Victorian England. Depp plays Inspector Frederick Abberline, who in real life, was an experienced, thoughtful bulldog of a cop who remained haunted by his inability to solve the Ripper case for the rest of his life.

Depp's Abberline is a laudanum-dosing, absinthe-drinking, opium-smoking psychic detective who uses his drug-enhanced visions to solve crimes. He is brought onto the case after the Ripper brutally murders one of the "circle of friends," a group of prostitutes plying their trade in London's Whitechapel area in 1888.

The circle of friends, led by Mary Kelly (the irresistible Heather Graham) are privy to a major State secret and are being victimized one after another. Depp tries valiantly to protect Mary Kelly and her friends, though the lures of their lifestyle eventually draw them out back onto the streets to be slaughtered. The real-life Mary Kelly (whom Graham somewhat resembles) was the youngest, prettiest and most vivacious of the Ripper's victims. She was also the worst mutilated, and hence the most kindly treated in the contemporary press.

The Hugheses use a variant of the Royal Conspiracy theory to build their story, though historically it is probably untrue that any member of the British Royal House was involved in the Ripper killings, just as the Ripper's victims were most likely not known to each other.

FROM HELL (the address line in one of the Ripper's letters) is intensely atmospheric. The sets and cinematography are outstanding. FROM HELL has a powerfully engaging storyline. FROM HELL does as well as any color film could do in setting the mood and tone of Victorian London. Where the story has not been changed for the sake of the plot, FROM HELL is accurate. It is instructive that THE ELEPHANT MAN, which takes place in the same setting in the same year was filmed in black and white. (As a matter of fact, the Elephant Man, John Merrick, makes an appearance in FROM HELL, though no kindly Dr. Treves is in evidence.)

Jack the Ripper is identified, a fictionalization which does dilute the story. By identifying the Ripper, the Hughes brothers give some measure of rationality and motive to a person who so clearly had none.

The DVD's Special Features are very thin, and consist mostly of incredibly boring deleted scenes along with some very dull commentary by the Hughes Brothers.

While the Hugheses generally downplay the sordid aspects of the lives of the Whitechapel prostitutes, and leave much of the gore of the Ripper killings to symbol-laden flashbacks and imagination, they communicate these elements well, nonetheless. However, a colorized version of the actual death scene photograph of the real Mary Kelly is used in a momentary flashback, and it is one of the most hideous images ever to make it into any film. That one human being could butcher another in such a way---so personally---is paralyzing to consider. Jack the Ripper deserves his reputation.

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Jack The Ripper

A Great film about the world's first serial killer. Crafted in a way that some part of the film it is hard to distinguish between Hollywood Glam and Historical Fact. Very entertaining and Johnny Depp reveals an excellent English accent (which can at times be heard in his "Jack Sparrow" voice). Also, for those looking to be entertained by stories similiar to "the Da Vinci Code," checkout "From Hell" as the Freemasons make an appearance.

A Chilling Trip through Jack the Ripper'sWorld

From Hell explores a theory about the identity of the infamous 19th-century serial killer Jack the Ripper. Facts about the over a hundred year-old actual crime have unfortunately been lost. Many different theories exist as to who Jack the Ripper was. From Hell explores a newer theory that came about in the 1970's, when old documents were discovered. It is the "Royal Conspiracy Theory." The idea is that Prince Albert had an illegitimate child with a London street prostitute, whom he secretly married. When the royal house found out, measures were taken to silence her and her whore friends, who were witnesses at the church wedding. This theory also involves the Stonemasons.

Johnny Depp is the best actor in the film. He plays the opium-addicted - but brilliant - Scotland Yard inspector Adeline. His co-star Heather Graham falls flat as the whore-target ofthe Ripper. For starters, her red hair looks so artificial and anachronistic.

The filmography, sets, and music are chilling. Jack the Ripper's carriage, with his goblin-fire green lantern and black horses looks like a coach from Hades.

The ending, and the actual revelation of J.T.R. I found more funny than scary. There were too many close-ups of his face. He was more scary as a faceless figure in a top hat and cloak.

I have heard some say the film is gory. It is not at all. I am squeamish, yet I hardly flinched. C.S.I. episodes are ten times as gory.

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