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Zone's Eye View of "From Hell" |
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Synopsis of movie: 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 more dangerous for Abberline, Mary, and the other girls. Whoever is responsible for the grisly acts is not going to give up his secret without a fight....will they be able to survive the avenging force that has been sent after them from hell? Now for The Zone's Eye View By Laura Alber From Hell is a sensational and intense Jack the Ripper thriller directed by Allen and Albert Hughes. They break all the rules of a typical horror genre movie and go straight for the “guts” of a real thriller. (excuse the pun) This adaptation is definitely the most intense and well-written story of “The Ripper”. And, casting Johnny Depp as the lead investigator was the final touch of a sure fired winner. We’ve all heard the story, and we all most likely have our own opinions of “who” Jack the Ripper really was, and the Hughes brothers definitely depict the theory held by most. The “thrill” of From Hell is not necessarily “who” the Ripper is, but the journey of Depp as he uncovers the secrets one by one in a very interesting fashion. When Inspector Frederick George 'Fred' Abberline (Depp) dreams, he has visions and actually sees the Ripper either in action, or a premonition of things to come. This is a true Mystery-Thriller in every sense. Each scene takes us on a thrilling journey through the gaslight-and-cobblestones world of the “Whitechapel district” with all it’s dreary drunkards, and “unfortunates” (the British equivalent of a prostitute). One particular group of “unfortunates” is headed by Mary Kelly (Heather Graham). The Ripper seems to have a particular reason to “off” each of the unfortunates in this group one by one. The reason becomes clear once Inspector Abberline begins to uncover certain clues. The bodies of the “unfortunates” that meet up with the Ripper’s blade, are bloody and the horrendous things done to them are unspeakable. This is done in a tasteful fashion, unlike most horror movies. They are not going for gore factor, but instead, the thrill of the ride. We even get a glimpse of the Inspector sitting in on a science lecture, featuring none other than John Merrick, “The Elephant Man”. The scientists are fascinated with the possibilities of experimenting on Merrick as well as the possibilities of their new treatment for the insane…lobotomies. From Hell, gives you every possible suspect, from the lowest form of humanity walking the streets in the Whitecastle District, to the highest aristocrats including the Royal Family. This movie is a true delight, and one I personally will be watching again and again. Depp and Graham are at their best in From Hell, and deliver believable characters and emotions. A definite Must See! The Zone rates From Hell an 8 out of 10 for complete entertainment and thrills from beginning to end.
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