From Hell (2001, Rated R, 121 minutes) available from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

Released just a little while ago on DVD by 20th Century Fox, From Hell is the story of Jack the Ripper. Johnny Depp plays one sexy detective at the end of the 19th century in London. He likes to get drunk and high in order to help him solve crimes, much like today’s police force. Heather Graham plays a sexy prostitute (a prostitute is someone who gets paid to have sex) who helps Depp find the killer. In-between are some killing, some sex, and some great sexy moments between the foxy Depp and the hot Graham.

Also helping Depp (who is very sexy in this movie) is Robbie Coltrane (who is not related to John Coltrane). Coltrane plays another detective assigned to the case. Soon as the number of murders grows, the pressure mounts and Depp is feeling a lot of heat to solve the murders. But it isn’t easy, because Jack the Ripper is very hard to catch, and presumably he don’t want to be caught, because then he would probably go to jail and there aren’t too many people who want to go to jail, even in England. The Jack the Ripper story is true of course, but much of the film is based on rumor and hearsay. No one knows who the real Ripper was, but the Hughes brothers think it was someone very important and possible related to the Queen of England (In England they don’t have a President, they have a King and a Queen, that is called a Monarchy). Eventually the killing stops and Depp dies. Graham goes on to live in Ireland. The one big unanswered question this movie leaves the viewer with is how did all these people become so sexy?!!!

This new DVD set boasts a series of extras that includes a commentary by the Hughes brothers, who directed the film, and a number of other extras. There are some good deleted scenes including an alternate ending in which Depp dies in China instead of London, and one where there are some naked women. I think that one should have been left in, but it’s called From Hell, not From Hot! Or From Sexy! Or From Naked Women!

There are also some really cool extras including a behind-the-scenes look at the building of some of the sets, the evolution of the story from the graphic novel to the big screen, and a vignette that lets people discuss who they think Jack the Ripper was. Per haps best of all, this deluxe edition features hot French Dolby Surround Sound and some sexy English subtitles.

While not perfect, the movie is very entertaining and a great movie to watch if you are planning on having sex that night.

Rating: ? briefs (out of 5) Editor’s Note: Much thanks to our departing News Editor John W. Harding for his misguided wit! Hasta la vista, JWH!