The film From Hell, directed by Albert and Allan Hughes, follows the journey of Police Inspector Frederick Abberline (Johnny Depp) as he tries to solve the violent murders of London prostitutes.
The streets of London in 1888 were not the safest place to be at night, especially in the areas of lower income. The prostitutes were at the mercy of street gangs who demanded the little money that they had, which barely left them enough to eat or find a place to sleep. When cruel, gory murders start occurring, people started panicking, and the police force had little to no clue of what was happening.
The writers took some liberties though with the true history of Jack the Ripper, the name given to the man who committed these murders over a century ago. The real Ripper was never actually found, though in the film a face is given to the man who committed the brutal crimes. In addition, Mary Kelly (Heather Graham), the prostitute who serves as a love interest for Abberline in the film, was definitely not that romantically involved with him in real life - in fact, she was also murdered in real life. However, since Hollywood needed to add a little more romance to the storyline, to the writers, it was a necessary addition.
However, something that did not take away from the story were the fabulous set design and costumes. The clothing that the prostitutes were wearing definitely looked like something that women in their profession would be wearing in that time period, and the hair style of the men definitely seemed to match what men at that time would have had too. The dark, smoky alleyways where the prostitutes conducted their business made the film seem much more realistic, and enjoyable to watch.
Also, the lighting of the film played a very important role in the mood and effectiveness at which the scenes were conveyed. Almost every important scene was shrouded in darkness or nighttime, adding a mysteriousness to what was going on as well as an eery air to the whole scene. The fact that someone could jump out of the shadows at any time and grab their next victim was a very thrilling experience.
The acting of the film was also remarkable. Johnny Depp did a fantastic job in his portrayal of Abberline. At some points, he let the viewer into his character’s harsh opium addiction, showing his character mixing some cocktail of drugs when not on the case. However, as soon as it was time to get to work, he turned into a skilled deducer, and thorough investigator, catching little clues that others wouldn’t have seen.
The way the film changed perspectives was also interesting. When most films follow one character, or really focus on him or her, From Hell had a little more roaming involved. From following each prostitute as she was murdered, to poor Anne's fate in the asylum, the broad range of characters made it more interesting to connect all of the pieces at the end.
Though definitely a “Hollywoodized” interpretation of the film, From Hell definitely does not end up with a happy ending, and it does have historical relevance and accuracy. Nearly all of the characters introduced near the beginning of the film are left dead, as they were in history as well. Hollywood did give The Ripper a face though, giving the film a more definite ending, and tied in well with all of the clues given.
As an enjoyable, thoughtful film filled with great actors and intriguing plot twists, From Hell is definitely a movie worth watching. For its acting, sets and only slight deviance from history, the film deserves a 9/10.
The streets of London in 1888 were not the safest place to be at night, especially in the areas of lower income. The prostitutes were at the mercy of street gangs who demanded the little money that they had, which barely left them enough to eat or find a place to sleep. When cruel, gory murders start occurring, people started panicking, and the police force had little to no clue of what was happening.
The writers took some liberties though with the true history of Jack the Ripper, the name given to the man who committed these murders over a century ago. The real Ripper was never actually found, though in the film a face is given to the man who committed the brutal crimes. In addition, Mary Kelly (Heather Graham), the prostitute who serves as a love interest for Abberline in the film, was definitely not that romantically involved with him in real life - in fact, she was also murdered in real life. However, since Hollywood needed to add a little more romance to the storyline, to the writers, it was a necessary addition.
However, something that did not take away from the story were the fabulous set design and costumes. The clothing that the prostitutes were wearing definitely looked like something that women in their profession would be wearing in that time period, and the hair style of the men definitely seemed to match what men at that time would have had too. The dark, smoky alleyways where the prostitutes conducted their business made the film seem much more realistic, and enjoyable to watch.
Also, the lighting of the film played a very important role in the mood and effectiveness at which the scenes were conveyed. Almost every important scene was shrouded in darkness or nighttime, adding a mysteriousness to what was going on as well as an eery air to the whole scene. The fact that someone could jump out of the shadows at any time and grab their next victim was a very thrilling experience.
The acting of the film was also remarkable. Johnny Depp did a fantastic job in his portrayal of Abberline. At some points, he let the viewer into his character’s harsh opium addiction, showing his character mixing some cocktail of drugs when not on the case. However, as soon as it was time to get to work, he turned into a skilled deducer, and thorough investigator, catching little clues that others wouldn’t have seen.
The way the film changed perspectives was also interesting. When most films follow one character, or really focus on him or her, From Hell had a little more roaming involved. From following each prostitute as she was murdered, to poor Anne's fate in the asylum, the broad range of characters made it more interesting to connect all of the pieces at the end.
Though definitely a “Hollywoodized” interpretation of the film, From Hell definitely does not end up with a happy ending, and it does have historical relevance and accuracy. Nearly all of the characters introduced near the beginning of the film are left dead, as they were in history as well. Hollywood did give The Ripper a face though, giving the film a more definite ending, and tied in well with all of the clues given.
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