#167. From Hell (2001)

DVD Synopsis: While Jack the Ripper ruled the streets of London, terror reigned. His crimes were unspeakable. His blood lust, unquenchable. His identity, unknown...until now! Johnny Depp and Heather Graham are riveting in this "engrossing, stylish thriller" (People Magazine). Directed by the Hughes Brothers (Dead Presidents, Menace II Society), From Hell "grips tighter than a chokehold and cuts as deep as a knife." (The Washington Post)

With it's graphic depictions of Jack the Ripper's various murders, From Hell certainly lives up to its name, and each fresh kill is a bit more gruesome than the last. However, the most compelling aspect of the film is not its blood and gore, but the way it recreates the world of the Ripper, namely the Whitechapel district of London, circa 1888. 

Production designer Martin Childs teamed once again with set decorator Jill Quertier, both of whom won an Academy Award for their work on 1998's Shakespeare in Love, to reconstruct this historic area of London. Thanks to their meticulous focus on every detail, from the costumes to the fog that filters through the streets, Whitechapel was once again, and quite convincingly, brought to life. As if in a state of perpetual awe, the camera spends a great deal of time exploring this world (the opening shot is one long walk through the streets of Whitechapel), and goes to even greater lengths to ensure that none of the design crew's hard work goes unnoticed. 

With From Hell, the Hughes brothers have successfully crafted the most artistic, most entertaining account to date of the story of Jack the Ripper. While the legend of the Ripper may have emerged from hell, this film is from an entirely different place altogether.


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