Production Year: 2001 - Thriller - Director: Albert Hughes, Allen Hughes - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring: Johnny Depp, Heather Graham, Ian Holm, Robbie Coltrane, Ian Richardson, Jason Flemyng, Susan Lynch, Paul Rhys, Lesley Sharp, Katrin Cartlidge, Terence Harvey more
FROM HELL is a gory detective film cloaked in Victorian-era mystique. The movie shows how the serial killer Jack the Ripper stalked the dark streets of 1888 London, slaying... more
lacking the depth of the acclaimed graphic novel it's based upon. Making their third feature since 1993'sMenace II Society, twins Allen and Albert Hughes approach th...
lacking the depth of the acclaimed graphic novel it's based upon. Making their third feature since 1993'sMenace II Society, twins Allen and Albert Hughes approach th...
From Hell (2001) DVD
A Gripping and Stylish Thriller. -Lou Lumenick New York Post While Jack the Ripper ruled ... more
the streets of London terror reigned. His crimes were unspeakable. His blood lust unquenchable. His identity unknown... until now! Johnny Depp and Heather Gra...
Hangover From Hell
You danced 'til dawn, drank the bar dry and now you need help. Revive tired eyes and ease ... more
a pounding head with our cooling eye mask. For party animals who need to feel and look good fast a little piece of heaven - when you feel like hell., Weight: 0.22 lbs., Manufacturer: Oscar + Dehn Ltd.
From Hell
An unflinching recreation of Jack the Ripper's mutilation of five Whitechapel prostitutes ... more
in 1888 is the core of this graphic novel. Jack acts as "midwife to the 20th century" delivering the next 100 years of Holocaust serial killing and media rapaciousness as he extracts his last victim's heart.
From Hell
While Jack The Ripper ruled the streets of London, terror reigned. His crimes were ... more
unspeakable. His bloodlust, unquenchable. His identity, unknown... until now! Johnny Depp and Heather Graham are riveting in this engrossing, stylish thriller directed by the Hughes Brothers.
From Hell
While Jack The Ripper ruled the streets of London, terror reigned. His savagery implied ... more
insanity, but his diabolical precision argued that there was a method to his madness. In 1888 London, the unfortunate poor lead horrifying lives in the city's slums. Harassed by the gangs and forced to walk the streets for a living. Mary Kelly (Heather Graham) and her small group of companions are terrorized when their friend is kidnapped and another in their group is gruesomely murdered. The sinister murder gains the attention of Inspector Fred Abberline (Johnny Depp), a brilliant yet troubled man whose police work is often aided by his psychic abilities. Abberline becomes deeply involved with the case and as he gets closer to the truth it becomes more and more dangerous for Abberline, Mary, and the other girls. Will they be able to survive the avenging force that has been sent after them from Hell?
From Hell
In 1888 London, the unfortunate poor live horrifying lives in the city's slums. Harassed ... more
by gangs and forced to walk the streets for a living, Mary Kelly (Graham) and her small group of companions are terrorized when their friend is kidnapped and another in their group is gruesomely murdered. The sinister murder gains the attention of Inspector Fred Abberline (Depp), a brilliant yet troubled man whose police work is often aided by his psychic abilities. Abberline becomes deeply involved in the case and he gets closer to the truth, it becomes more dangerous for Abberline, Mary and the other girls. Will they be able to survive the avenging force that has been sent after them from Hell?
Thriller - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Timothy West, Neil Morrissey, Tara Fitzgerald, Annette Crosbie, Pauline Quirke, Rob Brydon, Denise Van Outen, John Thomson, Kevin Whately, David Suchet
This product has not yet been reviewed. Rate it now
Production Year: 2002 - Thriller - Director: K.C. Bascombe - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Jesse James, Rachel Skarsten, Charles Powell, Linda Purl, Kevin Zegars
This product has not yet been reviewed. Rate it now
Production Year: 2002 - Thriller - Director: Matt Dillon - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Matt Dillon, James Caan, Natascha McElhone, Gerard Depardieu, Sereyvuth Kem, Stellan Skarsgard
A review by Praski on From Hell (DVD) March 8th, 2009
Author's product rating:
Did you enjoy it?
Liked it
Story
Satisfactory
Characters / Performances
Good
Special Effects
Standard
How does it compare to similar films?
Satisfactory
Advantages:
Good Filming of 19th Century London
Disadvantages:
Johnny Depp's Cockney Accent
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
The film I am about to review is a special favourite of mine not because it is a brilliant film but because part of it is filmed in Hradcany which is the heart of the castle quarter in Prague, it stars Johnny Depp and it is a film loosely based on the story of Jack the Ripper. Is this rendition as gripping as it's predecessor was compelling? Let's take a look.....
From Hell is a re-examination of the infamous and unsolved Jack the Ripper murders in Whitechapel. To this day, he remains the most notorious and enigmatic serial killer in history. Over 100 years after he committed five heinous, ritualistic murders during a ten week span in the Autumn of 1888, creating a frenzied atmosphere of gossip, rumour and terror, our continued fascination with him should not be that surprising when you consider that his legend ushered in a new era of pulp press. Before Jack the Ripper, there were a few hundred newspapers in London. At the height of his murder spree, thousands of additional papers emerged. Jack the Ripper, created in part by the press, became the first tabloid star.
But like Dracula, perhaps no one could imagine the story returning to the screens for the umpteenth time with anything approaching success. And like Dracula, hadn't Jack the Ripper been done to death? So why do a remake?
Directors Allen and Albert Hughes had an affinity for the Ripper story that stemmed from the climate of 1880's East London. The city's vast disparity of wealth produced masses of poor and destitute people, many of whom congregated in the area which the murders took place. The dirty seamy slum was a haven for drug use, prostitution, alcoholism and random street crime.
As with most of their previous inner-city dramas, and in particular their 1993 debut, Menace11 Society, this was a ghetto story. It concerns poverty, violence and corruption, which are themes they like to deal with in their movies. What also intrigued both brothers was the psychology of Jack the Ripper, his behaviour and the hysteria he incited. They also thought that previous accounts of the story were antiseptic and told from the eyes of the prim upper class. They wanted to reveal the story from the perspective of the people who lived in squalor, in the neighbourhood where the terror was inflicted.
Although, it has been said that the film was influenced by Bob Clarke's 1979 Murder by Decree, and following an almost identical trail, From Hell, based on Alan and Eddie Campbell's graphic novel of the same name, the movie offers a different take on the whole thing by primarily focusing on people trying to survive the grimmest of circumstances.
It is the story of five impoverished prostitutes who share a desperate friendship, who are drawn closer together as their ranks are terrorised by a gruesome murderer. They exist by earning a meagre living with their bodies in a society that on the one hand dishonours them, and on the other feeds upon them. Owning virtually nothing of value, they are under threat from the very thing that would steal their only personal possession. And that is life.
Mary Kelly (Heather Graham) and her friends live on the edge of starvation in a horrible slum. Each day is a struggle. having a place to sleep is a luxury. The only thing that sustains Mary is her dream of returning to Ireland, where she lived as a young girl.
The theme of hardship lies at the heart of one of the establishing scenes in the movie. The women awake after a fitful night's sleep tied together on a bench, which is the only uncomfortable option for those unable to afford a bed. The landlord arrives in the morning to untie the rope and return them to the streets where they must earn money for food and shelter for the coming night. It is a harsh, unrelenting circle of survival. The lives of these women are gruesome and dark. Their day to day existence is always under threat from pimps, violent johns, street criminals, disease and addictions.
In From Hell, the sole authority seemingly concerned with protecting these 'unfortunates', otherwise viewed as expendable, is Fred Abberline (Johnny Depp). But Abberline himself is equally aggrieved. Tormented by unendurable memories, he seeks temporary escape with opium. Like Sherlock Holmes before him who, according to The Seven Per Cent Solution, was addicted to cocaine, it is an addiction that heightens him to the spells of clairvoyance that bring both insight and incapacity.
Abberline has been beaten up by life. He lost his wife and child and relies on self-medication to get through the day. Indeed the Inspector, promoted out of Whitechapel after years of service, once again finds himself assigned to the seedy district to lead the Ripper investigation. Aiding him in his troubled investigation is Sergeant Peter Godley, played by Robbie Coltrane, who first found fame as a comedian before landing his most famous role as television's forensic psychologist, Cracker. Godley is a loyal friend who takes a strong hand in caring for Abberline when influenced from his substance habits. Godley is a straightforward Scottish cop who draws conclusions from concrete evidence such as a blood stained knife and eye witness accounts. He is intrigued by Abberline's intuition and unorthodox methods. It's contrary to Godley's nature, but he accepts Abberline's visions as genuine and he feels compelled to act on them. Godley is the only person in the world that Abberline listens to and respects. Godley keeps him alive, watches over him and is his closest friend.
But as the Whitechapel murders escalate, the two men are thwarted by superiors more interested in sweeping the crimes under the carpet than finding the killer. The sole exception is the renowned Sir William Gull, played by Ian Holm, a physician to the royal family, and a powerful figure to assist the shunned Inspector, who knows the murders are being committed by someone with medical knowledge. Certainly the killer possesses surgical skills beyond those of a butcher or labourer. His killings involve a bizzarre and terrible ritual.
With Gull's guidance, Abberline is able to deduce that the killings were part of a menacing conspiracy involving the Order of the Freemasons, who in turn were acting on behalf of the monarchy itself.
My thoughts ~~~~~~~~~
It certainly is an intersting one. From watching the film the idea of the Crown being linked to the Jack the Ripper murders seems to be less far fetched. I think that whether the British monarchy was literally involved in the Ripper murders doesn't diminish the power of the accusation levelled at the ruling class. That the authorities refused to even consider the possibility that the suspect might be wealthy speaks volumes about the Victorian era. Society's ills were viewed exclusively as the fault of the poor and lower class.
I think what the Hughes brothers did was to take a well known mystery, rich with legend and used their imagination to give it an added dimension. This dimension is the relationship that develops between Mary Kelly and Abberline. As the member of a lower class and a prostitute, Mary Kelly was unaccustomed to the company of respectable men, at least when she wasn't working. Distrustful and wary of being used, she initially rebukes Abberline's investigations. Girls working the streets had their guard up. Mary views Abberline as just another guy who wants to use her. His decency and sincerity eventually breaks down her defences and she begins to trust him.
The only problem I had with this dimension is that Heather Graham who played Mary Kelly was implausible as a prostitute. She is not merely the most glamorous but the one with the most access to expensive make up, style and skin care.
Robbie Coltrane was 'himself' as Godley. Entertaining as ever, preparing for his role in Cracker.
I have always admired Ian Holm and thought he was very good as the physician to the toffs. I have always thought there is something a bit daunting about him - I liked him in this.
As for my dear Johnny Depp - what can I say? He looked the part and looked good. His acting was fine but the accent was awful. Some might say, well does it matter? To me, it matters. It was like a cross between a young David Bowie crossed with Anthony Newley and after a while drove me nuts. Thank goodness his cockney accent has improved and he only sounds like David Bowie now in Sweeney Todd.
As for the film - even with naked bodies stretched out dead and alive, barbaric practices extending to the medical theatre, and a brief scientific observation of the 'elephant man', John Merrick, the film still fell short of its promise as far as I was concerned.
Peter Deming did an excellent job on the cinematography and the scenes of 19th century London look realistic enough to me. Or at least I agree with his depiction of the grime, squalor and beautiful haziness created by the never ending fog. I don't really know if it is realistic because I wasn't around but the pictures he paints are what we are led to believe. And I did read somewhere that they tried to film as near as possible to where the crimes were actually committed.
Even if this isn't a top notch film, Jack the Ripper is the perfect nemesis for a movie. The fact that he was never apprehended. It is the mystery of his identity, his daring to commit heinous murders in public places, and his ability to slip back into the night that has intrigued people for more than a century.
Although, original in style, I think it is an average film based on its attributes I mentioned, (in the 1st paragraph) and despite its gothic look, Hammer horror or slasher movie it isn't. It's a movie that doesn't cater to any clear demographic. It isn't really gruesome - more stylish. There is an odd moment of suspense and once or twice I felt a cold chill on my back but it isn't really scary or gory even if the sky at times is red.
Not a brilliant film but worth a watch if only for Depp (not the accent) and the atmospheric cinematography.
Running Time - 122 minutes
Rating UK 18
The two disc DVD consists of a documentary about the case of Jack Ripper which if you are interested in this then it is definitely worth watching. The price is expensive - approximately £8 from Amazon.
Advantages: Excellent portrayal of the Victorian East End, mostly gripping, Johnny Depp Disadvantages: Terrible ending, Heather Graham as Mary Kelly
...Jack. The title is coined from a letter sent to George Lusk Head of the Mile End Vigilance Committee supposedly sent by Jack the Ripper himself in October 1888. Where the writer’s address would usually be ‘From Hell’ had been written instead. I went to watch this film when it was released in 2001 because I have a great deal of interest in Victorian London, in Jack the Ripper and in Johnny Depp. The film stars Johnny Depp as the brilliant Inspector ... ...been responsible for exhorting money from prostitutes. However Abberline quickly realises that although the Nickels gang was probably responsible for Martha’s killing with the far more brutal deaths of Mary Ann Nichols and Annie Chapman they are looking at a different league of killer. Meanwhile Mary Kelly (Heather Graham) and her remaining friends, Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes, are running scared. Abberline befriends the young Mary and ...
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: The scenery and the Victorian London Disadvantages: Heather Grahams big eyes
From Hell is a 2001 film directed by The Hughes Brothers. Based on a similarly named graphic novel it is about the Jack the Ripper story from the point of view of the investigating detective Abberline played by Johnny Depp.
The film starts in the seedy White Chapel area of London (I don't know much about London but I do know Whitechapel was one of the crappy brown properties in monopoly.) A small group of prostitute friends are meeting with an old ... ...playing another policeman. A girl from the group of friends has been brutally murdered. Abberline usually has visions about such occurrences but he says it was not this one that he foresaw but another. One by one the girls are picked off. A man in a fine coach always approaches them and lures them in with grapes, then leaves them horribly mutilated and lacking certain organs. Abberline along the way enlists the help of the royal physician played ...
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Good story telling, atmospheric location Disadvantages: Casting choices
Incredibly enough, From Hell was the first movie that I had ever seen about the notorious killer Jack The Ripper. A number of films have been made over the years, but I’d somehow managed to miss them all, and so I had no real prior knowledge of the story behind the myth. I’d read mixed reviews of the film, both here and on other sites, but I’d be a liar if I said I wasn’t intrigued by the whole story and looked forward to ... ...been led to believe that From Hell was very much a new take on a familiar story and for some reason had also been under the impression that the film had supernatural undertones, but this was not the case. The finished product was really a conventional piece of old-fashioned story telling albeit a very well made one. There was a lot that I liked about this film- as well as a lot that I wasn’t so keen on.
The most memorable thing about the film ...
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: the visuals and the way the film puts shiver through you Disadvantages: the 'twist' isn't a twist by the end of the film!
From Hell was a film I wasn’t expecting too much from. It was a film that I laid down to watch in bed last night not all that tired, but I didn’t think I would make it through 2 hours of movie and thought I would be watching the other half tonight. However, I finished it all last night, eyes fixed to the screen! From Hell is a film which to me, has a strong resemblance to Sleepy Hollow, not just because both have Johnny Depp playing the ... ...when he killed. From Hell was directed by Albert and Allen Hughes, responsible for just 4 films, and 3 of them I hadn’t heard of, the only one I had being Menace II Society. However, they gave us a very good film here, one which has got to be taken with the right attitude. With a budget of $35m they bought us a film that we didn’t seem to fussed about. It took $31m in the US and £2.8m over here. That’s not to bad a figure for us ...
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: See text below Disadvantages: See text below
...Campbell. Their graphic novel – From Hell – is now (cue gravel voiced voiceover guy) A MAJOR HOLLYWOOD MOTION PICTURE STARRING JOHNNY DEPP AND HEATHER GRAHAM. Oh – you want to know what theory? Read on.
***YER BASIC PLOT***
1888. London. Through the filth ridden streets of Whitechapel we roam, witnessing men urinating freely in the street, and “bang-tails” plying their trade to men of all social standings. Meet Mary ... ...didn’t involve a long flight. From what I’ve heard, this compresses some of the book (it would have to, Moore does like his exposition), and gives a more “Hollywood” slant to the proceedings. I presume this means the ending is altered, but again – Southend/Vegas.
This is a fairly standard thriller, I’d already had the twist ruined for me (by accident), but really – it won’t take a genius to work out ...
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Quite realistic, Depp's performance is flawless Disadvantages: Well the historical correctness is not adhered to
...Here is a DVD that has been in my collection for years and years. I bought this from my local rental shop when we first got a DVD player (shortly after we got married) as I wanted to see it but didn't want to spend a lot of money buying the DVD brand new. So buying an ex-rental disc seemed to be the best option. This single disc edition is currently selling on Amazon for around £4.97 but I would recommend that you shop around as it may be possible to buy it cheaper elsewhere.
I found this whilst looking through my DVD collection, wondering what to watch on a night when there was nothing decent on the television. As I had not seen this in quite some time, I thought that I would watch this and (of course) try to write a good review of it for you all!
***DVD Info***
Run Time = 117 minutes
Languages = English and English...
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: An over-looked film. It has Johnny Depp in it. Disadvantages: Poor reviews by critics.
...itself didn't get a good review but I decided to see it for myself. It was released in 2001 but never amounted to much and soon was released on video and DVD. I couldn't understand why such a good film flopped so badly but that is mainly down to the critics and some flaws in the casting and the plot.
The film was based on the book by the same name, a masterpiece of research by the author Allan Moore with sketches by Eddie Campbell; it took ten years to produce and encompassed many theories on the identity of the "Ripper". Incidentally the letters sent to the police at the time were signed "FromHell".
The film opens with Sergeant Peter Godley (Robbie Coltrane) dragging the reluctant Inspector Fred Abberline (Johnny Depp) from an opium den to work on the case of the "Ripper". Abbeline has some physic ability, which he dampens or uses to...
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: A thought-provoking, suspenseful thriller Disadvantages: You'll only want to watch it once
...The Story
Set in the late 19th Century in London this film is based on the well-known story of Jack the Ripper. Prostitutes are terrorised by, besides pimps and gangsters, an unknown killer, who employs violent, sadistic methods to destroy his victims. A particular group of friends that are targeted are struggling to survive as they are attacked, one by one, the attacks becoming increasingly brutal & gruesome. Heather Graham plays Mary Kelly, who, during the investigation of the murders, becomes romantically involved with the Inspector Abberline (Johnny Depp), placing a more emotive aspect on his work & increasing his determination to find the killer before he strikes again. Depp sets out to investigate the mysterious murders, but with very little support from a society that treats prostitutes as having no value anyway, it is...
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Plot: Set in London during 1888, this is the story of Inspector Fred Abberline who is on the hunt for Jack The Ripper. As Fred gets nearer to uncovering the truth he becomes deeply involved with the case...
Release details
DVD Region: DVD
Studio(s): 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment; Deluxe Video Service - Fox
Executive Producer: Thomas M. Hammel, Amy Robinson
Director of Photography: Peter Deming
Music: Marilyn Manson
Languages
Main Language: English
Subtitle Language: English, French, Spanish
DVD Description
FROM HELL is a gory detective film cloaked in Victorian-era mystique. The movie shows how the serial killer Jack the Ripper stalked the dark streets of 1888 London, slaying prostitutes and crudely dissecting their bodies. Based on the graphic novel written by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell, this moody chiller is directed by twin brothers Albert and Allen Hughes (MENACE II SOCIETY, AMERICAN PIMP). Johnny Depp stars as Inspector Frederick Abberline, who smokes heavy doses of opium and drowns himself in absinthe to evoke hallucinatory visions that are his clues to catching the Ripper. Heather Graham costars as the prettiest of the floozies, who wins the muted affections of the inspector. With plenty of atmosphere and spooky effects, FROM HELL borrows scenery, filming tricks, and sequence construction from a host of popular movies, resulting in a visually interesting--if inconsistent--style. Haunting nighttime shots of the London skyline (actually Prague) bleed into shadowy Tim Burton-like prowls through the damp cobblestone streets; aerial camerawork contrasts with crowded ground-level focuses; and the camera peeks around corners and into foggy windows with stealthy curiosity. What may stand out most in viewers minds after the carnage is through, is the exaggerated use of surround sound, which brings a dreadful sense of reality to the film's gore, making FROM HELL all the juicier.
Technical information
Special Features: Mini Documentary The Tour Of The Whitechapel, Storyboard Comparisons, Stills Gallery, A Making Of And Behind The Scenes With The Hughes Brothers, Interactive Documentary Jack The Ripper 6 Degrees Of Separation, 23 Deleted Scenes With Optional Alternate Ending, Commentary By Directors Albert And Allen Hughes, HBO Special A View From Hell
Review: "...Sensational and accomplished....A horror film of genuine artistry and excitement. The Hughes brothers work with commanding restraint..." (Entertainment Weekly, p.87-8, 26/10/2001)
"...The Hughes Brothers' goal here is to make an epic of savagery, and they are brilliant at ambience and details....A conspiracy-theory thriller with brains and a heart..." (New York Times, p.E16, 19/10/2001)
"...Impressively realized, confirming the Brothers as formidable visual stylists....The shadow-drenched Prague studio sets help sustain a sense of claustrophobia well suited to a tale of endemic corruption..." (Sight and Sound, p.45, 01/03/2002)
"...It's a true auteur movie, perfectly in sync with the brothers' previous output and delivered with a dry, subliminal message..." (Total Film, p.102, 01/03/2002)
Ciao
Listed on Ciao since : 28/01/2002
Compare From Hell (DVD) to other similar Thriller & Mystery
![From Hell (2 Disc Special Edition) [2002] [DVD]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78545544.jpg)
This product has not yet been reviewed. 
