Abberline in the movies

[FredAbberline'sBeloved]

I LOVE From Hell! I think that Johnny Depp did a fantastic job portraying Frederick Abberline. Since we don't know who JtR was and there are several suspects and theories, you can do quite a bit with the plot when it comes to JtR movies.

[Gman992]

As for Abberline as drunk/drug addict, I think that is a policeman/detective trope---they witness the worst of humanity, so they turn to alcohal and booze. Personally, I think that it is a stereotype--but they say that cops have a lot of drinking problems.

As for Jane Seymour, we have to have the hot woman in there to attract the young men who wouldn't be tantalized by the murders. The same thing for Heather Graham in From Hell. I mean, I watch the "john" channel on the local public cable, and you have to pay me to have sex with those women.(hee..hee...hee...) BTW...did anyone see Wedding Crashers??? Oh man, Jane's still smoking!!!!

[Gman992]

Michael Caine is, undoubtedly, one of my all time favorite actors...however, given all actors/actresses out there, every once in a while they make really, really, really bad movies--Jaws III. As for playing a drunk, Caine is probably one of the best actors out there who can play a drunk convincingly--both funny and mean. Just checking out Educating Rita! Peter O' Toole does a great job in The Best Years of My Life! If you every have a chance, check out MC's video on how to act, he goes from "sober" to "drunk" so smooth that you don't know what hit you. As for Johnny Depp, he can do a good English accent, which is good because a lot of American actors can't--also see Brad Pitt in "Snatch." But, Hollywood movies are made in mind to attact moviegoers, and what young, impressionable girl doesn't want to see a "slasher" movie unless it has Johnny Depp in it?

[JTRSickert]

The next film, it's The Wolfman...?
Abberline it's really cool in this movie. In From Hell... I don't know, Jhonny Depp couldn't be he

Sophie, in "The Wolf Man," Hugo Weaving's characterization at least looks a great deal more like the real Abberline than Depp did, who looks really too young than Abberline did in real life.

[Sophie Dublanc Dunaway]

The next film, it's The Wolfman...?
Abberline it's really cool in this movie. In From Hell... I don't know, Jhonny Depp couldn't be he

[Sam Flynn]

Thanks for prompting me, Crystal. I've just done so, and will keep "the community" posted

Re. the above... I still haven't heard back from the BBC!

[Justin]

I completely disagree.
I got tired of Caine's screaming and over-acting alteady half-way through the film. I guess it's all a matter of personal preferences but the Abberline character that Caine plays in the film is a really intimidating guy and very unsympathetic and who seem to enjoy harrassing ordinary people, including witnesses - almsot on the border of being psychopathic. Definitely not someone I would like to have as a boss, even by 19th century standards.
If you think Caine's portrait is 'balanced' then you must have flunk in psychology class.

All the best

Glenn, I quibble with some moments too; but would you rather Abberline be portrayed with cool, Holmesian distance, or as a copper who's willing to throw his weight around? I don't need to tell you that police work is often done via threat, veiled or otherwise. Suspects will forever take well-timed 'trip and falls'. The film nods to a reality of the job. (By no means am I indicting the police officers who'll read this. I simply acknowledge that such behaviour exists.)

Granted, my police officer friends don't often become personally obsessed with cases, either. But we see the story through Abberline's eyes. If he's not consumed, it's not good drama.

[Voyeur]

Yeah, I was 2 in '73.

Splendid job Sam Flynn!

[Sam Flynn]

Pity no DVD-we could lobby the BBC?

Thanks for prompting me, Crystal. I've just done so, and will keep "the community" posted

Thanks for that-am ever so impressed by your schoolmates-just goes to show it isn't what you know, but who..!
Pity no DVD-we could lobby the BBC?

[Sam Flynn]

1973? You're ancient Sam Flynn!

No kidding - my best mate at school was Slartibartfast. Actually, I watched the serialisation last year, when some kind soul put up a streaming version on YouTube, or some such site. I wish the BBC would bring out a proper version on DVD, but I guess it's pretty much a niche market.

Seriously, you reckon this is the best, do you? Honest question! No tricks, honest guv!

I honestly do, Crystal, for the "flashback" sequences especially. The script's adherence to the newspaper reports, inquest transcripts and other official records bring the witness testimony vividly to life; whilst the battered, grubby costumes of the working-class protagonists (and the battered, grubby appearance of the people wearing them!) are a million miles away from the inauthentic gaudy stereotypes seen in almost every other dramatisation I can think of.

1973? You're ancient Sam Flynn!
Seriously, you reckon this is the best, do you? Honest question! No tricks, honest guv!

[Sam Flynn]

I agree that the Caine mini-series now seems to be way off. But at the time it was probably the most fact-based dramatic representation of the case.

Actually, the Barlow & Watt dramatisation followed the facts most closely, in my view. The reconstructions were very well presented (costumes especially) and the script stuck pretty faithfully to the official inquest records etc. As it first came out in 1973, however, I daresay the programme was before your time

I could have done without Jane Seymoure's character altogether.

Agreed - I could have done without that over-the-top Lusk as well!

[Voyeur]

I agree that the Caine mini-series now seems to be way off. But at the time it was probably the most fact-based dramatic representation of the case.

There were some overly dramatic moments. The music was a bit much at times and I could have done without Jane Seymoure's character altogether. But I feel it respected the source and told me more about the Ripper than any other movie I'd seen before it. Plus, it was a dead exciting and suspenseful production at times.