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** This is an archived, static copy of the Casebook messages boards dating from 1998 to 2003. These threads cannot be replied to here. If you want to participate in our current forums please go to https://forum.casebook.org **
Archive through 07 August 2001
Casebook Message Boards: Ripper Media: Specific Titles:
Film / Movies (Fiction):
From Hell (2001):
Archive through 07 August 2001
Author: Rachel Henderson
Tuesday, 14 November 2000 - 12:03 pm |        | From the Sunday Times, 12 November 2000. Interview with Bruce Robinson (Withnail & I, Killing Fields, etc.). After discussing Robinson's frustrations that he was unable to properly produce a film based on the mysterious death of Oppenheimer's mistress (Fat Man and Little Boy) the article goes on to say:
'This time he is going to unmask Jack the Ripper. "I know who he is. It's none of the known contenders; it's someone out of the loop." And, naturally, there has been a cover-up.'
Please don't tell me this is Maybrick?
Rachel |
Author: Paul Begg
Tuesday, 14 November 2000 - 12:58 pm | | Hi Rachel
It might be...
We have some news about Bruce in the December issue of Ripperologist (subscribe today!) and, of course, we carried an article by him a few issues back. He is very interested in the Ripper and has stated that he would write a script with the intensity of his The Killing Fields. |
Author: Rachel Henderson
Wednesday, 15 November 2000 - 01:27 pm | | | Thanks Paul. I really must start a subscription, I sometimes feel as if everyone knows these things before I do. Wonder why?! |
Author: David M. Radka
Wednesday, 15 November 2000 - 04:11 pm | | Everyone,
At this time I'd like to ask for someone to please hold my hand. I am afraid this movie script may present my thesis on the case, thereby beating me to the copyrighting punch, and solving the case before I can publish. I am still not near ready, and in fact I came up with a good new idea on it just last week. I'd like to ask for a consensus on who everyone thinks Bruce's suspect might be, or some kind of approximate synopsis of his thinking. If it prooves too close for comfort, I'll start the countdown to push my AR-maggedon button, web-publishing my outline.
So what do y'all think? I'd much appreciate all the hand-holding I can get. Shaking like a leaf, and thanking you,
David |
Author: Caroline Anne Morris
Thursday, 16 November 2000 - 03:16 am | | Hi David,
I'll hold your hand any time, but I don't think you need worry too much about your AR-secret being exposed before time...
Love,
Caz |
Author: Paul Begg
Thursday, 16 November 2000 - 03:21 am | | | Hi David, I think only Bruce knows, so there probably can't be a consesus... But his article in Ripperologist (buy it today! - I have no shame when plugging the magazine!) might have given a clue or two. |
Author: Joseph
Thursday, 16 November 2000 - 08:37 am | | Hello Mr. Radka,
You might want to send yourself a copy of your theory, you then have the post mark as proof of date. If he/she isn't to busy, the counter clerk at the Post office may be willing to stamp the date on the corner of each page for you.
Good luck
Joseph |
Author: Peter R.A. Birchwood
Thursday, 16 November 2000 - 12:00 pm | | David:
Shirley Harrison's current pb has a quote: "If this diary is a modern forgery - which I am sure it is not - and if I were the faker, then I would consider it to have been the summit of my literary achievement." Bruce Robinson
Which goes some way to telling you the sort of person he is and his viewpoint on ripper research. If he's got a new theory, it's probably that Lassie did it. |
Author: Paul Begg
Thursday, 16 November 2000 - 02:15 pm | | | Now, Peter, isn't that a gratuitously bitchy thing to say? |
Author: LeatherApron
Thursday, 16 November 2000 - 03:43 pm | | I've just gone through a lot of e-mails and since everyone will receive my comments when they use the Last Day or Week option and I don't have time, I'm posting here.
David,
You might want to register your material with one of the WGAs (Writers Guild of America) because they're officially recognized and don't leave you drowning in anxiety waiting for a response like our bloody Library of Congress. In the past it's taken me nearly 2 years to receive a copyright! The only hand holding or comfort I can give you is this... it happens to all of us. You're not alone. I registered some of my material with the WGAw years before THE FRIGHTENERS and THE SIXTH SENSE came out with ideas I know I'd thought of first. Ideas are a dime a dozen and I know it feels bad when you learn that someone has beat you to the punch but the pain you are feeling will subside with time and you can probably still get some mileage out of your material. How many times has the Gull/Mason conspiracy been retold?
Nick,
I am vanting you to feel better.
Martin,
I understand your position on anonymous posters and I agree and respect it. Malicious personal attacks are not why most of us come here (I hope). Just for the record, I have never posted under any other nickname since I began posting this year and I never posted prior to this year. All the best wishes to you and please continue to find time to play the boards! You are a veritable fountain of knowledge. Thanks for the British currency tidbits. I love the design of the pound coin (in fact I carry one with me all the time) and other non-circular shapes (e.g. 50 pence). Where did the term "quid" originate?
Jules,
Ay! Great to see you back, mate! No worries! I enjoyed your X-Y chromosome information. Btw, I found it quite enjoyable to put myself in Jack's shoes when I wrote JACK/KNIFE. Darnit! This sneezing is making it difficult to type with my nose. Bloody strait jacket. ;-)
Jon,
Still haven't had a chance to review that tape, in fact, I shouldn't be here now. I have a vehicle that needs to go the shop and a firearm that needs to be turned in for refinishing, I just don't have enough time for anything!
Paul,
The Ripperologist is a great magazine and I suggest that every Jackologist subscribe, but I found one small error of note in the October 2000 issue. Page 2, para 2 sentence 2 states "Thanksgiving is now celebrated on the last Thursday in November..." is only slightly incorrect as it is actually celebrated on the 4th Thursday of November which is not the last Thursday this year, nor next year, nor was it for 1995, nor for 1990, etc. I haven't read the entire edition yet, but if you want me to take my editor's hat off and shut up, just let me know. ;-D
Caz, Chris, Leanne, Peter, Rick, Viper and anyone else I missed... all my best wishes.
Here's a little something I received via e-mail that I enjoyed regarding our country's great indecision...
In the light of your failure to elect a President of the USA and thus to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective today. Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will resume monarchial duties over all states, commonwealths and other territories. Except Utah, which she does not fancy. Your new prime minister (The Rt. Hon. Tony Blair, MP for the 97.85% of you who have until now been unaware that there is a world outside your borders) will appoint a minister for America without the need for further elections. Congress and the Senate will be disbanded. A questionnaire will be circulated next year to determine whether any of you noticed.
To aid in the transition to a British Crown Dependency, the following rules are introduced with immediate effect:
1. You should look up "revocation" in the Oxford English Dictionary. Then look up "aluminium". Check the pronunciation guide. You will be amazed at just how wrongly you have been pronouncing it. Generally, you should raise your vocabulary to acceptable levels. Look up "vocabulary". Using the same twenty seven words interspersed with filler noises such as "like" and "you know" is an unacceptable and inefficient form of communication. Look up"interspersed".
2. There is no such thing as "US English". We will let Microsoft know on your behalf.
3. You should learn to distinguish the English and Australian accents. It really isn't that hard.
4. Hollywood will be required occasionally to cast English actors as the good guys.
5. You should relearn your original national anthem, "God Save The Queen", but only after fully carrying out task 1. We would not want you to get confused and give up half way through.
6. You should stop playing American "football". There is only one kind of football. What you refer to as American "football" is not a very good game.
The 2.15% of you who are aware that there is a world outside your borders may have noticed that no one else plays "American" football. You will no longer be allowed to play it, and should instead play proper football.
Initially, it would be best if you played with girls. It is a difficult game. Those of you brave enough will, in time, be allowed to play rugby(which is similar to American "football", but does not involve stopping for a rest every twenty seconds or wearing full Kevlar body armor like nancies).
We are hoping to get together at least a US rugby sevens side by 2005.
7. You should declare war on Quebec and France, using nuclear weapons if they give you any merde. The 98.85% of you who were not aware that there is a world outside your borders should count yourselves lucky. The Russians have never been the bad guys.
8. July 4th is no longer a public holiday. November 8th will be a new national holiday, but only in England. It will be called "Indecisive Day".
9. All American cars are hereby banned. They are crap and it is for your own good. When we show you German cars, you will understand what we mean.
10. Please tell us who killed JFK. It's been driving us crazy. Thank you for your cooperation.
Regards,
Jack |
Author: Jon
Thursday, 16 November 2000 - 10:34 pm | | And they should all be issued dictionary's
nite?
color?
winningest?
And be given lessons in pronunciation....
And be taught how to shoot straight.....
Jon
(with tin hat firmly pulled down)
:-) |
Author: Guy Hatton
Friday, 17 November 2000 - 04:28 am | | ...and reminded that the pound coin is circular! Perhaps you're confusing it with the 20p coin, Jack?
All the Best
Guy |
Author: Paul Begg
Friday, 17 November 2000 - 05:50 am | | Hi Jack
(I've always wanted to say that, but not on a plane). Please continue to post comments about Ripperologist, especially good ones that encourage people to subscribe!! But it's always good to have errors corrected.
Cheers
Paul |
Author: Warwick Parminter
Friday, 17 November 2000 - 08:52 am | | Hello Jack,
You really exceled yourself with that post!. What a treat, what a laugh, and said in such an inoffensive pompous English manner. As an Englishman who admires the people and continent from the Arctic circle to the Mexican border, I couldn't fault it,--or agree with it,if you can understand me. I will say, regarding your Email friend, he should look at the English record in cricket and football,--they know how to play, it's a pity they don't know how to WIN. Anyway Jack, thanks again for the laugh, I've come to expect something unusual when I see LA at the top of the page. VIVE la DIFFERENCE I say.
All the Best Rick |
Author: David M. Radka
Monday, 20 November 2000 - 01:06 pm | | Thanks to all who contributed toward holding my hand above. I feel a bit better now.
David |
Author: LeatherApron
Monday, 20 November 2000 - 05:48 pm | | Jon,
LOL ;-D
Paul,
Will do.
Rick,
;-)
David,
Keep your chin up.
Guy,
I was referring to the 50 pence piece as the non-circular variety ("e.g. 50 pence"). Sorry for the confusion. I am holding one here now and it has 7 sides (dated 1983). Wasn't there a change to it in later years? Yes, the 20p would fall in the same category though I don't have one at the moment. Can you or anyone for that matter answer my question about how the word "quid" came about?
Regards,
Jack |
Author: Brad Caldwell
Friday, 27 July 2001 - 11:17 am | | I got this off www.us.imdb.com (Internet Movie Database). I was looking forward to the film until . . .
Plot Summary for From Hell (2001)
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?
This is beyond fiction. I know, what can you do? Still, I would like something somewhat genuine.
Brad |
Author: Christopher T George
Friday, 27 July 2001 - 12:22 pm | | Hi, Brad:
The Hughes Brothers visited the chat room a few times before filming began and a number of us expressed dissatisfaction with the proposed plot of the film, but here it is, in all its cinematic glory about to be released. . . My own feeling is that a film, say, about Dr. Tumblety could be really interesting but instead of the unique and interesting motion picture the Hughes Brothers could have made, they have chosen to go down a well-trodden tiresome path duplicating the plot of prior movies that have relied on the Royal conspiracy.
Possibly Albert Hughes could make an appearance here to defend the choice?
Best regards
Chris George |
Author: Brad Caldwell
Friday, 27 July 2001 - 12:33 pm | | Hey Chris!
The Royal Conspiracy is so tiresome! But what about Abberine's psychic abilities and the romance between Kelly and Abberline???? Unless there is info out I haven't read yet, I never heard of this crap! Very annoying!
Brad |
Author: John Hacker
Friday, 27 July 2001 - 01:10 pm | | Chris,
Frankly I don't see why they should have to "defend" their choice. It's a movie, they aren't claiming to have solved the mystery. I am frankly amazed that they went to the lengths they did to get the look and feel right. They're out to make an entertaining movie, that's all.
Considering that there is no consensus as to Jack's identity, 90% of the people would take issue no matter who they pick. While I agree a Tumblety film would be INTERESTING, but it would certainly not be any more accurate IMO.
Also, I think it's worth noting that the audience reaction to test screenings has been overwhealming positive.
I'm gonna suspend my disbelief with a crane if needed and try to enjoy what promises to be an atmospheric if not accurate ride.
John Hacker
(Snark) |
Author: Christopher T George
Friday, 27 July 2001 - 02:27 pm | | Hi, Snark:
Yes, you are correct that the intent of "From Hell" will be to make an entertaining show. The 1988 movie "Jack the Ripper" with the immensely talented Michael Caine as Inspector Abberline was also great entertainment even if the filmmakers bent the fact Oliver Stone-fashion along the way! Something tells me that Mr. Depp's Abberline will not be as powerful as Caine's, but I hope Johnny proves me wrong. I am, though, disappointed that they must have Abby going off with MJK at the end, which is also the plot twist of a recent rather appalling straight-to-video Australian film titled "The Ripper" with the Prince as a demented Jack. . . and MJK and the good Inspector sailing off toward Oz-land in the final scene! At least hopefully the Hughes Bros. will get the period details right and won't show as the Oz filmmakers did an obviously 1940's style steamer as the couple's Love Boat as well as, in an earlier scene, London's Tower Bridge, which was not built until 1894!!!
Yes indeed, you are absolutely correct, Snark, that the aim is to entertain the masses and make  (preferably lots of it), not to give the Ripper story out "straight" 
Best regards
Chris George |
Author: Mark List
Friday, 27 July 2001 - 03:30 pm | | Just so you all know, the movie is based off of Alan Moore's Graphic Novel (comic book)"From Hell" which is based off of Stephen Knight's Final Solution.
Mark |
Author: John Hacker
Friday, 27 July 2001 - 04:03 pm | | Mark,
Alan Moore's "From Hell" was indeed based loosely on Knight's book, however it was used primarily as a framework to allow Moore to develop the psychology of an SK. (Indeed, the authors have said that they know Gull did not do it.)
The graphic novel was very heavy on the psychology of Gull as envisioned by Moore. The graphic novel was brilliant IMO, but not particularly cinematic. For example a good 30 or so pages in the book were devoted to the mutilations of MJK and what was going through Gull's mind as he did it. VERY intense stuff, but wouldn't play well onscreen.
My understanding is that the movie has no real relationship to the graphic novel beyond the title. They used the Gull story as a loose starting point and went off on completely different tangent than the graphic novel. The romance between Abberline and MJK, Abberline's supposed psychic abilities etc are all unique to the movie.
John Hacker
(Snark) |
Author: John Omlor
Friday, 27 July 2001 - 05:02 pm | | Hi All,
Is there any truth to the rumor I heard once that at the end of this film the last victim does not die but is in fact heroically saved in the nick of time by Depp as the psychic Abberline and that they live happily ever after?
If anyone knows this and wants to tell me privately, to prevent a spoiler on the boards, send me e-mail please.
Thanks,
--John |
Author: Christopher T George
Saturday, 28 July 2001 - 07:06 am | | Hi, John:
I don't think it is a spoiler as this is exactly what we are saying, that MJK doesn't die but goes off with Abberline at the end. Looks as if old Abby abrogates Robert James Lees's psychic powers in this one too, doesn't it? 
Chris George |
Author: Stephen P. Ryder
Saturday, 28 July 2001 - 04:55 pm | | Hey guys....
Not sure if this has been said elsewhere, but I just received an email from a reader informing me that the newly-opened film Planet of the Apes is showing a full trailer for From Hell, scheduled for release on 19 October. I'm not sure exactly how trailers work, whether the same ones are shown with the same movie across the country.... just thought I'd drop a note. |
Author: John Omlor
Saturday, 28 July 2001 - 05:32 pm | | Hi Chris and Stephen,
A note on the IMDB now informs me that there were two separate and different endings filmed for From Hell, regarding the fate of MJK.
I checked the Fox site and the Windows Media Guide as well as the IMDB, but the trailer doesn't seem to be on line yet. (I did see the trailers for the new Woody Allen film -- which looks great -- and the upcoming modern rewrite of Othello, called O, in which the lead character is a black basketball player in a mostly white high school and his white girlfriend (Julia Stiles) is in danger because a guy at the school (and on the team, of course) is telling her man rumors about her and her male best friend. Well, we all know what happens, needless to say. Unfortunately, it looks a little cheesy.)
Me? I prefer a different story of "O." 
Bye,
--John |
Author: Stephen P. Ryder
Monday, 30 July 2001 - 11:59 am | | Thoughts on the From Hell trailer...
1. The scenery, as expected, looks incredible. The street scenes, the panoramic London views are breathtaking (apart from what appeared to be a very hastily thrown-together sign for the "Ten Bells). Very atmospheric.
2. Very "hip". Apart from landing Johnny Depp and Heather Graham, the soundtrack to the trailer was somewhat industrial/techno. Fast-paced scene changes with a handful of hot-and-steamy scenes thrown in for good measure. The Ripper hasn't been this hip since his bellbottom-wearing days of Time After Time.
3. Johnny's accent. I can't get past it. I'm hoping its the sort of thing you grimace at for the first five minutes and then get accustomed to, but for the length of the trailer I didn't buy Johnny's cockney at all. Seemed forced and very unnatural.
4. Abberline-as-psychic-detective. As expected, Abberline has been fused with Robert James Lees and is now "the detective who solves his cases with his dreams." Take that as you will.
5. Mary Kelly's bedroom. Without a doubt the scene that still sticks in my mind was with Heather Graham (Mary Kelly) sleeping in her little room, on her dingy bed, amongst dingy walls, with the camera coming, slowly, ever closer to her face. The scene wasn't totally accurate (the bed was on the wrong side of the room), but the atmosphere imbued within it was intense enough to run a shiver down my spine...
Overall impressions.... we'll probably all hate the plot but, as usual, still enjoy watching the latest recreation of events. The scenery and special effects will definitely trump anything done before in the genre. Whether or not I'll ever get past Johnny's forced cockney is another matter.... |
Author: Christopher T George
Monday, 30 July 2001 - 01:20 pm | | "I beg to report, Sir Charles, I had this dream during the night, and it come to me in a vision, the answer to the case. . . ."
"Yes, Fred, spit it out!"
"Well you see, sir, it was like this. . . ."
 Wait and see the movie! |
Author: Qbase
Tuesday, 31 July 2001 - 05:16 am | | Hello,
I have been told that a Quicktime version of the trailer will be available some time in the coming weeks.
G
PS:Where did you see the From Hell trailer Stephen? |
Author: Jesse Flowers
Tuesday, 31 July 2001 - 08:04 am | | Hello all-
Just took my kids to see "Planet of the Apes" (ugh! what a piece of crap) and I caught the "From Hell" trailer. As Stephen said, the ambience of Victorian London and the cinematography look to be the most appealing part of the film. The soundtrack is by Marilyn Manson I believe. OK, so any resemblance between the movie's plot and the reality of the Ripper murders is purely coincidental. It still looks as if it should be thoroughly entertaining if you can resist the temptation to poke holes in the story and just enjoy it for what it is.
Jesse |
Author: adam wood
Thursday, 02 August 2001 - 04:05 am | | Hi all
Fox are keen to supply a copy of the trailer as well as promotional posters for viewing at the forthcoming Ripper conference in Bournemouth.
So if you're attending, bring some popcorn!
Adam
www.ripperconference.co.uk |
Author: Tom Wescott
Sunday, 05 August 2001 - 12:55 am | | Hello all,
So, has anyone heard the rumor about Johnny Depp and Marilyn Manson? Please tell me it was just a publicity stunt or a joke. PLEASE!!!
Yes, Marilyn's popularity has certainly dwindled. His latest album hasn't even sold 500,000 copies yet. That's what happens when you have a great look, good stage show, but crappy music. I love shock rock, but only if the music's there. KISS and Alice back it up with good tunes, but I've only heard one good song by Marilyn and that was 'Beautiful People'.
Johnny Depp is one of my favorite actors and I'd hate to think he's pitching for the wrong team. Someone please set me straight on the Johnny/Marilyn thing if you can. Thanks.
Yours truly,
Tom Wescott |
Author: Alegria
Sunday, 05 August 2001 - 01:15 pm | | Guess I am getting faster; it only took an hour! Yay me! Anyway. From Hell has been divided into two sections Discussion (here) and a sub-topic called Links and Pictures. Because of the size of the pictures that were scanned, the pages that contain them are out of whack so I decided to make it a separate category. Please post all links there.
Hearts and Flowers,
Ally |
Author: Christopher T George
Sunday, 05 August 2001 - 09:22 pm | | Hi, Ally:
Good work. I endorse your efforts to whip the message boards into shape instead of letting them be the untidy mess they could be without some judicious editorial work.
As one editor to another--
Best regards
Chris George
* Permission to remove above post readily given. It ain't engraved in marble. Hi, Ally!  |
Author: Tom Wescott
Sunday, 05 August 2001 - 11:49 pm | | Has anyone seen 'American Pimp'? It's the documentary directed by the Hughes Brothers. Since most of the people on the Casebook are older and/or British, you might not be too familiar with the work of the 'From Hell' directors. They're first movie, 'Menace II Society', came out in 1994 and may very well be my favorite film of that year. They're sophomore effort, 'Dead Presidents', wasn't bad, but they'd admit they were trying a bit hard to prove themselves there and bit off more than they could chew. It could still use a good 15 minute trim to help the flow. As they are young black men, all of their work has reflected their culture. All three films have had an almost entirely black cast and took place on the urban streets of a big city, tackling issues relevant to the modern American Inner City black man. So what did they decide to do? Make a film that is EXACTLY the opposite of what anyone would expect from them...A movie with an all white cast that takes place in another century and another country. It's comparable to Steven Spielberg directing a follow-up to 'Boyz in the Hood'. Will it work? I think it will. It seems they've done a bit of homework and there's no question that they could inject the film with the raw intensity lacking in the average 'Hollywood' director who got in through blood relations and good connections. That's what a Ripper film needs...a little grit. On the other hand, they may have bitten off more than they could chew again. Only time will tell. What do you think?
Yours truly,
Tom Wescott
P.S. I must say, Alegria, moving the pictures to a different section was an excellent idea. |
Author: John Omlor
Monday, 06 August 2001 - 08:03 am | | Hi Tom,
Well, I haven't seen it. But I'm worried. I must say that any film where Inspector Abberline is given psychic powers and saves Mary Kelly in the nick of time and they live happily ever after, borders, for me, on the ridiculous. Not because it isn't historically accurate (that's not a valid complaint for a fictional film, really -- besides, I loved Apocalypse Now and we all know the serious liberties that one took with history in the name of vision and Conrad and the art of filmmaking). No, I don't really care about the accuracy thing so much. But if that is really the plot -- if they really did turn this into a psychic love story where the hero finally saves the girl from the evil Ripper, then it just sounds stupid -- and, incidentally, very much like what the satirized forces of Hollywood did to Tim Robbins' movie in Altman's bitingly accurate The Player, where Robbins' script is horribly re-written in the name of viewer desire and pure profit, and suddenly Bruce Willis shows up out of nowhere in the end to save Julia Roberts (I think) from the gas chamber in the nick of time and they head off to live happily ever after. It's such a hokey and melodramatic cliché that Altman was able to use it scathingly as a joke and, of course, it was already being seriously questioned by the early 1930's in halfway decent films. I mean, at least at the end of a film like 1967's The Graduate, where the hero apparently saves the heroine at the end from a disastrous marriage (another form of death) and they escape together, you have that final shot of them on the bus, realizing that they have no idea where they're going or what their going to do and that this might not in fact be a happily ever after scenario at all. And even at the end of a horror flick like Kubrick's The Shining, where Shelley Duval and her son finally save each other from another evil Jack, you get that final problematic and inexplicable shot of Jack in the old photo on the wall to make you wonder what the hell has just happened and what you are supposed to think about what you've just seen. But if Johnny Depp's Abberline simply saves Heather Graham's Mary Kelly from Ian Holm's William Gull-as-the-Ripper at the end of this movie and Fred and Mary ride off happily into the sunset together, even figuratively, then this movie -- a movie about the East End of London in 1888, after all -- is going to smell like the one thing no movie about Jack should ever smell like -- Disney -- even with all of the film’s allegedly graphic violence. It's an ending, after all, from Snow White and Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty and...
Having ranted all of that, I should also say that I might (I hope) be completely misinformed about the plot of this thing and the climax and the clichéd nature of the ending. It may be much more challenging and troublesome and interesting. Or it may be sorry and pathetic fluff that does all the viewer's thinking for them and doesn't ask them to use their brains for even a moment. In which case, it won't surprise me, and it will, sadly, be a very ordinary film.
But, let's watch...
Now, having said all that, I leave this morning for... yes... that's right... the Mouse. Two days at the new Animal Kingdom Lodge, to see what the Imagineers have cooked up this time and to wander the happiest place on Earth just for fun (although as Chris George has probably guessed -- I critique it all as I go -- doing my best Baudrillard impersonation as I stroll through the huge, seemingly endless and fascinating monument to cultural expression and excess, efficient people moving and artificial order, where even the trash cans bear the slogan, as if it were a plea or a command, "Waste, Please").
All the best and see you all tomorrow evening, when I hope those who have heard them will be willing to chat about the Mike Barrett tapes over on the appropriate board.
Bye for now,
--John |
Author: Alegria
Monday, 06 August 2001 - 09:49 am | | <Bows> <Bows> <Bows>
Thank you!! Oh you are all too kind! |
Author: Tom Wescott
Tuesday, 07 August 2001 - 01:21 am | | John,
Is that the ending of the graphic novel? I haven't read it. A $30 comic book doesn't really appeal to me. Ha ha. I was under the impression they were using a different ending. In the Hughes Brothers' Menace II Society, the main character (whom we're supposed to feel for) gets blown away while the most violent character who got him into all the trouble, O-Dog, lives on. And the tagline of the film is 'Only the Legend Survives'. So, you never know. They might not have the lame ending you described. And boy, was that ending you described lame! Let's keep our fingers crossed.
Yours truly,
Tom Wescott |
Author: John Omlor
Tuesday, 07 August 2001 - 10:04 pm | | Hi Tom,
Just got back from the Disney Mouse, where everything is all happy endings. I don't know how the "graphic novel" ends (speaking of graphic novels and a Maus -- now there's a great series). I don't know if a psychic Abberline really saves MJK from the evil Gull-Ripper and the happy couple escapes together or not. But this is the ending I first heard rumors of for the film. Frankly, I didn't believe it at the time. It seemed too Goofy for words. But then the rumors were supported right here by Chris George and others and the IMDB now does mention that at least a couple of different endings were shot concerning the fate of MJK. (The fact that there is more than one possible "fate" for MJK is disturbing enough, all by itself.)
Now perhaps it's all been a carefully crafted bit of misdirection and manipulation of our expectations or some nasty rumor campaign and Johnny isn't really going to rescue Heather "both from her own death and from a life worse than death" (or so some trailer writer should put it). I hope we've all just been misled and the plot and the ending and the dialogue are all more subtle and more interrogative and mysterious and challenging than that and that this does not turn out to be a film we can all watch with a large percentage of our respective brains away on a vacation somewhere.
Looking forward to finding out (and to the release here of Apocalypse Now, Redux with all the new stuff, too),
--John |
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