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The Elephant Man
1980
David Lynch brings his own dreamlike style to the heartbreaking yet somehow uplifting story of John Merrick (John Hurt), a hideously deformed individual dubbed the Elephant Man during his years in a circus freak show in Victorian England. After suffering for years at the hands of his circus "master," the eloquent, soft spoken .. Read more
| Starring | Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt, Anne Bancroft, John Gielgud |
|---|---|
| Director | David Lynch |
| Genres | Drama |
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The Elephant Man
David Lynch brings his own dreamlike style to the heartbreaking yet somehow uplifting story of John Merrick (John Hurt), a hideously deformed individual dubbed the Elephant Man during his years in a circus freak show in Victorian England. After suffering for years at the hands of his circus "master," the eloquent, soft spoken Merrick is "rescued" by compassionate surgeon Dr. Frederick Treves (Anthony Hopkins), who allows him to live at the hospital where he works. Merrick becomes a social celebrity when he meets a popular stage performer (Anne Bancroft), but he must continue to fight for his dignity with those who still choose to view him as a freak. Meanwhile, Treves begins to question whether his supposed act of humanity has been just as exploitative as Merrick's former caretaker's.
Lynch's follow-up to his 1978 cult classic ERASERHEAD is a striking blend of art and entertainment, which earned the film eight Academy Award nominations in 1980. Freddie Francis's breathtaking black-and-white cinematography combines with John Morris's score to re-create Victorian England with a deeply haunting beauty. It is the compassionate performances of Hurt and Hopkins that lift THE ELEPHANT MAN to a more emotional level, however, bringing an inspired sadness to Lynch's striking vision.
| Starring | Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt, Anne Bancroft, John Gielgud, Wendy Hiller, Hannah Gordon |
|---|---|
| Director | David Lynch |
| Studio | ELEVATION SALES |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 58 mins Blu-ray: 2 hrs 3 mins HD DVD: 2 hrs 3 mins LOVEFiLM Instant: 1 hr 58 mins |
| Certificate |  DVD LOVEFiLM Instant |
| Genres | Drama |
| Language | DVD: English Blu-ray: English HD DVD: English LOVEFiLM Instant: English |
| Dubbed | Italian, Spanish |
| Subtitles | DVD: Danish, English, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Turkish |
| Released | Production year: 1980 To Watch Online: LOVEFiLM Instant: 19 May 2011 To Rent: DVD: 14 May 2001 Blu-ray: 28 Sep 2009 HD DVD: not available HD DVD: 26 Mar 2007 |
| Watch now | Included in all packages with LOVEFiLM Instant. Subscribe. |
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Critic's review
View all critics' reviews (4) -
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A curious story which happens to be true; the film sets its scene superbly, has splendid performances and a fascinating make-up. Yet it fails to move quite as it should, perhaps because the central figure is treated as a horrific come-on, like the hunchba
- 30880
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- Halliwell's Film Guide
- 02 Mar 2006 at 15:41
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Most helpful member's review
View all members' reviews (62) -
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- 23
- 3
Man or freak
No one watching this film cannot be moved by the sheer physical pain and social misery and manipulation John Merrick - aka the elephant man, endured during his ... read more »
- 301922
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[Highly rated reviewer]
- films2
- Greater Manchester
- 26 Mar 2004 at 17:16
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Most recent members' reviews
View all members' reviews (62) -
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- 0
- 0
Beautiful but boring.
I really liked the way this film was shot, and I thought the sound, performances and general gothic aesthetic were all fantastic. The film itself, though, was a... read more »
- 1091936
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- Kowalski
- 11 reviews
- 13 Feb 2012 at 12:59
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- 0
- 0
early lynch treat
david lynch's breakthrough 'the elephant man' is an essential viewing. this is a pensive, deeply engaged and highly reflective look on cruelty, ... read more »
- 1090683
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- lukasz84
- 58 reviews
- 10 Feb 2012 at 01:25
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- 0
- 0
Very Good
It was very good. Very mild way of easing yourself into David Lynch, if you need one, because he'd turned the weirdness dial way down on this film. Wasn'... read more »
- 1043907
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- Ahooters
- 4 reviews
- 22 Sep 2011 at 22:32
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News and features
View all
Cooper inspired by 'Elephant Man' Merrick
- 11 Jun 2010
Bradley Cooper credits The Elephant Man with inspiring his acting career, insisting he related to the freak show attraction because he felt like an outcast growing up. Joseph Merrick suffered from a disfiguring disease and became famous as a sideshow curiosity in Victorian England, where he was nicknamed The Elephant Man. The Hangover star admits he felt a strange kinship with Merrick, and would often look in the mirror as a kid and imagine his face to be deformed too. Recalling David Lynch's... Read more
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The Elephant Man - HD
David Lynch brings his own dreamlike style to the heartbreaking yet somehow uplifting story of John Merrick (John Hurt), a hideously deformed individual dubbed the Elephant Man during his years in a circus freak show in Victorian England. After suffering for years at the hands of his circus "master,...
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The Elephant Man - Blu-ray
David Lynch brings his own dreamlike style to the heartbreaking yet somehow uplifting story of John Merrick (John Hurt), a hideously deformed individual dubbed the Elephant Man during his years in a circus freak show in Victorian England. After suffering for years at the hands of his circus "master,...
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The Elephant Man
David Lynch brings his own dreamlike style to the heartbreaking yet somehow uplifting story of John Merrick (John Hurt), a hideously deformed individual dubbed the Elephant Man during his years in a circus freak show in Victorian England. After suffering for years at the hands of his circus "master,...
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