Cool News
The First Still From FROM HELL!!!!
Hey folks, Harry here.... The above is a blow up of a picture that Garth over at Dark Horizons found... that originally came from SilverBulletComicBooks.Com, who claimed that it was a still from the Prague production of the Hughes Brothers directed FROM HELL... an adaptation of the brilliant Alan Moore comic book of the same name.... concerning the JACK THE RIPPER tale.
Now Garth added a comment that he would be skeptical about the shot, given how early it is in the production... though, I imagine they are nearly done shooting in Prague and will soon be doing some shooting in England.
Well... let me assure you, this picture is MOST DEFINITELY AN AUTHENTIC image from the film. First off... I was on set and recognize the set precisely. Also... if you know your Victorian England, you would know that those columns are the lower half of CHRIST CHURCH in White Chapel on the corner of Fournier Street and the east side of Commercial Street. On the set.... The Hughes Brothers and their production team built almost only what you see of Christ Church in the above image... for grander shots... they will CG the Steeple.
Those cobblestones you see are in fact REAL COBBLESTONES, not poured concrete... NOW.... Look at that shot... those colors... that atmosphere. The HUGHES Brothers may very well redefine our collective impression of what Victorian England film should look like.... The colors are fantastic. Now.. you should know that they are not using Fog in the film, because the weather reports during the murders and the time period surrounding the murders reported that it was misting... not fog. That's why the light is diffused like you see there. I CAN NOT FRIGGIN WAIT FOR THIS MOVIE!!!
Just for a reference for Christ Church... here is what Christ Church looks like today!
-
+ Expand All
-
Is this the Jack the Ripper movie with Segal and Van Damme ?
-
That looks cool as, i had no real expectations that the Hughes brothers could pull this off, looks promising.
-
Hey all, if you haven't read this graphic novel...go get it. Prepare for the more meticulously researched devious piece of subversity you will ever read. It puts the there out there and you'll never think about history the same. Jack the Ripper, as a genre, involved a plot more intense than ANYTHING X-Files can serve up.
-
And it's great to see it being used in this film. Funny place, London. This church is basically just down the street from the financial heart of the City of London, yet the area could not be more diffeent. Funny thinking that within the space of a few dozen metres, you can progress from one of the richest places in the world, to one of the poorest areas, the London East End.
-
i mean the East End is one of the poorest areas in London, not the world . . . grimy though it it, the East End would still seem like Shangri-La compared to most areas in the Third World, or the First World!
-
If this still can get me this exciting (and from reading Harry's on-set story), this'll be one of the coolest period pieces ever.
-
The Hughes Brothers? Aren't they the guys who shamelessly ripped off Good Fellas and called it Menace II Society?
-
give me a break. The only mood you would get by walking down 19th century Whitechapel would be the smell of shit, trash, old cum, and stale beer. The place was a shithole...you want REAL victorian London, go past Paliment. I swear....
-
The first was in a recent USA TODAY. Black and white, Heather Graham and Depp. Maybe two weeks ago.
-
The book is Alan Moore's meticulously researched account of the Ripper murders; Moore's premise is that the Ripper was Sir William Gull, the Queen's royal physician, and that Gull's stroke in 1885 unhinged his mind, causing him to murder women in an occult fashion. (That's just the most superficial summary; Moore's Gull believes that the women must die to prevent the return of prehistorical matriarchy and also to propitiate the male-centered tripartite god Jah-Bul-Ohn that the upper-level Freemasons of Victorian England believed in.) There's also a bunch of history, sociology, and occultism worked into the story as well...the novel is a truly brilliant achievement and I hope the movie is able to capture even a fragment of that.
-
I love The Hughes Brother's previously 'hood themed films and am excited to see them do a big Hollywood production. There seems to be a decent track record for this kind of thing(Singleton's "Shaft", F Gary Gray's "Negotiator") I think their street smart sensibilities can add a fresh voice and a new dimension to mainstream moviemaking. Also I absolutely LOVE Alan Moore. "The Watchmen" is easily one of the two best works of comics to come out of the 80's (along with Miller's "Dark Knight Returns") if not one of the best ever. Anyone who ever liked comics but hasn't picked one up in a while should check out "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" as well.
-
I'm just glad they used REAL COBBLESTONES instead of fake ones.
-
This looks like it will be really good Alan Moore is the man, but I do have a few problems with this so far.Why does Johnny Depp have to be in every "dark" movie that gets made.I never had anything against him, but I am getting sick of him in the same shit.Let someone else give it a try.Also, don't go thinking this is gospel.While Moore did do a lot of research, he used what he found to make his own version,leaving out some things and adding others,as every version of the Ripper story does.Why do people think they have to solve it?I would like to just see a statement of events that doesn't draw any conclusions.This story wants you to believe that it was somehow tied to the freemasons.As with any theory there are strong points for speculation, but no real facts.The most accepted theory is that it was a school teacher who was found drown shortly before the investigation was closed, however this is highly disputed also.The most amusing one I've heard is that Jack the Ripper was Lewis Carrol
-
Quit with spoilers, particularly ones that aren't right.
-
even though it is a still, this pic looks fucking awesome and I hope it does the graphic novel justice..and I think I need therapy after seeing Harry do the Phoebe Cates seen from Fast Times.why did he have to make them bounce like that?
-
I'm with you one this one. You can almost hear the clickety-clack of the horses on the cobblestone.
-
I love From Hell...not as good as Watchmen, Moore's masterpiece, but still excellent. Sure it twists things...it's a FICTIONAL book. But Moore acknowledges everything that he fabricated or stretched in the extensive index, and it's still an incredibly well-researched story. Unfortunately, I've read "Stax"'s review at http://filmforce.ign.com, and had some correspondance with him, and it sounds like they completely butchered it, turning it into "generic Jack the Ripper movie" with the title "From Hell". First of all, the original graphic novel proposes William Gull as the Ripper right from the start, and the book is mostly a character study with Gull as the subject. Abberline, the real-life cop, is actually more of a secondary character who doesn't even appear until at least a third of the way into the story. In contrast, the movie seems to be just Scream 17 where at the end they reveal Gull as the killer. Wow, good move, you've just completely destroyed the entire point of the book for the sake of turning it into yet another chintzy slasher flick. And sorry if I "gave it away", but it's not SUPPOSED to be a surprise, and wouldn't be to anyone who knows anything about Jack the Ripper. They've changed other things, too...gone is the psychic...Abberline is nothing like Johnny Depp, and they've turned him into an opium addict for some reason...obviously, they got rid of all the elaborate motivations of Gull and presumably a lot of the conspiracy, since it's no longer possible to explore his character without revealing the "surprise"...God, what a poochscrew. About the only thing they seem to be committed to keeping is the rendition of Whitechapel as a hellish place, and the exploration of the poverty and violence of the era (which WAS pretty damned awful, despite what you might believe). But while this might still be an interesting Ripper movie, it's NOT "From Hell".
-
Sep 14, 2000 4:23:20 AM CDT
From Hell is naturally an impossible comic to adapt to film.
by andy travis
As I believe most comics are, from Spider-Man to Dan Clowes' Ghost World. In From Hell, most of the story is actually the racing, fevered thoughts of William Gull, Moore's supposed Ripper. Film isn't comics. The film version will have to become it's own creature, separate from the book. I'd like to see the film pull off the night in Marie Kelly's room the way Moore did! Impossible. But cinema has its own strengths, completely different from the strengths of comics. It's like comparing apples and horseshoe crabs.
-
Come on, man! Take a close look! Basic story, voiceover, camera moves, use of music, the whole damned approach! Consciously or unconsciously, it looks like they studied Good Fellas and reset it to their own specifications. They did so, by the way, brilliantly - so brilliant that it was Very Obvious. Now get this: I have no beef with them directing
-
Come on, man! Take a close look! Basic story, voiceover, camera moves, use of music, the whole damned approach! Consciously or unconsciously, it looks like they studied Good Fellas and reset it to their own specifications. They did so, by the way, brilliantly - so brilliant that it was Very Obvious. Now get this: I have no beef with them directing
-
Many appy-polly-loggies 'bout double (now triple) post. Why's it at the top ulluver sudden?
-
Terry Hayes' adaption of "From Hell" is one of my favorite scripts from the last 3-4 years. It truly is an outstanding piece of work and it looks as if the Hughes brothers are well on their way to doing it justice.
This is going to be what "Sleepy Hollow" should have been.
My only complaint was FOX's insistence that certain traits be dropped from the protagonist's character. The original draft portrayed the detective as a Scottish opium addict at odds with the British aristocracy. Unfortunately, his ethnicity and drug addiction have been dropped. -
now where's my watchmen film???
-
Being a Ripper fan, I was excited about the news (initially when Spielberg was attached), and then I heard Depp had been on the famous Donald Rumbelow Ripper walk for background information, so I thought at last a genuine attempt at solving the case, presenting factual evidence in a semi documentary style, whilst preserving the entertainment thrills and spills of a Hollywood movie. (That's the way I would have done it). Instead, what do we get ? After reading all the stuff on this site about it, they roll out that 'old chestnut' of Sir William Withey Gull being the Ripper, which has already been flogged to death many times before in aforementioned films like the excellent Murder By Decree and the disappointing 'relevatory' Jack the Ripper starring Michael Caine. It seems as though the American public really bought into the Stephen Knight story big time, and that's the only one they know. The only reason I can assume is that Hollywood would only be interested if the Ripper involved the Royal & Masonic connection because the Yanks only love this kind of scandal (as well as the 'in' Brit bashing current trend in movies, c'mon Ruskies start a Cold War 2, so that Hollywood will lay off OUR backs for a while). They wouldn't go and see the picture if the Ripper turned out to be an ordinary or more plausible suspect, such as Kosminski or Druitt. So therefore (again what I would've done) go down a diffrent path, and choose another more interesting and yet still plausible suspect who hasn't been touched on before, but could provide great source material for a film. You only have to look for instance at Dr Francis Tumblety a Canadian 'doctor' who according to Littlechild (a high ranking policeman at the time) was a serious suspect, who was apprehended at the time of the murders, collected uteruses and who they pursued back to America. He also led a colorful life and was even implicated in the Lincoln assassination, so there's enough for a movie there, (without even scratching the surface). I hope the reason that they haven't used him, is because America might be embarrassed that the world famous first serial killer might be one of theirs after all ! We all know the U.S is HOME of the serial killer. Failing that, go for the James Maybrick angle, again a brilliant story, that the Ripper kept a journal of his grisly crimes, can't you picture the film already ! And if they wanted drugs (thank God they dropped the Abberline opium addict idea) then Maybrick's your answer, for he was an arsenic eater. So bury the Gull as the Ripper, we've heard it all before, and still don't buy it, and try a fresh approach. Nice title though, as per one of the supposed Ripper letters sent to the police along with Kidney ! Still can't wait to see the movie, although mine will be better if you're watching movie execs !
-
Surely it can't be any worse than The Ripper starring Patrick Bergin and Gabrielle Anwar that was dire ! Definately gets my vote for the WORST Ripper movie.
-
regarding:
Gary Powell
"From Hell - 'That Old Chestnut'"
2000-10-30 04:09:45
"...they roll out that 'old chestnut' of Sir William Withey Gull being the Ripper, which has already been flogged to death many times..."
maybe
"...the excellent Murder By Decree..."
changed the names and many of the facts...
"...and the disappointing 'relevatory' Jack the Ripper starring Michael Caine."
hmmmm....I think ABSENCE of facts ruined that film (as well as giving the 'chestnut' a bad name).
"They wouldn't go and see the picture if the Ripper turned out to be an ordinary or more plausible suspect, such as Kosminski or Druitt."
You've got to be kidding!! As far as 'chestnuts' go, they're so old and stale. Yanks wouldn't go and see it? NO-ONE would go and see it. You'll be saying next that Alfred P. Doolittle did it.
"We all know the U.S is HOME of the serial killer."
That's a bit near the mark innit?
"Failing that, go for the James Maybrick angle, again a brilliant story, that the Ripper kept a journal of his grisly crimes, can't you picture the film already !"
Of course!!! The JAMES are the men [plural, you'll note] that will not be blamed for nothing!!!! Pity the writing style of the diary's author is as schlock as they come.
"So bury the Gull as the Ripper, we've heard it all before, and still don't buy it, and try a fresh approach."
Why not. While we're at it, let's reassign Charlie Manson's snuff list to Son of Sam's victim count and put down the works of the Boston Strangler to the Blair Witch. Fact is, if noone's put out the full Gull theory for a mainstraim audience (cuz the cynics always surround it with the same invalid crud of an argument) then let these guys at least have a go.
"... although mine will be better if you're watching movie execs !"
Intriguing. -
Attention Ripperologists!
I thought you might be interested in the short film, 'Double Event', recently completed by Kimbrough Productions, 2002.
The film is set on a modern Jack the Ripper walking tour of Whitechapel and tells the story of the encounters of Anna,
a prostitute on a single night - 30th September 2001 - 113 years to the day after Liz Stride and Catherine Eddows met
their unfortunate end.
The story locations are set on the actual sites of the original murders and the overall structure is heavily influenced by
details of the original Whitechapel murders. This short is very enjoyable as a piece of fiction but may be doubly of
interest to Ripperologists for its use of the original murder locations and for deriving its structure from the infamous
events of 1888. So, whether you've never had a chance to see the original locations as they look today, or even if you
are deeply familiar with the alleyways and squares of 'the abyss', why not purchase this short film, see if you can
spot the Ripper references, guess what will happen and take the night tour with Alan, our professionally trained Ripper tour guide.
This is a self-funded project, using true guerilla film-making techniques. We're producing a limited run of the DVD ourselves
and are offering it to interested Ripperologists to help us re-coup some of our costs. This DVD won't be
available in stores any time soon, so this is the only opportunity for you to further indulge your passion for the world's
most famous series of unsolved murders, whilst enjoying Anna's own frustrating search for love in modern London.
This isn't just a plain re-telling of the known facts, but a brand new story inspired by the Ripper events.
Cast Sarah Stanley, William Rowsey, Alan Rawlings, Phil Mason, Darrell Heath, Jonathan Clarkson
Director Rory McMahon Original Music Crashdaddy and Bellcrash Script John and Rory McMahon.
Running time: 40 minutes approx. Aspect Ratio: Widescreen Language:
English Subtitles: none A Kimbrough Productions DVD release (C) Kimbrough Productions, 2002.
For more information or to place an order, email: webmaster@kimbrough.co.uk / john_gg_mcmahon@hotmail.com or visit www.kimbrough.co.uk
A Kimbrough Production, (c) 2002.
Readers Talkback
User Login
Top Talkbacks
- Whitney Houston 1963 - 2012 -- 419 total posts 209 posts
- WTF HOLLYWOOD: SOLARBABIES -- 131 total posts 129 posts
- Herc’s Seen Tonight’s Return Of THE WALKING DEAD!! Discuss Also DOWNTON ABBEY, FEAR FACTOR, PAN AM, ONCE, SIMPSONS, DYNAMITE, LUCK, SHAMELESS, BAIT CAR, THE GRAMMYS And More!! Sunday Is Sweeps Day 11!! -- 123 total posts 122 posts
- New JUDGE DREDD post production footage pops up -- 124 total posts 58 posts
- There's a STAR TREK video game that is going to lead into JJ's STAR TREK 2 apparently... -- 191 total posts 47 posts
- Avid Comic Reader Hercules Does Battle With Tedium During Kevin Smith’s COMIC BOOK MEN! -- 43 total posts 43 posts
- If the Behind the Scenes Pics of the Day drops her pen, pick it up, but don’t look at her legs or else it will be on your record. -- 60 total posts 42 posts
- I am The Behind the Scenes Pics of the Day! No, I’m the Behind the Scenes Pic of the Day! -- 27 total posts 27 posts
- To Commemorate The 3D Release Of STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE, George Lucas Wants You To Know...Greedo Shoots First!! -- 506 total posts 26 posts
- HANNA's Saoirse Ronan to boss around seven little people -- 77 total posts 24 posts