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FROM HELL: DIRECTOR'S LIMITED EDITION
Movie: 9/10
I remember watching this flick in theaters and I couldn't wait to get the DVD. After seeing it, I was hooked on the legend of Jack. I bought the comic book (which I am still struggling through) and I checked out a number of websites relating to the Ripper.
I am intrigued with Alan Moore's theory of the murders and the film still gives me nightmares. For those of you who don't know much about this project, it's based off a HUGE comic book (about five hundred pages WITH an appendix) written by Alan Moore, who went through a lot of historical documents to plan out this project. I have heard he was even given an honorary doctorate due to the work he put into the project. The comic follows Jack the Ripper, whose identity is disclosed to us right away. This goes against the film, therefore I will not spoil it for you. However, I do wish the film would have focused on the killer more and not made it such a mystery. The tale Moore gives us is not about Abberline (Johnny Depp's character) finding Jack, it's about Jack's mission and decent into madness (much more interesting). Not that the film isn't good. It is quite well acted and constructed. The whole mood and tone that the Hughes brothers brought to this film gives me nightmares to this day. While it's not a Silence of the Lambs, it is better than Hannibal. This is a really decent thriller (I don't want to call it a horror movie because the events really took place. People often relate horror with fantasy.) and one of the best films of 2001.
It follows Inspector Abberline (Johnny Depp) who is investigating the murders of a string of prostitutes. Abberline is a psychic/druggie who uses his methods to help disclose the killer, who not only kills his victims, he mutilates them. Abberline is convinced that the killer is someone with money and an education while the police believe it is an unrefined scumbag. That is what makes this scary. It's like Hannibal, we are scared of him because he is proper, fancy, and gentleman like. (Granted, the salt of the Earth can also be scary.) When you see those white gloves reach into that knife box and that top hat reflected in the red sky line of 1888 London, you'll know what I'm talking about.
Oh, did I mention that Heather Graham plays a prostitute in it? (Drool...)
Video: 10/10
This is one of the best looking DVDs around. It looks like it got the Fincher treatment. The blacks are black and the tone is preserved quite well on it's journey from the big screen to DVD. I have no complaints about this transfer whatsoever, it even got me to take the great care of calibrating my home theater to view it correctly. God bless THX certification. By the way, this flick is in anamorphic widescreen (just in case you were wondering.) Works great to show reference picture quality to friends.
Audio: 10/10
Again, this thing boasts some of the best transfers I've ever seen. It's not action packed or anything, but the music and the knife sounds make me jump without it. From Hell has a DTS and a 5.1 track, all THX certified.
Extras: 10/10
Fox does a great job at packing this DVD tighter that Graham's corset. The two disc set has a really well done commentary with the Hughes brothers, the screenwriter, the cinematographer, and actor Robbie Coltraine. (Very entertaining and informative.) I only wish Alan Moore or some Ripper students would have graced a commentary track with their thoughts. Maybe Depp or Graham? Ian Holm? Also included are over 20 deleted scenes and an alternate ending. This is sort of a disappointment. The scenes are great and look fantastic and the content is there. However, Fox has a lot of experience re-editing films to include the footage and I was disappointed not to find a director's cut on this disc. (I heard the flick got an NC-17 rating, where is all the stuff? Why not make an undated version? Give us a Joy Ride or Abyss choice here!) Oh well, what the disc lacks here it certainly makes up on it's second saucer. The second disc has an interactive investigation behind the Jack the Ripper (very, very good), an HBO featurette, a tour of the Murder sites, ANOTHER featurette, a Graphic Novel to Film comparison, a second Behind the Scenes Featurette, and a trailer. This disc will sure keep you intrigued and informed. I'm lucky I got through all of it so quickly.
Overall: 10/10
A great thriller with excellent transfers that showcase the film and the magic of DVD. Ohh yeah, did I forget to mention to TWO DISCS OF EXTRAS? It's cheap too, I got my copy for $15 at my local Target store.
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