From Hell (2001)

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

Directors:

Albert Hughes, Allen Hughes

Writers:

Alan Moore (graphic novel), Eddie Campbell (graphic novel),

Stars:

Johnny Depp, Heather Graham, Ian Holm

8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

It is 1888 in London, and the unfortunate poor lead horrifying lives in the city's deadliest slum, Whitechapel. Harassed by gangs and forced to walk the streets for a living, Mary Kelly and her small group of companions trudge on through this daily misery, their only consolation being that things can't get any worse. Yet things somehow do when their friend Ann is kidnapped and they are drawn into a conspiracy with links higher up than they could possibly imagine. The kidnapping is soon followed by the gruesome murder of another woman, Polly, and it becomes apparent that they are being hunted down, one by one. Sinister even by Whitechapel standards, the murder grabs the attention of Inspector Fred Abberline, a brilliant yet troubled man whose police work is often aided by his psychic abilities. Abberline becomes deeply involved with the case, which takes on personal meaning to him when he and Mary begin to fall in love. But as he gets closer to the truth Whitechapel becomes more and ...

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Plot Keywords:

jack the ripper | prostitute | inspector | murder | conspiracy | 

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Taglines:

Only the legend will survive.

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Genres:

Crime | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

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

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 October 2001 (USA)

Also Known As:

Jack

Filming Locations:

Barrandov Studios, Prague, Czech Republic

Box Office

Budget:

$35,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£891,862 (UK) (8 February 2002)

Gross:

$1,812,396 (Spain) (15 March 2002)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Underworld Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

122 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Some of the real photos from the ripper victims are pinned to the walls in the police station sets; the directors placed them there to unnerve the cast so they'd give an edgier performance after having seen the real victims.

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Goofs

A little after the second murder, Abberline is talking with Gull about "Jack the Ripper". However, he was not to become known by that name until the double event murder and receipt of the "dear boss" letter, almost a month later.

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Quotes

Opium Den Owner: I pay. I already pay.
Peter Godley: I'm not after you, emperor. Where is he?

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Crazy Credits

Thanks to the Megerdichian family

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Connections

Referenced in Assembling the League (2003)

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Soundtracks

"Duke Street"
Written by John Hatton

User Reviews

You Can Tell This Is An American Film

Why is it Americans have a laughably ethnocentric view of Britain ? They seem to be under the impression that each and every person of the United Kingdom is a cockney who says " Cor blimey Guv " a lot and works as a chimney sweep . In fact the only people we see in American movies who aren`t cockneys are the royal family ! Even BAND OF BROTHERS suffers from this flaw and that was a BBC co-production ! I must admit that it was nice to see the producers FROM HELL did their homework on 19th century London - By watching MARY POPPINS over and over again

Not having a time machine I`ve never been to 1888 London but can`t help thinking the ethnic make of the city is all wrong with everyone talking with a cockney accent , wouldn`t London be full of Scots and Irish swapping their Scottish and Irish slums for one in London ? Just curious because everyone with the exception of Robbie Coltrane`s character is either a cockney or a former public schoolboy , and of course by casting a bunch of native Brits you can`t help notice how bad the accents coming from Johnny Depp and Heather Graham are . Depp especially is abysmal

As the film continues you still notice the annoying accents but other irritants force their way into the movie . Despite having characters that existed in real life they`re written beyond all recognition , for instance Inspector Abberline had visions of the killings like some sort of psychic ? I don`t think so , oh and that bit with the diversion at Special Branch didn`t happen either and there`s no evidence he had a relationship with Mary Kelly or that any of the victims knew each other . Talking of Mary Kelly I was going to point out that , physically at least , that the real life Mary Kelly does not in any way resemble the one seen here but being an American film you`ve got to excuse some artistic license where glamour is involved

Actually this glamour jars with the opening of the film which shows the London of 1888 being a human hell hole with drunkeness and drug addiction being the norm . Strangely this actually correct , in those days drugs weren`t outlawed and a great many people took all types of drugs that would now be called " Class A drugs "( Including Queen Victoria ) though there`s no evidence Inspector Abberline was a user , so once again it`s disappointing to see so much historical inaccuracy involved especially The Rippers motivations . I can`t disprove the theories put forward but do empires collapse like this ? In my opinion - No . Oh and talking of The Ripper it`s very very obvious who he is when he first opens his mouth about twenty minutes into the movie because you`ll be able to recognise the actor`s voice straight away

So FROM HELL could have been a very good movie , but alas it`s not