The Elephant Man (1980)

The Elephant Man (1980)                            4.5/5

Directed by David Lynch

Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt

In this classic drama which is based on a true story, Dr. Frederick Treves (Anthony Hopkins) discovers the terrible living conditions of carnival freak John Merrick (John Hurt), better known as “The Elephant Man”. In trying to save Merrick from a life of exploitation, however, concerns arise that he has only been taken from one cruel spotlight and cast into another.

The plot of the film is exceptionally rich, yet spectacularly simple. The pace may be somewhat slower than what the current average audience is used to, but perhaps not unintentionally so; the entire film seems to be a celebratory homage to classic black and white films of the 40’s and 50’s. The story, which takes place in Victorian England, is a tragic tale which lends itself perfectly to the conventions of a classical melodrama, but with a modernized (at least to the early 80’s) perspective.

Thematically, the film is rich and complex. The aforementioned slowed pace allows for contemplation and reflection, as the film ponders the nature of humanity, the extent of inhumanity, and the morality of doing a good thing for the wrong reasons. The themes of the film are perfectly encapsulated in Hurt’s most famous line, “I am not an elephant! I am not an animal! I am a human being!”

Visually, the film has all the excellence and signature uniqueness that is to be expected from a David Lynch work. The sense of space and mise-en-scene, as well as the framing and camera movement, are all perfectly executed, creating purpose and emotion wherever it is necessary. Some may find Lynch’s use of montage alienating, especially fading montage which overlays various images for meaningful contrast. Scenes such as these, which occur first at the beginning and then a few times throughout, have a spectacular artistic flair which complements the traditional melodrama. If you are looking for a simple film that doest not warrant much thought, this may not be the film for you, but the film will certainly make you think and, moreover, feel.

The performances are perfectly balanced and exceptionally cast, aided by spectacular writing. Every character has the exact amount of depth as is needed for the quantity of the role. Hopkins shines as Dr. Treves, a sympathetic but conflicted man who worries not only that he brought Merrick to the medical society for personal notoriety, but that Merrick's new placement is simply another spotlight for the upper-class to treat him as a curiosity. John Hurt is absolutely brilliant as well, embodying the tortured soul of Merrick, a man who was born into cruelty and nervously seeks acceptance from others, as well as a desire to simply be treated as a human. The supporting characters, such as Hospital Governor Carr Gomm (John Gielgud) and the Mothershead (Wendy Hiller), are a perfect balance of caring for the fate of Merrick while also posing the question as to whether the hospital is the proper place for him. The wicked characters in the film fulfill their roles perfectly, such as Bytes (Freddie Jones), Merrick’s former “owner” and the man who ran the freak show at which “The Elephant Man” was the greatest attraction, as well as the Night Porter (Michael Elphick) who took money from people in order to bring them to Merrick at the hospital and mistreat him as though he were still a carnival attraction. These characters illicit some of the strongest emotions in the film, playing into a cathartic sense of rage and injustice, and creating a wonderful foil for the lead characters in their tragic sincerity.

Overall, this film is a masterpiece. It may not be the perfect film for everyone, as it is certainly not “light” entertainment; it is, however, a passionate, contemplative, rich film that will illicit the strongest of cathartic emotion from most anyone who gives it the proper respect and thought it deserves.

This review was requested by Daniel Turres.

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