I enjoyed this movie not for the usual reasons (moving performances, sweeping drama, deep depth, etc.) but for its successfully intriguing journey into London's past and one of the world's most notoriously unsolved mysteries ever - the case of Jack the Ripper. For me, it was interesting enough to inspire me to research the facts and suspects. Did you know that there are no less than 21 theories of the Ripper's true identity? Since I didn't, I highly doubt that you did either.
"From Hell" depicts the controversial yet appealing "Royal Conspiracy" theory popularized by Stephen Knight's 1978 book "Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution." In actuality, Knight's theory expands on a 1973 BBC semi-documentary based on priveledged information from Joseph Sickert. Apparently, Sickert's father was a contempory of that murderous period and place and knew everything (maybe to the point of being an accomplice).
The theory, unfortunately, is pure speculation since there are absolutely no facts to support it. Still, the Royal Conspiracy Theory is a provocative explanation of how a number of "Unfortunates" could be brutally butchered over a few months in one of the most populated cities at the time. Moreover, it taps into the voyeur in everyone who salivates at the misdeeds of celebrity. |
