From Hell is a Highly Stylized Account of Jack the Ripper
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In From Hell what’s lacking in historical accuracy is made up for in the dark, sinister and gothic scope.
Written by BHM Contributor Tom Heffernan
October 10, 2008
Buy on Amazon
Release: October 19, 2001 (U.S.)
Directed by: Allen and Albert Hughes
Written by: Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell (graphic novel), Terry Hayes and Rafael Yglesias (screenplay)
Starring:
Johnny Depp as Inspector Frederick Abberline
Heather Graham as Mary Kelly
Ian Holm as Sir William Gull
Robbie Coltrane as Sergeant Peter Godley
Ian Richardson as Sir Charles Warren
The morbid fascination we have with serial killers and their crimes, and the tantalizing nature of an unsolved mystery have provided the inspiration for many a horror movie over the decades. Be it the vicarious thrill of imagining committing crimes as atrocious as serial killings, or imagining catching the depraved lunatic who commits these crimes and dishing out justice. Or perhaps it's a desire to solve the unsolvable, to succeed where so many others have failed. By revisiting the mysteries perhaps we can uncover some clue, some overlooked fact, some evidence that has been missed. To finally unmask those who exist only in shadow, and memory. Serial killers, and unsolved mysteries. Two elements that fascinate, shock, scare, and yes, entertain. It only makes good filmmaking sense to combine them. With From Hell, directors Allen and Albert Hughes take the first modern serial killer, and the most long-running and intriguing unsolved mystery of all time, and fashion them into one of the better horror films of the last decade.
"The Hughes Brothers" as they are known have a somewhat eclectic career. I don't know if they work as collaboratively as the Coens, or if one takes the technical side and the other the creative. But I do know they turn out some good films. Dead Presidents (1995), comes to mind - an underrated "ghetto" flick with some good performances. In 2001 they turned their sights to a ghetto tale of a different time and place: the story of Jack the Ripper.
From Hell begins by literally dropping us into the lice infested darkness of 1888 East End London, Whitechapel district to be exact. Old Jack's stomping ground. The Hughes Brothers, rather than try to give us a history lesson, have gone with an adaptation of Alan Moore's graphic novel, which in turn went with the Freemasons/Royal conspiracy theory (which I can't elaborate on without spoiling the�plot), and rather than a documentary-accurate representation of 1880's London, they've gone with a distinct visual style - utilizing bold colors & deep shadows, reasonably flashy direction, and attractive main stars. The first scene, a long tracking shot down into the alleys and 
along the streets, past hookers plying their trade, drunks staggering in the gutters and horse-drawn carts passing under gas lit arcs of filthy cobblestones, is cinematic brilliance and evidence of the Hughes Brothers' attention to detail and consummate filmmaking skill. There is a lot to like visually: one scene that particularly stands out is the time lapse photography after Jack kills one of his victims, showing the police examining the body and shocked onlookers gawking. Just before this sequence is another very creepy and effective shot: Jack finishes his dirty work then walks away into the foggy night, literally vanishing, ghost-like, into the shadows.
Police Inspector Fred Abberline (Johnny Depp) is assigned the unenviable task of tracking down the Whitechapel murderer who would infamously become known as Jack the Ripper - who in reality stalked and murdered at least five women in the latter half of 1888. Abberline is aided in this task by the excellent British actor Robbie Coltrane who plays his partner Sergeant Peter Godley. Their relationship brings to mind echoes of Holmes and Watson. It seems the Ripper has his sights on Mary Kelly (Heather Graham) and her close knit band of streetwalkers. As the girls are viciously killed one by one, Abberline's investigation leads him from the dark alleys of Whitechapel to the lofty halls of Queen Victoria's palace, and begins to uncover a truth so disquieting those with vested interests will do almost anything to make sure it never gets out.
Much (fun) has been made of Johnny Depp's cockney accent and Heather Graham looking just a little too healthy for an 1880's Whitechapel prostitute in From Hell. When it is taken into account that the accent and indeed Depp’s performance are stylized to match that of the film, the accent is not distracting at all. Depp is a fine actor who nailed the distinct personality based on all accounts of Abberline perfectly. Graham doesn’t fare so well with the accent, and yes she's a little too clean and has all her teeth (which was a rarity back then) - but this is a story, a legend if you will. We can excuse a little beauty in an otherwise ugly tale.
The murders in From Hellare presented as brutal and ugly. The details (which in reality were unbearably grisly) are mostly left to the imagination, but we are still left with a strong impression: these poor women died in horrible ways. When you're dealing with an actual event, there's no room for highly stylized violence - these were real people, with real feelings and real lives that were ended suddenly and without any reason besides the whim of a madman. They deserve respect, and don't take up any more screen time than they have to. The story focuses on Abberline and his attempts to find the killer, and uncover the sinister truth.
Everyone knows the Ripper story, at least in passing, but the Hughes Brothers have crafted a tale with From Hell that is more fiction than historical fact; a commentary on class society and the way something as abhorrent as murder can cut through societal layers (pun intended) and expose the dark side of a supposedly "enlightened age". Of course it wouldn't be a movie without a love story and Abberline finds time amidst the chaos to fall for the "hooker with a heart of gold" Kelly.
Performances in From Hell are strong across-the-board. I get a kick out of Robbie Coltrane's many euphemisms for prostitute, such as "bang-tail" and "pinchprick". I also get a kick out of watching Depp lose himself in a role that seems like it was written with him, and only him, in mind. Depp's Abberline is an opium-smoking, absinthe-drinking, troubled soul who relies on hallucinatory visions to help him solve the case. Depp is a remarkably versatile actor and is, as usual, perfect in the role. Mention should also be made of the late Sir Ian Richardson who plays the pompous, racist Metro Police Commissioner Sir Charles Warren who assigns Abberline to the case. His ridiculous assertion that an educated man could not be responsible for such heinous crimes, and his theory "what about the Jews? A Jew butcher..." is priceless line delivery and excellent characterization. The prejudices held by many "upper class" people both then and now are clearly illustrated.
The inimitable Sir Ian Holm as Sir William Gull, the Queen's personal physician, cannot go without mention. Holm is brilliant in From Hell as the deluded and sinister Gull, an advocate of the grotesque medical procedure known as lobotomy. The lobotomy scene in this film is more disturbing than the actual murder scenes. Rounding out the cast are Jason Flemyng as Gull's put-upon coachman Netley, Mark Dexter as Prince Albert (whose dalliances with the unfortunate Ann Crook provide the basis for the whole "Royal Conspiracy" thing), and Katrin Cartlige, Susan Lynch, Lesley Sharp, Annabelle Apsion and Samantha Spiro as the unfortunate victims: Annie Chapman, Liz Stride, Katherine Eddowes, Polly Nichols and Martha Tabram.
From Hell is dark, sinister, moody, and operatic in it's gothic scope. It did pretty poorly both at the box office and critically upon it's release as people seemed to expect either a straight horror film or a factual account of the Ripper's crimes. From Hell is neither. It's a darkly beautiful tale of tormented souls and the darkest side of human nature. Questions or comments about From Hell? Discuss it on The Ossuary Forums!
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