From Hell (2001) - Johnny Depp takes on Jack the Ripper

[TheRuthlessOne]

Gonna spoiler this for people who haven't seen it:

Spoiler

Jack the Ripper is revealed to be a physician to Queen Victoria. He kills the prostitutes because they gave Prince Albert, Victoria's grandson, syphilis and because he had an illegitimate child with one of them. They were traitors to the crown and must be dealt with.

The scene with him and Depp discussing the murders really gives it away that he was involved with the killings

 

[Guestx]

The scene with him and Depp discussing the murders really gives it away that he was involved with the killings

Hmm,. you think so? I can't say I suspected him the first time I watched it.

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

Damn, I loved Zodiac. A bit too long perhaps, but I thought it was an excellent film.

Not sure if it's true or not, but I've heard in real life Robert Graysmith is a liar and con-artist though.

Not sure about Graysmith personally. As far as I know, outside his personal speculation as to who done it, the facts were pretty well laid out. The film bored the shit out of me. For whatever reason I found it to have practically none of the tension in the book. No complaints with the adaptation. Just felt like the execution was ho-hum.

I'm trying to think of a fact-based serial killer movie that I'd rate as excellent. Mostly though stuff is very very loosely based. But just in terms of serial killer movies that drew from real life I'd call these great.

• The Silence of the Lambs
• Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
• Monster

Could be more I haven't seen.

 

[minute bull]

them blacklisted?

B-CUZ. THEY SKIN COLOR...

No, I'm not saying either of those things. I'm just saying they fight a lot and either of your speculations seem plausible. Both even. I like to rewatch BOOK OF ELI and imagine what AKIRA would have looked like.

Did you know Alan Moore, the writer of FROM HELL, does not subscribe the theory of you-know-whom-in-the-comic-book being Jack the Ripper? It just made for the best story comprising all the weirdo beardo elements he wanted to incorporate. There was a crime author who did figure out Jack the Ripper's identity; I'm not sure it was Patricia Cornwell, but it was a fairly prolific novelist. I don't know why but Jack the Ripper's always been a bit unsettling to me.

I mean my time as a Thai rent boy was all fun and games so I don't know wha

 

[neverwas]

of the 3 you mentioned @shadow_priest_x i personal think from hell is the weakest,the ninth gate and sleepy hollow i'll watch right through anytime i catch them on tv. it just seems a little lacking in something for me.

 

[Ikuza]

I personally love this movie. I watched it the first weekend it came out. Made me do a lot of Ripper research afterwards.

My ranking: From Hell > Sleepy Hollow >>> Ninth Gate

I never connected with Ninth Gate. Maybe it's too European.

 

[Guestx]

B-CUZ. THEY SKIN COLOR...

No, I'm not saying either of those things. I'm just saying they fight a lot and either of your speculations seem plausible. Both even. I like to rewatch BOOK OF ELI and imagine what AKIRA would have looked like.

Did you know Alan Moore, the writer of FROM HELL, does not subscribe the theory of you-know-whom-in-the-comic-book being Jack the Ripper? It just made for the best story comprising all the weirdo beardo elements he wanted to incorporate. There was a crime author who did figure out Jack the Ripper's identity; I'm not sure it was Patricia Cornwell, but it was a fairly prolific novelist. I don't know why but Jack the Ripper's always been a bit unsettling to me.

I mean my time as a Thai rent boy was all fun and games so I don't know wha

Didn't know that about the comic writer but it doesn't surprise me. Storytellers tend to be exactly that and are interested in telling a good story above all else.

 

[Guestx]

of the 3 you mentioned @shadow_priest_x i personal think from hell is the weakest,the ninth gate and sleepy hollow i'll watch right through anytime i catch them on tv. it just seems a little lacking in something for me.

I would agree it's the weakest. For me, the ranking would go:

1. Sleepy Hollow
2. The Ninth Gate
3. From Hell

But I enjoyed all three and From Hell's visual style really sets it apart.

 

[Guestx]

I personally love this movie. I watched it the first weekend it came out. Made me do a lot of Ripper research afterwards.

My ranking: From Hell > Sleepy Hollow >>> Ninth Gate

I never connected with Ninth Gate. Maybe it's too European.

Hmm, interesting.

Makes sense on the Ripper research. I also felt a bit inspired today to look into it some more. What a dark and grisly tale, though.

As for The Ninth Gate, I personally found the whole rare book angle to be pretty fascinating and it even made me want to collect rare books myself. I'm not sure that subculture has ever been shown in a major motion picture before.

I think, beyond that, a lot of the appeal, or lack thereof, will lie in whether or not the viewer is interested in religion and the supernatural.

 

[Ikuza]

Hmm, interesting.

Makes sense on the Ripper research. I also felt a bit inspired today to look into it some more. What a dark and grisly tale, though.

As for The Ninth Gate, I personally found the whole rare book angle to be pretty fascinating and it even made me want to collect rare books myself. I'm not sure that subculture has ever been shown in a major motion picture before.

I think, beyond that, a lot of the appeal, or lack thereof, will lie in whether or not the viewer is interested in religion and the supernatural.

But I am interested in religion and the supernatural. I should probably watch it again. See if I enjoy it more with age.

 

[ThulsaDooom]

I liked From Hell a lot when I saw it. I should watch it again soon. Same for Sleepy Hollow, remember when Tim Burton made good to great movies? I also like the rare occult book angle of The Ninth Gate but my clearest (or not so clearest) memories of that movie is the awful CGI and the blonde woman giving a young ThulsaDooom strange feelings in his pants.

 

[KOQ24]

I liked From Hell a lot when I saw it. I should watch it again soon. Same for Sleepy Hollow, remember when Tim Burton made good to great movies? I also like the rare occult book angle of The Ninth Gate but my clearest (or not so clearest) memories of that movie is the awful CGI and the blonde woman giving a young ThulsaDooom strange feelings in his pants.

The Special effects are weak, but i love the mystery in The Ninth Gate.
And believe me, i dont wanna love anything made by that piece of shit Polanski

 

[Organic Damage]

It's one of the most forgettable movies in Hollywood history.
I watched it twice and still can't remember the details of what happened in the film.

Which is a shame because the original material is one of the best graphic novels I've ever read. The sheer amount of work Alan Moore put into his investigation of the city at the time, the crimes, and deducing the Ripper was mindboggling.

Would have made a great miniseries. Instead we got atmospheric fluff, some gore and tits wrapped around an empty core.

 

[weich]

Not sure about Graysmith personally. As far as I know, outside his personal speculation as to who done it, the facts were pretty well laid out. The film bored the shit out of me. For whatever reason I found it to have practically none of the tension in the book. No complaints with the adaptation. Just felt like the execution was ho-hum.

I'm trying to think of a fact-based serial killer movie that I'd rate as excellent. Mostly though stuff is very very loosely based. But just in terms of serial killer movies that drew from real life I'd call these great.

• The Silence of the Lambs
• Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
• Monster

Could be more I haven't seen.

It's interesting to me that Silence of the Lambs and Texas Chainsaw Massacre are both based around the same killer, Ed Gein, and I'm not sure if he really counts as a serial killer or not. Most of the time he was fucking with people who had died and been buried.

 

[TheRuthlessOne]

It's interesting to me that Silence of the Lambs and Texas Chainsaw Massacre are both based around the same killer, Ed Gein, and I'm not sure if he really counts as a serial killer or not. Most of the time he was fucking with people who had died and been buried.

There is also a direct to DVD horror movie called Ed Gein that is pretty creepy

If he interests you then check it out

 

[weich]

There is also a direct to DVD horror movie called Ed Gein that is pretty creepy

If he interests you then check it out

Thanks for the recommendation. I will see if I can find that on a streaming site.

 

[DoomPatrol]

I haven't watched a lot of Johnny Depp movies but I'm having a bit of a Mandela effect moment here. I thought Depp played Jack the Ripper in some barbershop movie or something.

I think what you really meant was that Johnny Depp plays Johnny Depp in every movie role he's ever done.

 

[Guestx]

I should watch it again soon. Same for Sleepy Hollow, remember when Tim Burton made good to great movies?

Sleepy Hollow is one of my favorite movies of all time, so I definitely support rewatching it. As for Burton, his best days do seem to be behind him, but I kind of enjoyed Dark Shadows and I've heard Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is a solid watch.

 

[Guestx]

But I am interested in religion and the supernatural. I should probably watch it again. See if I enjoy it more with age.

I would recommend giving it another look for sure. It's a highly original film and you just have needed to mature a little more to appreciate it.

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

It's interesting to me that Silence of the Lambs and Texas Chainsaw Massacre are both based around the same killer, Ed Gein, and I'm not sure if he really counts as a serial killer or not. Most of the time he was fucking with people who had died and been buried.

Sure, Ed was more of a grave-robber. He did kill though. Hard to parse him out of serial killer lore at this point. Being the guy most famous for dressing up in the skin of others elevates him to a certain standing I suppose. Manson is known as a killer in spite of there being no evidence he personally killed anyone. It's a funny world we live in.