The Elephant Man
8 Oscar Nominations·National Film Registry
Rent/Purchase
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.
What critics thought
Lynch's most accessible film lands as a broadly admired, if occasionally contested, work — praised for John Hurt's physically demanding performance and Freddie Francis's luminous black-and-white photography, while a minority of critics questioned whether the film's emotional mechanics run deeper than well-crafted sentiment. Audiences responded with rare warmth, and retrospective rankings have placed it among the finest films of its decade.
“Mr. Hurt is truly remarkable. It can't be easy to act under such a heavy mask ... the physical production is beautiful, especially Freddie Francis' black-and-white photography.”
Vincent Canby·The New York Times
“I kept asking myself what the film was really trying to say about the human condition as reflected by John Merrick, and I kept drawing blanks.”
Roger Ebert·RogerEbert.com
“much more mawkish and moralising than one would expect from the leading postmodern surrealist filmmaker”
The Spectacle of Deformity: Freak Shows and Modern British Culture
Genres
Biography, Drama
Cast & Crew
DirectorDavid Lynch
StarringAnthony Hopkins, John Hurt, Anne Bancroft, John Gielgud, Wendy Hiller
ComposerJohn Morris
The Elephant Man
8 Oscar Nominations·National Film Registry
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.
What critics thought
Lynch's most accessible film lands as a broadly admired, if occasionally contested, work — praised for John Hurt's physically demanding performance and Freddie Francis's luminous black-and-white photography, while a minority of critics questioned whether the film's emotional mechanics run deeper than well-crafted sentiment. Audiences responded with rare warmth, and retrospective rankings have placed it among the finest films of its decade.
“Mr. Hurt is truly remarkable. It can't be easy to act under such a heavy mask ... the physical production is beautiful, especially Freddie Francis' black-and-white photography.”
Vincent Canby·The New York Times
“I kept asking myself what the film was really trying to say about the human condition as reflected by John Merrick, and I kept drawing blanks.”
Roger Ebert·RogerEbert.com
“much more mawkish and moralising than one would expect from the leading postmodern surrealist filmmaker”
The Spectacle of Deformity: Freak Shows and Modern British Culture
Genres
Biography, Drama
Cast & Crew
DirectorDavid Lynch
StarringAnthony Hopkins, John Hurt, Anne Bancroft, John Gielgud, Wendy Hiller
ComposerJohn Morris
Rent/Purchase