“YOU’RE THE MONSTER! YOU’RE THE FREAK!!!”
“You’re not an elephant man. You’re Romeo.”
“I AM NOT AN ELEPHANT!!!! I AM NOT AN ANIMAL!!!! I AM A HUMAN BEING!!!”
Based on a true story: 21 year old John Merrick has lived a life of cruelty and hardship as a traveling sideshow freak due to an unfortunate and incurable deformity. Dr. Frederick Treves, a surgeon, stumbles upon him and chooses to befriend the poor soul. Treves rescues him, giving Merrick a home at his hospital and showing him the first bits of human kindness and empathy John has ever known. This institutes an inner transformation for Merrick, who begins to see himself as a man for the first time ever. However, as more of high society line up to meet him, uncomfortable questions arise: Has John traded one circus for another? Is Treves just a kinder version of John’s initial, abusive owner?
A beautiful, magnificent, deeply moving and deeply affecting film of pure empathy. John Hurt and Anthony Hopkins deliver stellar, heartfelt, and human performances as our leads. Freddie Jones as Bytes and Michael Elphick as Jim Rashad are monstrous and easy to hate as our antagonists. Anne Bancroft as Madge Kendal, a notorious stage actress, and Hannah Gordon as Ann Treves, wife of Frederick are kind, soft, and tender as women that grow to care about John.
The screenplay by Christopher De Vore, Eric Bergen, and David Lynch fill the proceedings with a great deal of humanity, tragedy, and warmth. The Elephant Man might be the most straight-forward film David Lynch has made. For my money, it’s also his best. Lynch gets it. Bring plenty of tissues.
5 STARS
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