From Hell (2001)

Directors:

Albert Hughes
Allen Hughes

Writers (WGA):

Alan Moore (graphic novel) and
Eddie Campbell (graphic novel) ...

Release Date:

19 October 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Crime | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Evil has a new address...

Plot:

In Victorian Era London, a troubled clairvoyant police detective investigates the murders by Jack The Ripper.

Plot Keywords:

Prostitute | Jack The Ripper | Inspector | Murder | Police

Awards:

8 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Mon. Jan. 4

12:30 PM

AMC

Cast

Johnny Depp	...	Inspector Frederick Abberline
Heather Graham	...	Mary Kelly
Ian Holm	...	Sir William Gull
Robbie Coltrane	...	Sergeant Peter Godley
Ian Richardson	...	Sir Charles Warren
Jason Flemyng	...	Netley, the Coachman
Katrin Cartlidge	...	Dark Annie Chapman
Terence Harvey	...	Benjamin 'Ben' Kidney
Susan Lynch	...	Liz Stride
Paul Rhys	...	Dr. Ferral
Lesley Sharp	...	Kate Eddowes
Estelle Skornik	...	Ada
Nicholas McGaughey	...	Officer Bolt
Annabelle Apsion	...	Polly Nichols
Joanna Page	...	Ann Crook

Also Known As:

Jack (USA) (working title)
Desde el infierno (Argentina) (Mexico) (Peru) (Spain) [es]
From Hell (Austria) (Germany) [de]
Из ада (Russia) [ru]
A Verdadeira História de Jack, o Estripador (Portugal) [pt]
A pokolból (Hungary) [hu]
Cehennemden gelen (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Din iad (Romania) [ro]
Din iad - Povestea lui Jack Spintecatorul (Romania) [ro]
Do Inferno (Brazil) [pt]
Episkeptis apo tin kolasi (Greece) [el]
From Hell (Finland) [fi]
From Hell (France) [fr]
Iz pakla (Serbia) [sr]
Iz pakla (Croatia) [hr]
La vera storia di Jack lo squartatore (Italy) [it]
Sorti de l'enfer (Canada: French title) [fr]
Viiltäjä (Finland) (TV title) [fi]

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence/gore, sexuality, language and drug content.

Runtime:

122 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Malaysia:18SG | South Korea:18 | Brazil:16 (re-rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | Brazil:18 | Canada:18A | Finland:K-18 | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:III | Japan:R-15 | Mexico:C | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | Peru:18 | Philippines:R-18 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:M18 | Singapore:PG (cut) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | USA:R (certificate #38515)

Filming Locations:

Barrandov Studios, Krizeneckeho namesti, Prague, Czech Republic

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

The first person who signed on to the film was composer Trevor Jones, who stuck with the project since its conception in 1998 and finally composed and recorded his score for the film in early 2001.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Abberline has an old looking 'graphophone' or perhaps phonograph in his flat. The 19th century equivalent of an iPod. At the time it should have looked brand-new. This was leading edge technology at the time that you don't let get dirty or dented like this one is.

Quotes:

Peter Godley: Withers, when the inspector is talking you are what?
Constable Withers: Listening, sir.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "HBO First Look: A View from Hell (#8.13)" (2001)

Soundtrack:

The Nobodies (Wormwood Remix)

Jack the Ripper is the ostensible subject of Albert and Allen Hughes' From Hell, but this legendary figure is more a point of departure, an obviously sensational hook, than the film's focus.

30 Second Bottom Line: The infamous Jack the Ripper serial killer mystery unfolds in Victorian England as a stylistic who dun it.

From Hell is an exciting murder mystery with a number of hints about who dun it to keep things interesting every step of the way. Depp gives his expected, outstanding and other worldly performance. Ian Holm, Katrin Cartlidge, Robbie Coltrane and Ian Richardson and some of the unnamed prostitutes give the film an edge that takes us back a century in time. Heather Graham is OK and I'm pleased to see her doing something beyond Say it Isn't So and more along the lines of Sidewalks of New York. She is, however, a little too pretty, sophisticated, charming and clean for a street ho. Katrin Cartlidge would have been a better Mary. It's a little bit of a stretch to envision the Inspector and the whore Mary falling in love, but stranger things have happened.

It's always gratifying to see actors, writers and directors grow; and certainly the Hughes Brothers are doing that. They have not made a lot of films but each one is very good. The two could be a Stanley Kubrick in the making, as he only made 13 films during a long, respected and controversial career. Since 1993, they've made Menace II Society, Dead Presidents and American Pimp. From Hell is more sophisticated while still retaining a dark tone that is not depressing. Peter Deming as cinematographer has outdone himself with From Hell and Mulholland Drive. It's clearly Oscar caliber work.

Although From Hell is based on a comprehensive novel of the same name by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell, with the focus on a real killer in 1888, the film is not trying to be a JFK and convince us how it really happened. That said, when you realize who the killer is you are faced with an interesting hypothesis.

Jack the Ripper may have been crazy, but he was acting out of logic (his own to be sure) and for a reason other than wanting to kill a few prostitutes. The fog in London finally is lifted on the murder mystery and on the Hughes Brothers being great directors.

Message on the movie: We can't always have what we want from life. Evil exists. Victorian England was a very unpleasant place and era.

So the conclusion is that this movie is a fair movie althouht actually it hadn't got a very clear ending, it is fantastic thriller to watch and remember don't miss this one.