GIVE THIS ONE A CHANCE (From Hell (DVD))

Member Name: snappy

Product:	From Hell (DVD)
Date:	21/02/02 (51 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good, tight, old fashioned thriller

Disadvantages: OK So the accents aren't perfect

How often does reading a film review colour your judgement about whether you go to see the film in question? I ask that because we must all have gone to the Cinema at some time and either been pleasantly surprised at how good a movie is - or conversely, thinking "What on earth was that reviewer thinking of to praise it so highly".

Personally, I have had my share of disappointment with films recently and it makes a pleasant change to be able to recommend a movie that has had more than it's fair share of less than glowing reviews. The film in question is "FROM HELL", the latest in a long line of screen portrayals of the turn of the Century Jack the Ripper mystery.

Frankly, Johnny Depp would not have been my first choice to be cast as Inspector Abberline, who leads the police enquiries into the murders. I'd read all about his extremely 'dodgy' London accent and he often seems to portray weird and complex characters. Well, he was perfect in this role, in this movie and in this re-enactment of the whole 'Ripper conspiracy theory' story.

Anyway, you probably know the plotlines. Turn of the Century London, shrouded in mist. A killer targets local prostitutes, surgically removing various body parts. The perpetrator is never brought to justice and controversy - to this day - surrounds his possible identity. Was it a noted Surgeon? Could it have been a member of the Royal family? A politician - or maybe some secret society?

There are almost as many conspiracy theories - and theorists! - surrounding the Ripper murders as there are concerning the JFK Assassination. The script for this movie adaptation is based on the graphic novel of the same name by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell. They try to put together a plausible explanation for a mystery that has intrigued millions for over a Century.

As well as Mr Depp, we also have another American import in the shapely form of none other than Felic
ity Shagwell herself - Heather Graham. She plays Mary Kelly one of a group of prostitutes who find themselves being murdered one by one. Mary also becomes romantically involved with Abberline - of course!

We pick up the story as Abberline is in the midst of an opium induced 'trip'. His sidekick, Godley, played by another familiar face, Robbie Coltrane (last seen as Hagrid in 'Harry Potter', of course), rouses him from his stupour. He is led to the first of the killings and begins his investigations.

They take him into a world of Royal intrigue with rumours that Prince Albert is involved with a prostitute. It's being covered up by 'Special Branch', whose own chief - Ben Kidney - is a possible suspect for Abberline's scrutiny. He consults with noted Surgeon Sir William Gull - Ian Holm - (played with a little more menace that his 'Bilbo Baggins'). Is the murderer a member of the medical fraternity, maybe?

The film goes along at a nice pace. Throwing the odd red herring around here and there. But it has just the right 'feel' to it. Forget Depp's 'dodgy' accent - it's fine. Ms Graham sometimes lapses and is possibly a bit too pretty and cute to be amongst a pretty rough looking bunch of 'whores'. It stretches the imagination a little to believe the Inspector and Mary falling in love, but stranger things have happened. It does give a poignant touch to the ending of the film - which I will not divulge.

It is a stylish movie which held US Audiences entranced during last Summer and has done good business over here since being released a week or so ago. Forget the indifferent reviews that From Hell has received. Indulge yourself with an evening of old fashion murder-mystery. Brilliant cinematography that really captures Victorian London and few twists along the way of, what is, after all, a familiar story.

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