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Teringer An Exercise In Nonsense

Suman Roberson It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

slightlymad22 Continuing my plan to watch every Johnny Depp movie in order, I come to From Hell.I have always liked this one, and find it enjoyable. Depp is in top form, Robbie Coltrane is always reliable, Ian Holm hams it up brilliantly and the under rated Paul Rhys is as solid as ever. That man should have had a much bigger career. If there is one criticism of the cast it is Heather Graham. Ignoring her accent, she is simply too attractive!! I can't imagine a single punter who would pay for sex with any of the other prostitutes, when Graham's Mary Kelly was about!! Dark, brooding and full of intense atmosphere, I usually revisit this every couple of years. From Hell grossed $31 million the domestic box office to end 2001 as the 75th highest grossing movie of the year.Following the high of Sleepy Hollow $101 mill (21st) Depp's more mainstream movies were headed in the wrong direction. Chocolat $71 mill (32nd) Blow $52 mill (47th) From Hell $31 mill (75th)His next movie released changed everything.

ironhorse_iv During the fall of 1888, a series of five brutal murders shocks Victorian London. The victims, all poor female prostitutes, are murdered and then mutilated, by an unidentified serial killer, only known to the public, as Jack the Ripper. It became known as the White Chapel Murders. Ever since then, the unsolved mystery of the identity of the killer has been intrigue, both historians, scholars, and normal people for over a century now. It seems like everybody has a theory on who is the killer. One of those people, was writer Alan Moore. Taking its name from a letter, supposedly sent by the killer to the White Chapel Vigilance Committee, Alan Moore wrote the graphic novel 'From Hell' from 1989 to 1996 with cartoonist, Eddie Campbell. He wrote that the murders were part of a conspiracy to conceal the birth of an illegitimate royal baby fathered by then-Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence (Mark Dexter). While, this plot sound realistic interesting. It's fictional as hell. Also, their 'Royal Conspiracy' theory wasn't that original. In truth, the 'Royal Conspiracy" theory, was taken from author, Stephen Knight's 1976's 'Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution' book. Unfortunately, this book is not a historically accurate one. It's riddled with historical errors, coincidences, and fabrications. Like the book, the film doesn't know that in real life, that the royal scandal was more about the prince's hidden homosexual than his fathering of an illegitimate son. Nor did they knew that the Freemasons at the time was nearly powerless, due to the height of anti-masonry due to mobile economically during the Industrial Revolution, plus the weakening of longstanding family and community ties. It doesn't help, that film directed by the Hughes Brother is only a loose adaptation of the comic, often taking a different approach. While, I did like the building on the mystery & allowing the police inspector, Fredrick Abberline (Johnny Depp) to be the main character. Others things about the film kinda irritate me. I hate that the huge changes, involving the character of painter, Walter Sickert (Max Dexter). The idea that Sickert and the Prince are the same person is a bit much. Very off-putting, seeing how way different, these two men were in real-life. Plus, the killer's depth is reduced and much of the sophistical themes were also lost. Another thing, the idea of mixing the two characters of Inspector Frederick Abberline with fraudulent psychic, Robert James Lees into one, was a bit jarring. It doesn't make sense that he would be the head of the police department with such clairvoyant views. Another thing, the radical changes to Abberline from an older, gritty overweight conservative detective to a young drug addict inspector was just as puzzling. What type of police would allow a known-opium user to be the head of it!? I have to say; while Johnny Depp is a fine actor, and was alright in the role; I thought, his on-screen American Boy Scout good-looks and lack of British accent was a bit distracting. Also, the force love story between him and the lead prostitute, Mary Kelley (Heather Graham) was just as improbably. Heather Graham is alright, but it's nothing to write about. The supporting cast is also great, the women that play the victims, were memorable, however, it's Ian Holms as Sir William Gull & Robbie Coltrane as Sergeant Peter Godley that steals the movie, even if they were a bit hammy. From Hell is also one of the most beautifully atmospheric and visually gruesome period films about that era. In many ways, the film was very true to life, particularly in its recreation of Whitechapel and its portrayal of the everyday lives of its inhabitants. I really did felt like I step back into the haunting, yet wonderful world of Victorian England. It's so authentic. I even like the cameo of the Elephant Man, himself; John Merrick (Anthony Parker). The make-up work is also decent. I like how well, the gore effects look. The music of Trevor Jones was just as haunting. Overall: While, this movie does have some faults, it really didn't hurt the film, too much. I still somewhat enjoy the film. I have to say, the movie wasn't as predictable as some critics think it is. While, the order and names of the victims are well-known, the film still have time to show some twist and turns with the story. Yet, the film should certainly not be viewed as an authentic representation of the Ripper crimes as a whole. Still, the film serves as a good introduction to new viewers to the case and bring a new unique spin to those who know its history. It's fictional as hell, but entertaining.

Leofwine_draca The story of Jack the Ripper has long been of interest in the horror cinema. Right back in the creaky old days of the silents he made his appearances in the likes of 1926's WAXWORKS and Hitchcock's THE LODGER. An infamous black and white British version of the tale, made in 1959 by a cheap rival to Hammer, has fallen into obscurity but is still best remembered for the final reel, in which the killer is caught beneath a lift and the screen turns to glorious blood red colour for an instant to capture his gory demise. In the 1970s, European horror veteran Jess Franco gave us his typically sleazy variant with 1976's nasty JACK THE RIPPER, with Klaus Kinski in the leading role, whilst Spanish stalwart Paul Naschy made his own variant. In 1988, to mark the centenary of the Ripper murders, a supposedly definitive television miniseries was made in America starring Michael Caine as the investigating policeman. It's a good but flawed telling of the story marred only by the TV-movie level it never rises above. And now, to mark the new millennium, two brothers best known for their gangster rap movies have given the world FROM HELL, which is for a change based on a graphic novel (which I haven't read) of the Ripper story rather than the real-life murder investigation itself.As a horror film, it works. Everything about this film screams style and class. For a change the gory murders and surgical operations that Jack carries out on his deeply unfortunate victims are shown in graphic detail, rather than only being spoken of like in previous versions of the tale, and no expense is spared in giving us graphic, stomach-churning scenes of the cloaked Ripper calmly sawing out the internal organs of his female victims, kneeling above their prone bodies. Entrails are torn out and wrapped around necks and throats are slashed emitting geysers of crimson gore. Police surgeons repeatedly vomit at the sight of the mutilated corpses and quick flash cuts show us all we need to know about the severity of the crimes, so on a visceral level at least FROM HELL offers pure horror, sometimes nausea-inducing and all the more effective for it. Scenes of the victims being stalked at night by the cruel killer are highly suspenseful, heightened by the dark, baroque music that accompanies them and a high class of acting from all concerned.Attention to detail also contributes to this movie's success and I would go so far as to say that this is the most authentic-looking Jack the Ripper film that I've yet to see. Although some of the choice language is a little too modern to be that convincing the rest of the dialogue, the sets, the scenery and the costumes are spot-on. You have to love the brief appearance of the Elephant Man into the thick of the action and the secret society of Freemasons who operate below ground. Characters sport lived-in clothes rather than the off-the-shelf garb of the Caine miniseries and the London setting is brilliantly portrayed as a rancid den of sleaze and open depravity, packed with opium dens, pubs full of drunken angry men, and streets littered with filth and beggars.The cinematography is spot-on and helps to transport you back to 1888, putting you into the realism of the action as we watch drug-induced nightmares of the Ripper slicing up his victims and taking them to pieces. After the initial half hour which bluntly introduces Jack's figure into the depressing London streets the film takes the form of a detective tale as policeman Johnny Depp searches for clues to find the identity of the killer. Once again the film takes the well-worn conspiracy route of there being a royal connection to the killer, so whilst it lacks the element of surprise (aside from those who are complete Ripper novices) the final unmasking of the villain is still a fine piece of shock cinema and the last reel very exciting, incorporating a violent cab ride and the most gruesome murder saved for last into the proceedings.The cast is bolstered by a host of familiar British faces like Ian Richardson who bring a touch of class to the production although ironically the two leads are American (though you wouldn't guess it, as they do sport impeccable accents as is the norm these days). Johnny Depp once again proves he can do no wrong and it's fair to say that he's become a mini-horror star in recent years with all the genre productions he keeps making. Depp's opium-addicted young policeman makes a nice change from the decent, elder investigators (like Michael Caine in the 1988 miniseries) and he plays a charming, interesting central figure and one which the audience can thankfully emphasise with. Robbie Coltrane plays it tough as Depp's sergeant and basically acts as the comic relief of the production (and boy, does this horrific outing need it). Heather Graham (BOOGIE NIGHTS) is also delightful as Mary Kelly, a would-be victim of the Ripper, and as well as looking spot-on in the role, all flowing red locks and heaving bosoms just like in one of the old Hammer films, plays her part with some skill.I don't have an unpleasant word to say about anyone else, but special kudos goes to Ian Holm who plays a kindly retired surgeon in one of his last major roles. Subtle use of black contact lenses turn the killer into a deeply scary-looking man and the actor playing Jack really does deserve an Oscar for his role here - the final murder in which he believes he is teaching a class is magnificently-evoked stuff and very clever indeed. FROM HELL is a quality production and one of the better versions of the tale and it will certainly take some doing to better this in the future; for now be content in watching what is a well-paced, scary, sometimes disturbing modern horror yarn.

Rainey Dawn This film is an interesting spin on the story of Jack the Ripper. It will be up to the viewer if they agree somewhat, completely agree or totally disagree with what happened, how it happened, who Jack the Ripper was and his connections.What really happened during the rein of terror from Jack the Ripper remains a mystery to this day. Police and hobbyist are still trying to solve the case to this very day. It's interesting when people come up with a new theory of what happened and who Jack was.Now, watching this movie as "purely Hollywood cinema" and not from a point of historical accuracy the movie is good, to me. There is some very scary scenes - quite horrifying really. The movie has a good story even if it's not quite accurate and has some flaws it's still a good horror film over all.8/10