The Elephant Man (1980)
8.1 /10
2060 Reviews
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A Victorian surgeon rescues a heavily disfigured man being mistreated by his "owner" as a side-show freak. Behind his monstrous façade, there is revealed a person of great intelligence and sensitivity. Based on the true story of Joseph Merrick (called John Merrick in the film), a severely deformed man in 19th century London.
Videos & Photos
cast
... Dr. Frederick Treves
... John Merrick
... Mrs. Kendal
... Carr Gomm
... Mothershead
User reviews
_**The ultimate outcast**_
In 1884 London, a doctor (Anthony Hopkins) meets Joseph Merrick, aka The Elephant Man (wrongly called John Merrick in the film) who was being exploited as a freak show attraction. Treves (Hopkins) tries to help Merrick (John Hurt) for the last six years of the latter’s life wherein he becomes cultured, but he inevitably remains an object of curiosity, to high society as well as low society. Anne Bancroft plays a winsome entertainer who is warm toward Merrick.
Directed by David Lynch and shot in B&W, “The Elephant Man” (1980) is a melancholic biographical movie, and understandably so, but Merrick’s story is worth checking out despite the fact that it inspires pity. It calls into question the concept of beauty: Natural beauty is something one is born with and did nothing to acquire, but so is physical unattractiveness. Then there’s inner beauty. The charismatic actress (Bancroft) displays both. Of course there’s also inner ugliness, like the carnival huckster.
A myth developed about Merrick’s disfigurement that his mother was raped by an elephant, probably started by sideshow hawkers. The opening conveys this in an artistic manner, but it’s not to be taken literally, which is why it’s surreal. Meanwhile the factory scenes with the pipes and corresponding dangers exhibit the reality for workers in Victorian times.
The score by John Morris is noteworthy with one piece being ripped-off for the moving parts of “Platoon” (1986), e.g. Elias’ melodramatic death scene.
The film runs 2 hours, 4 minutes, and was shot entirely in London and nearby Shepperton Studios, just west of the city.
GRADE: B
Director:
Writer:
David Lynch (Screenplay)
Eric Bergren (Screenplay)
Christopher De Vore (Screenplay)
Ashley Montagu (Book)
Frederick Treves (Book)
Release Date:
1980-10-02
Run Time:
124 min
MMPA Rating:
PG
Reviews of
The Elephant Man
_**The ultimate outcast**_
In 1884 London, a doctor (Anthony Hopkins) meets Joseph Merrick, aka The Elephant Man (wrongly called John Merrick in the film) who was being exploited as a freak show attraction. Treves (Hopkins) tries to help Merrick (John Hurt) for the last six years of the latter’s life wherein he becomes cultured, but he inevitably remains an object of curiosity, to high society as well as low society. Anne Bancroft plays a winsome entertainer who is warm toward Merrick.
Directed by David Lynch and shot in B&W, “The Elephant Man” (1980) is a melancholic biographical movie, and understandably so, but Merrick’s story is worth checking out despite the fact that it inspires pity. It calls into question the concept of beauty: Natural beauty is something one is born with and did nothing to acquire, but so is physical unattractiveness. Then there’s inner beauty. The charismatic actress (Bancroft) displays both. Of course there’s also inner ugliness, like the carnival huckster.
A myth developed about Merrick’s disfigurement that his mother was raped by an elephant, probably started by sideshow hawkers. The opening conveys this in an artistic manner, but it’s not to be taken literally, which is why it’s surreal. Meanwhile the factory scenes with the pipes and corresponding dangers exhibit the reality for workers in Victorian times.
The score by John Morris is noteworthy with one piece being ripped-off for the moving parts of “Platoon” (1986), e.g. Elias’ melodramatic death scene.
The film runs 2 hours, 4 minutes, and was shot entirely in London and nearby Shepperton Studios, just west of the city.
GRADE: B
Cast & Crew of
The Elephant Man
Cast
... Dr. Frederick Treves
... John Merrick
... Mrs. Kendal
... Carr Gomm
... Mothershead
... Bytes
... Night Porter
... Mrs. Anne Treves
... Princess Alex
... Dr. Fox
... Bytes' Boy
... Nora
... Merrick's Mother
... Fairground Bobby
... Plumed Dwarf
... Fat lady
... Skeleton Man
... Distraught Woman
... Lady Waddington
... Man In Pub
... Alderman
... Hodges
... Messenger
... Cabman
... Cook
... Nurse Kathleen
... Young Porter
... Milkman
... 1st Fighting Woman
... Tart
... Broadneck
... 1st Committee Man
... Mrs. Kendal's Dresser
... Lord Waddington
... Man With Whores
... 1st Whore
... 2nd Whore
... Midget
... Siamese Twin
... Japanese Bleeder
... Screaming Mum
... First Bobby
... Second Bobby
... King In Panto
... Horse
... Merrick's Mother
... Lyra Box Player #1 (uncredited)
... Lyra Box Player #2 (uncredited)
... Policeman (uncredited)
... Man in the Bowler Hat in the Mob Chasing Merrick
... Young aristocrat (uncredited)
... Injured Man (uncredited)
... Fire Eater
... Pierce
... 2nd Fighting Woman
... Giant
... Midget
... Siamese Twin
... Little Jim
... Puss In Panto
... Princess In Panto
... Principal Boy
... Tree
... Tree
... Lion / Coachman
... Fairy
... Horse
... Horse
... Horse
... Man at Lecture (uncredited)
... Kid at Train Station (uncredited)
... Thug from Pub (uncredited)
... Man in crowd (uncredited)
... Man in Pub (uncredited)
... Doctor (uncredited)
... Committee Member (uncredited)
... Man at Lecture (uncredited)
... Man at Lecture (uncredited)
... Kid at Train Station #2 (uncredited)
... Courtier (uncredited)
... Committee Member (uncredited)
... Lecture Assistant (uncredited)
Crew
... Original Music Composer
... Casting
... Screenplay
... Director
... Sound Designer
... Director of Photography
... Costume Design
... Production Design
... Special Effects
... Editor
... Assistant Director
... Special Effects Supervisor
... Executive Producer
... Sound mixer
... Boom Operator
... Producer
... Special Effects
... Executive Producer
... Art Direction
... Costume Supervisor
... Special Effects
... Screenplay
... Screenplay
... Set Designer
... Production Manager
... Assistant Editor
... Makeup Artist
... Set Decoration
... Special Sound Effects
... Property Master
... Sound Editor
... Script Supervisor
... Still Photographer
... Hairstylist
... Electrician
... Makeup Designer
... Special Effects
... Gaffer
... Orchestrator
... Transportation Captain
... Book
... Book
Videos & Photos of
The Elephant Man
Videos (3)
![THE ELEPHANT MAN [4K Remastered] - First 10 Minutes](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Lx9w4WpsKOA/mqdefault.jpg)
Photos 9
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