From Hell (2001)

In Victorian-era London, a troubled clairvoyant police detective investigates the murders of Jack the Ripper.

Directors:

Albert Hughes (as The Hughes Brothers), Allen Hughes (as The Hughes Brothers)

Writers:

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

Stars:

Johnny Depp, Heather Graham, Ian Holm

10 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 ...

---

Plot Keywords:

queen victoria character | bare breasts | jack the ripper | prostitute | opium | 

---

Taglines:

Only the legend will survive.

---

Genres:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

---

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:

Czech Republic

Box Office

Budget:

$35,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$11,014,818, 21 October 2001, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$31,602,566

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$74,558,115

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox, Underworld Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

122 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

(At around one hour and three minutes) Ann Crook's address was given as Fitzroy Square, fitting as "Fitzroy" is Anglo-Norman for "son of the King", and she had borne a child with Prince Albert, the Duke of Clarence, and son of the then Prince of Wales, who, had he lived, would have eventually become King.

---

Goofs

Some of the constables and law enforcement officers shown in nighttime scenes are carrying flashlights, which were not patented until ten years after the film's date of 1888.

---

Quotes

Peter Godley: You know who you're going to turn into. That sad old man in the pub that no-one wants to sit beside because after a few drinks he'll start talking about the girl that got away.

---

Crazy Credits

Thanks to the Megerdichian family

---

Alternate Versions

The line "Jack the Ripper's not finished", which was included in several previews, is not in the film itself.

---

Connections

References The Elephant Man (1980)

---

Soundtracks

Duke Street
Written by John Hatton

User Reviews

Mixed Feelings...

I'm pretty much a fan of Johnny Depp, as I usually appreciate his performance regardless of my ultimate opinion of the movie itself. Sleepy Hollow was a masterful re-envisioning of the classic story of Ichabod Crane, featuring a nice blend of mystery & horror. From Hell seemed like a natural extension of this character archetype, with a loosely-based historical inspiration, adding weight to the horrific scenarios that it depicts. With that in mind, I decided to check it out.

There are many things that are done right in this movie, number one being the atmosphere. London is gray, rainy, & dark, and its desperate citizens reflect this foreboding setting well. The women whore themselves out for an extra cent, while the men retain control through intimidation & violence. Racial tensions, corrupt officials, and secret societies complicate the picture, and the actors in their elaborate costumes capture the unrest perfectly. As the film is a work of historical fiction, it takes liberties in the portrayal of certain events/facts, but only for the purpose of increasing the dramatic potential of the plot. In fact, these little deviations in historical accuracy felt very creative, and mostly fit in with the ambiguous nature of one the most infamous unsolved mysteries.

The faults, while noticeable, are not disqualifying. The characters are played well, despite being mostly unremarkable to begin with. Depp's Inspector Abberline is likable, though his behavior is inconsistent. As an opium addict, he seems content to waste away his life in an altered state, yet jumps into action without hesitation, and utterly dedicates himself to risk life and limb tracking down a vicious serial killer & sifting through the lies that keep him so elusive. This also serves to make his relationship with Heather Graham, as the female lead, seem slightly artificial. The visionary, opium-induced haze that enables him to keep pace with the killer was an interesting touch, but wasn't utilized to its full potential, in my opinion. Also, the killer's character is not developed enough, and so comes across as "cartoonishly" scary, lacking in realism.

Ultimately, this is a tense thriller that will captivate your attention, with a unique interpretation of the Jack the Ripper mythos.