Directed by:
David LynchCinematography:
Freddie FrancisComposer:
John MorrisCast:
Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt, Anne Bancroft, John Gielgud, Wendy Hiller, Freddie Jones, Hannah Gordon, Michael Elphick, John Standing, Dexter Fletcher (more)VOD (2)
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With this poignant second feature, David Lynch brought his atmospheric visual and sonic palette to a notorious true story set in Victorian England. When the London surgeon Frederick Treves (Anthony Hopkins) meets the freak-show performer John Merrick (John Hurt), who has severe skeletal and soft tissue deformities, he assumes that he must be intellectually disabled as well. As the two men spend more time together, though, Merrick reveals the intelligence, gentle nature, and profound sense of dignity that lie beneath his shocking appearance, and he and Treves develop a friendship. Shot in gorgeous black and white and boasting a stellar supporting cast that includes Anne Bancroft, John Gielgud, and Wendy Hiller, The Elephant Man was nominated for eight Academy Awards, cementing Lynch’s reputation as one of American cinema’s most visionary talents. (Criterion)
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Reviews (9)
The suggestive and oppressive atmosphere of a hostile city as a contrast to the soul of an internally beautiful person. David Lynch occasionally goes beyond audience discomfort in terms of human monstrosity and allows this defenseless individual to suffer too often, but in the end, it gets to me. Mainly because the closing "Adagio for Strings" is among the most melancholic scenes I have ever seen.
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Fortunately, the initial shots, displaying signs of another Lynchian mystery, quickly transformed into a school analysis on the theme of humanism. Just as the image of the film is black and white, the character distribution follows this two-color scheme - the good guys and the bad guys. Despite the fact that the film is based on true events, I can't help feeling that it's all too perfectly orchestrated. David Lynch's reliance on the emotional expressions of actors is overly conspicuous. Especially in the first half, there is absolutely nothing said, while the second half at least begins to develop some progression in the plot and build relationships. However, this does not change the overall impression that the effort to avoid being a cheap tearjerker goes in vain, mainly because the deeper idea of humanity cannot be realized in the film due to its dry script.
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The breathtaking story of a man who, despite his intimidating exterior, was a much better and more genuine person(!) than many other "healthy" people. Eight Academy Award nominations is a strong number and it's a great shame that none of the nominations resulted in an award. For me, The Elephant Man has proven itself as a quality story, it has a plot that makes sense, and is fully comprehensible, unlike other films by David Lynch. The whole film is accompanied by a wonderful score, especially the opening and closing sequences. Shooting the film in black and white was a really smart move, as it managed to draw me deeper into the plot and made everything seem more believable and depressing. Last but not least, I have to mention the amazing acting performances by John Hurt, Anthony Hopkins and Anne Bancroft. In short, a film that is at once a stellar acting tour de force and a technically proficient achievement that should surely have raked in the Oscar for make-up, which unfortunately wouldn’t be awarded until a year later.
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This Lynch picture tells us a lot about people. And it’s not all nice. In terms of film craftsmanship, this is precise work where the director doesn’t stray for an instant from the planned storyline and achieves absolutely engrossing atmospheres by working with light and the camera. The acting performances, primarily the hypnotized Anthony Hopkins, just go to underpin the perfection of this biographic drama.
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David Lynch always focused on emotional manipulation with the viewer and enjoyed pulling at their heartstrings. However, betting on sentimentality was not usually part of his tried and true directing style, and The Elephant Man represents a departure from that. In this case, Lynch overwhelms the viewer with sentiment and purposely counts on the audience's sympathy toward his protagonist. Unfortunately, the story is somewhat simplistic for my taste, and Lynch's approach feels too shallow and predictable. The truths he aims to reveal are simply too obvious and do not present any dilemmas or tricky choices for me. Nonetheless, the film remains a quality work with excellent performances from the actors, especially Anthony Hopkins, who demonstrates why he has been at the top of his craft for decades, not only on the British Isles but also in world cinema. Additionally, the atmosphere of Victorian England deserves recognition. Despite all of this, I truly do not see it as deserving of four stars. After all, such a highly acclaimed film does not require my approval. Overall impression: 65%.
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