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 lead role, but because of the dark way in which they are shot and the way the films themselves are told.
It’s a film about no less than Jack the Ripper, a pretty controversial subject for a film, and one which has to be made well to succeed, I mean, who would want to take on Jack the Ripper?! I didn’t know much about Jack myself, all I knew to be honest was that he went round killing people about 100 years ago, I knew nothing more. Thanks to this film that has all changed, I now know his motives, how he killed and 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 scrooges here in the UK, but for the US, the figure is mediocre, not groundbreaking, that’s for sure. Put it this way, the only just about broke even with the US and UK combined.
From Hell is set in Victorian London. It has never looked
so good, with dark streets lit by candlelight, little buildings and cobbled roads. There are people everywhere, but this is no civilised London, this is the seedy side of London, there are ‘whores’ (prostitutes) littering the streets who will do anything for you to get a bit of money. They look after each other, but work the streets until they are too tired to stand.
We focus on a group of about 8 whores, but focus even more on Mary (Heather Graham) and build up a relationship with her as the film moves on. We soon find out that this group of prostitutes are getting harassed by their pimp, who wants either some money, which is quite a large amount, or their blood. We also soon learn that there is a killer on the loose when one of the group is found dead with her throat slashed and one of her organs missing.
Here we meet Detective Fred Abberline (Johnny Depp), a rather different detective who is heading the case of the murdered women. He claims he can see things in his dreams which is why he is bought onto the case, as the police think that more murders are going to be done. He takes his own form of drug (or a form of drug back in the 1880’s!) but works hard during working hours. These drugs help him have the dreams where he sees visions of what is to come. Strange? I thought so, but it doesn’t detract from the film.
What we witness from here is more and more brutal killings, the group of whores being dwindled down as they are killed one by one. Detective Fred Abberline is getting more and more involved in his case, going against the orders of his superior and going elsewhere to look for help in the case. The murders are not just murders, they are brutal killings with organs removed from the bodies of these women precisely and fast. He’s not only after a killer, he’s after someone who knows the insides of the human body to great detail….who better to go to than a well known and well trusted surgeon.
The filming is superb. Locations are excellent and the way the film is filmed just brings you into the film even more. There are certain things that the film focuses on to make you think, certain areas where the film let’s you know about the deep and cutting reality of what is happening. Even the horse drawn carriage is enough to put shivers through you as some metal stairs unfold themselves very fast with a distinctive, sharp sound. The misty atmosphere and dark nights will let you know the reality and danger of being a women working the streets while Jack is on the loose, with many dark alleys leading somewhere, and someone always lurking down these dark alleys. It’s not Jack the Ripper that puts shivers through you, it’s the scenery and what’s going on around it.
The reason I compared it to Sleepy Hollow was because of the way it was filmed, it just reminded me of watching Sleepy Hollow and how the film was made, old buildings, Johnny Depp and streets lit with candles etc etc. The dress is also much the same. The story however is not the same, the 2 films are completely different apart from the ‘mystery’ surrounding the killings that are going on. Why does Johnny Depp always have detective parts with is moustache!? Thinking of Sleepy Hollow, The Ninth Gate and this film, he acts the same throughout!
Heather Graham for me was a strange one to have in this film. Yes, I love her, it’s always a bonus if I find out that she’s in a movie and I rented Boogie Nights purely on the fact that she got naked in it, I will freely admit that! However, she is not glamorous in this film, nor is she her usual sexy self. She has long red hair and wheres no make up whatsoever, or that’s how she’s made to look, she’s an 1880’s prostitute afterall, living on a sideline, scraping by to find somewhere to live and a place to kip after working the street. She pulls it off well though in the middle of actresses who I have never seen or heard of before.
Then we have Robbie Coltraine, who to me is a purely excellent actor who should be in more movies. You can always count on him to be the same, with a hint of humour every now and again even in a serious role and he doesn’t fail to please here.
The film is on the nasty side, you can’t make a film about Jack the Ripper without it being grisly and graphic. There are some scenes of brutality and blood, but not that many, the rest is in your mind. So it’s not the blood and gore which gave it it’s 18 certificate, but it didn’t help! However, the fact that the directors were not scared to make a film for the over 18’s audience is a good thing as if they had cut it to gain a 15 certificate it just wouldn’t be as good and to me, these days you just don’t get enough grisly, gritty films or 18 certificate films for that matter as the movie makers want to target as big an audience as they can and the 15-18 population are quite big spenders in the cinema world, anything over 25 is normally classed as an avid film watcher. I will still be going to the cinema for as long as I can see, but that’s not the point, this film was made for film lovers.
It’s not going to get 4 stars from me, but this is only because it was a bit too long and there was a very obvious twist in the film, so in the end it wasn’t really a twist or a shock to find out who the brutal Jack the Ripper was. This is the only thing that let the film down, after nearly 2 hours I really would like to be rewarded with a shock or a surprise, but I saw it coming for about an hour, which always spoils a film. Though to it’s merit, it’s a good movie, one that does keep you engrossed and one that was filmed in such a superb way that I am willing to give it 4 stars. Highly recommended if you like a good mind game film, or if you liked Sleepy Hollow and films like it. Not recommended if you like your films full of laughs and get all offended by language and killings!
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Production Year: 2002 - Thriller - Director: Bharat Nalluri, Rob Bailey, Andy Wilson - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Matthew MacFadyen, Keeley Hawes, David Oyelowo, Peter Firth, Jenny Agutter, Lisa Faulkner
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
I'll have to get round to watching this film. Not only do I like these types of films, but it's got Johnny Depp in as well! Louise.
nakedchoke 11.11.2002 18:15
Sounds good and last night I watched Sleepy Hollow in the same mannor. Some how I wasn't very interested but it kept me awake, unsure why though. LOL I watched Boogie Nights for 5 minutes and if I knew that Heather Graham was nude I may have watched the whole thing, damn.
Elainebaba 04.11.2002 00:56
I just hope and pray nothing happens to me whilst I am sleeeping! hehehe!
Avril
Heavy on atmosphere and light on everything else,From Hellis visually impressive while ... 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...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Heavy on atmosphere and light on everything else,From Hellis visually impressive while ... 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...
Postage & Packaging: free Super Saver Delivery Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
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...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
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 anoth...
![From Hell (2 Disc Special Edition) [2002] [DVD]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78545544.jpg "From Hell (2 Disc Special Edition) [2002] [DVD]")
Oct 28th, 2002
very helpful by (100%):
