In the autumn of 1888, in London’s sordid Whitechapel district, one name evoked terror and trepidation1 more than any other: “Jack the Ripper”. Never identified, Jack the Ripper was a man who, over a four-month period, was responsible for the deaths and mutilation of five women whose destitute lives had led them into prostitution.

Striking only at night, with the handywork and precision of a highly-skilled surgeon, this notorious killer tore at the fabric of London society. Fear and panic spread through communities with every newly discovered body. The killer was never caught. On a trail of death and dismemberment,2 the only thing left alive was the mystery surrounding his identity.

Now, more than a century later, Jack is back as the subject of a new movie starring Johnny Depp and Heather Graham. In this fictionalized account of the infamous slayings, Depp plays Fred Abberline, opium abuser, brooding widower, and inspector, on the Ripper case. Graham plays Mary Kelly, the ravishing lady-of-the-night who enraptures the morose3 detective. She drives him to risk everything to expose the conspiracy and corruption that cloak her would-be killer.

The film retells the story in all its graphic glory. Its dark imagery and forboding tone pervasively detail the struggle to survive not only Jack the Ripper, but also the degradation and hellish squalor4 of 19th-century London.

By the time he was 13, Johnny Depp was smoking and drinking heavily, abusing drugs, had been arrested for petty theft and vandalism,5 and had lost his virginity. From there, Depp took what would seem to be his destined path into rock and roll. He emerged as a competent guitarist and garage rocker with his band, The Kids, once supporting Iggy Pop, a well-known icon of self-abuse.

By the age of 22, Depp had married and divorced make-up artist Lori Ann Allison. Allison played a pivotal6 role in Depp’s success by encouraging him to take up acting and introducing him to the now hugely successful Nicolas Cage. Through Cage, Depp reluctantly accepted his first feature-film role. He played the hunky boyfriend devoured7 by a killer bed in “A Nightmare on Elm Street”.

As Depp became more serious about his acting, more and more movie roles were cast his way. He only took parts that focused on his acting ability rather than his looks. Eventually, Depp gained respect with critically acclaimed performances in movies such as “Edward Scissorhands”, ”What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?”, ”Donnie Brasco”, ”Sleepy Hollow”, and “Chocolat”.

After a roller-coaster ride of failed romances that were well-publicized in the United States, Depp has finally found stability with singer/actress Vanessa Paradis in France. He is currently promoting “From Hell” while experiencing the joys and virtues8 of parenthood.

1. trepidation n. 战栗，惊惶

2. dismemberment n. 肢解

3. morose a. 忧郁的

4. squalor n. 悲惨

5. vandalism n. 蓄意破坏

6. pivotal a. 枢纽的，重要的

7. devour v. 吞吃，吞没

8. virtue n. 美德

1888年的秋天，在伦敦污秽不堪的白教堂区，一个名字引起了人们空前的恐怖和惊惶，这个名字就是——杀人狂杰克。杀人狂杰克的身份始终是一个谜，他涉嫌在四个月内杀害和肢解五名因生活穷困而被迫卖淫的女子。

这位声名狼藉的杀人狂只在夜晚出没作案，用他如技术高超的外科医生般的巧手和精确度，损坏了伦敦的社会结构。随着尸体一具接一具被发现，恐惧与惊慌在人群中扩散蔓延。而这名杀人狂却始终未被抓获。在一连串的分尸命案当中，留给人们的唯有笼罩着他身分的谜团。

现在，一个多世纪以后，杰克作为一部新片的主题又回来了！新片由约翰尼·戴普和希瑟·格雷厄姆领衔主演。在这部由臭名昭著的杀人狂的故事改编而成的影片中，戴普饰演佛雷德·艾柏琳：一名吸食鸦片、常陷入沉思的鳏夫，也是负责杀人狂一案的检察官。格雷厄姆则饰演玛莉·凯丽：一名令这位郁郁寡欢的警探神魂颠倒的风情万种的“夜生活女子”。她使他不顾一切要揭开所有的阴谋与腐败，揪出隐匿其中想谋杀她的凶手。

这部电影活灵活现地重现了杀人狂故事中的所有场面。片中幽暗的影像和预言式的风格，详细深入地描述了人们在杀人狂杰克的魔掌下，在19世纪伦敦堕落和地狱般的悲惨景况下挣扎求生。

十三岁的时候，约翰尼·戴普就开始放肆地抽烟、酗酒、吸毒，还曾因轻微的盗窃罪和蓄意破坏罪而遭到逮捕，也失去了他的童贞。从此，戴普就走上了这条似乎命中注定的路，进入摇滚乐界。他成为“The Kids”乐队中出色的吉他手和“garage”（注）摇滚乐手，该乐队曾替颓废派的知名偶像Iggy Pop做过暖场演出。

二十二岁时他跟化妆师洛里安·阿利森结婚后又分手。阿利森在戴普的成功之路上扮演了非常关键的角色，她鼓励他从事表演事业，并把他引荐给现在事业如日中天的尼古拉斯·凯奇。在凯奇的安排下，戴普极不情愿地接演了他的首部电影故事片。他在《半夜鬼上床》一片中扮演女主角的英俊男友，被“杀人鬼床”吞吃了。

戴普对待他的表演事业越认真，就越是按自己的喜好接演角色。他只参与能突出演技而不是外貌的演出。后来，戴普在《剪刀手爱德华》、《恋恋情深》、《惊天爆》、《鬼上门》和《浓情巧克力》等影片中的表现获得了影评们的赞誉，也赢得了影坛的尊敬。

在经历了几场如坐云霄飞车般大起大落、并且被美国媒体大肆渲染的失败的恋情以后，戴普终于在法国影歌双栖明星凡妮莎·帕拉迪斯身上找到了稳定的爱情。现在，他正一边为《地狱追魂贴》作宣传，一便享受着天伦之乐。

（注：garage是源于punk的一种摇滚乐类型）