'From Hell? confirms talents of film actor Johnny Depp

"From Hell"

Directed by: The Hughes Brothers

Starring: Johnny Depp, Ian Holm, Heather Graham

Rated: R

The latest issue of the informative, if somewhat irreverent, magazine "Movie-line" featured its "Annual Hollywood 100 Most" list.

Under the category of "Most Likely To Be Around In 40 Years" was the name Johnny Depp.

I have to agree, and I can only imagine Depp growing mature with the grace and skills of perennial actors such as Paul Newman, Robert Redford and Sean Connery. For the last decade it's been safe to assume any film that featured Depp would be something worth seeing.

He could have easily become the sex symbol/movie star that so many of his peers aspired to, but instead he opted to be an actor an actor with not only great talent, but superb sensibilities about the roles he takes on.

That trend continues with his latest film, "From Hell," a fictionalized historical piece from the Hughes brothers that combines the fact, fiction, mystery and myth surrounding the Jack the Ripper murders of London, circa the late 1880s.

The brothers Hughes always have had a knack for taking an unflinching look at their subject matter, as evidenced in films like "Menace II Society" and "Dead Presidents." "From Hell" is no exception. There are moments when the camera looks away but the viewer is still engrossed in horror, and other times when, in an instant so quick it's impossible to avert the eyes, graphic bloodshed is presented in all its 35 mm g(l)ory. Let it be said straight-away, "From Hell" is not for the squeamish.

It is, though, a finely crafted mystery/ psychological thriller that brings in everything from the origin of the lobotomy to the history of John Merrick, the title character in David Lynch's riveting drama "The Elephant Man."

Depp stars as inspector Frederick Aberline, and early on we discover some none-too-pleasant facts about the good constable. We first see him lying in an opium den, "chasing the dragon" and getting visions of a grisly murder.

When Sergeant Godley shows up, slaps our hero in the face and informs him as to what is going on, we realize this is not a bit of one-time behavior. Aberline apparently gets clues about many of his cases when under the influence, and it seems to be a system that's working quite well.

The latest case on the docket involves the work of a serial killer (my term and one not invented at the time of these murders) who is killing and doing so much more to prostitutes in the Whitechapel district of London. We're also presented with the story from the point of view of these girls. At this time in England they didn't use the term "hooker," "whore" or "prostitute," but called them "unfortunates."

Led by Mary Kelly (Heather Graham), these unfortunates are even more unfortunate inasmuch as they are being slaughtered at an alarming rate.

One of the things that annoyed me about the film was the casting of Graham as a 19th century hooker. Not only does she look much too well-groomed for the role, her teeth are vibrant, her hair is shiny and full, and her skin has its usual healthy glow.

The other girls in the clan, while decidedly less attractive than Graham, are probably still much more attractive than the real thing.

Much has been speculated, written and pontificated in regard to the Jack the Ripper murders. Many people were sure he was an educated man with a great knowledge of medicine (such as it was at the time).

Many more also believe he was a man of royal standing and that the authorities of the time knew who he was but were not able to pursue the case for political reasons.

The Hughes brothers take all of this into account and add a lot more, including a conspiracy theory involving the Freemasons, as well as an implication that the London Special Unit Police may have been involved, too.

The cinematography is top-rank, and the art direction, scenic design and location selection is always realistic.

The film leads off with a chilling sentence attributed to the Ripper himself: "One day men will look back and say I gave birth to the 20th century."

Those of us who have lived through the Richard Specks, Ted Bundys and Jeffrey Dahmers who have been all too commonplace lately might be willing to agree with that statement.

While "From Hell" suffers from a title far too hard to sell, as well as a few scenes that will make even the most seasoned gorefest viewer wince, it's also a well-conceived and -executed piece of work from a pair who know how they want to make films and are able to get the job done.

(Jim Wunderle works at Associated Video Producers and is a Springfield free-lance writer and musician.)