The Elephant Man (1980)

Director:

David Lynch

Writers:

Christopher De Vore (screenplay) &
Eric Bergren (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

10 October 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History

Tagline:

I am not an animal! I am a human being! I...am...a man!

Plot:

A Victorian surgeon rescues a heavily disfigured man who is mistreated while scraping a living as a side-show freak. Behind his monstrous facade, there is revealed a person of intelligence and sensitivity.

Plot Keywords:

Freak | Dignity | 19th Century | London England | Channel Crossing

Awards:

Nominated for 8 Oscars. Another 8 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Anthony Hopkins	...	Frederick Treves
John Hurt	...	John Merrick
Anne Bancroft	...	Mrs. Kendal
John Gielgud	...	Carr Gomm
Wendy Hiller	...	Mothershead
Freddie Jones	...	Bytes
Michael Elphick	...	Night Porter
Hannah Gordon	...	Mrs. Treves
Helen Ryan	...	Princess Alex
John Standing	...	Fox
Dexter Fletcher	...	Bytes' Boy
Lesley Dunlop	...	Nora
Phoebe Nicholls	...	Merrick's Mother
Pat Gorman	...	Fairground Bobby
Claire Davenport	...	Fat Lady
Orla Pederson	...	Skeleton Man
Patsy Smart	...	Distraught Woman
Frederick Treves	...	Alderman
Stromboli	...	Fire Eater
Richard Hunter	...	Hodges
James Cormack	...	Pierce
Robert Lewis Bush	...	Messenger (as Robert Bush)
Roy Evans	...	Cabman
Joan Rhodes	...	Cook
Nula Conwell	...	Nurse Kathleen
Tony London	...	Young Porter
Alfie Curtis	...	Milkman
Bernadette Milnes	...	1st Fighting Woman
Brenda Kempner	...	2nd Fighting Woman
Carol Harrison	...	Tart (as Carole Harrison)
Hugh Manning	...	Broadneck
Dennis Burgess	...	1st Committee Man
Fanny Carby	...	Mrs. Kendal's Dresser
William Morgan Sheppard	...	Man In Pub (as Morgan Sheppard)
Kathleen Byron	...	Lady Waddington
Gerald Case	...	Lord Waddington
David Ryall	...	Man With Whores
Deirdre Costello	...	1st Whore
Pauline Quirke	...	2nd Whore
Kenny Baker	...	Plumed Dwarf
Chris Greener	...	Giant
Marcus Powell	...	Midget
Gilda Cohen	...	Midget
Lesley Scoble	...	Siamese Twin (as Lisa Scoble)
Teri Scoble	...	Siamese Twin
Eiji Kusuhara	...	Japanese Bleeder
Robert Day	...	Little Jim
Patricia Hodge	...	Screaming Mum
Tommy Wright	...	First Bobby
Peter Davidson	...	Second Bobby
John Rapley	...	King In Panto
Hugh Spight	...	Puss In Panto
Teresa Codling	...	Princess In Panto
Marion Betzold	...	Principal Boy
Caroline Haigh	...	Tree
Florenzio Morgado	...	Tree
Victor Kravchenko	...	Lion / Coachman
Beryl Hicks	...	Fairy
Michele Amas	...	Horse
Lucie Alford	...	Horse
Penny Wright	...	Horse
Janie Kells	...	Horse
Lydia Lisle	...	Merrick's Mother
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Eric Bergren	...	Lyra Box Player #1 (uncredited)
Adam Caine	...	Kid at Train Station (uncredited)
Christopher De Vore	...	Lyra Box Player #2 (uncredited)
Harry Fielder	...	Police man (uncredited)

Directed by
David Lynch

Writing credits
Christopher De Vore		(screenplay) &
Eric Bergren		(screenplay) &
David Lynch		(screenplay)
Sir Frederick Treves		book "The Elephant Man and Other Reminiscences" and
Ashley Montagu		book "The Elephant Man: A Study in Human Dignity"

Produced by
Stuart Cornfeld	....	executive producer
Jonathan Sanger	....	producer
Mel Brooks	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
John Morris

Cinematography by
Freddie Francis		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Anne V. Coates

Casting by
Maggie Cartier

Production Design by
Stuart Craig

Art Direction by
Robert Cartwright		(as Bob Cartwright)

Set Decoration by
Hugh Scaife

Costume Design by
Patricia Norris

Makeup Department
Paula Gillespie	....	hairdressing
Stephanie Kaye	....	hairdressing
Beryl Lerman	....	makeup artist
Michael Morris	....	makeup artist
Wally Schneiderman	....	makeup application: 'Elephant Man'
Wally Schneiderman	....	makeup supervisor
Christopher Tucker	....	makeup creator: 'Elephant Man'
Christopher Tucker	....	makeup designer: 'Elephant Man'

Production Management
Terence A. Clegg	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gerry Gavigan	....	second assistant director
Anthony Waye	....	assistant director

Art Department
Reg Richards	....	construction manager
Terry Wells	....	property master
John Roberts	....	set designer (uncredited)
Adrian Start	....	chargehand painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Robin Gregory	....	sound mixer
Peter Horrocks	....	sound editor
John Iles	....	engineer: Dolby
David Lynch	....	sound designer
Alan Splet	....	sound designer
Alan Splet	....	special sound effects
Doug E. Turner	....	dubbing mixer (as Doug Turner)
Terry Sharratt	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Graham Longhurst	....	special effects
Neil Corbould	....	special effects (uncredited)
Paul Corbould	....	special effects (uncredited)
Martin Gutteridge	....	special effects supervisor (uncredited)
Garth Inns	....	special effects (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Frank Connor	....	still photographer
Jim Dawes	....	dolly grip
Jerry Dunkley	....	camera operator
Roy Larner	....	gaffer
Wick Finch	....	electrician (uncredited)
John Matthews	....	best boy (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Tiny Nicholls	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Patrick Moore	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Jack Hayes	....	orchestrator
John Morris	....	conductor

Transportation Department
Brian Hathaway	....	transportation
Gerry Turner	....	transportation

Other crew
Randy Auerbach	....	researcher
Ceri Evans	....	continuity
Graham Ford	....	location manager
Loretta Ordewer	....	production secretary
John Trehy	....	production accountant
Ellen Adolph	....	manager of production accounting (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Brooksfilms

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1980) (USA) (theatrical)
• Greater Union Organisation (GUO) (1980) (Australia) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1986) (USA) (TV) (pan/scan)
• Paramount Home Video (199?) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• Sandrew Film & Teater (1981) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Zazie Films (2004) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Momentum Pictures (2007) (UK) (DVD) (HD DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Sandrews (2001) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Sandrews (2007) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Universal Home Video (2006) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD) (HD DVD)
• Universal Pictures Nordic (2009) (Sweden) (DVD)
• VTI Home Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Sweden) (DVD) (HD DVD)

Special Effects

• Effects Associates (uncredited)

Other Companies

• Delta Sound Services  sound re-recording
• Dolby Laboratories  sound post-production
• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment (uncredited)
• National Philharmonic Orchestra  music played by
• Panavision UK  camera equipment provided by

Runtime:

124 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Portugal:M/12 | Iceland:LH | Italy:VM14 | Spain:T | USA:PG (Approved No.26063) | Denmark:11 | Israel:PG | Netherlands:12 | South Africa:PG | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Brazil:10 | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A | Finland:K-16 | Ireland:12 | Norway:16 (original rating) | Singapore:PG | South Korea:15 | Sweden:15 | UK:AA (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Broadgate, London, England, UK

Company:

Brooksfilms

Trivia:

Merrick's condition was undiagnosed at the time of his death. Later studies of his skeleton and the casts made of his body led researchers to suggest he suffered from neurofibromatosis (NF), a genetic condition that 1 in 4,000 persons suffer from. The NF Foundation used the movie as a fund raising tool and credited it with making the disease more widely known. Later examination, including CT scans of the skeleton, lead researchers to believe he suffered from proteus syndrome, a much rarer condition than NF. In 2003, researchers using surviving DNA samples from Merrick were able to determine that he definitely suffered from proteus syndrome, and probably suffered from NF as well, hence his unique condition.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Carr Gomm first meets John Merrick, he walks close up to him. In the next shot he is way back from him, then close again.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Skeleton Man: Get rid of them! I don't want to see them!
Fat Lady: Darling, don't be difficult! Let's take our sweet lovely children on an outing.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Killer Shrews (#5.7)" (1992)

Soundtrack:

Adagio For Strings

a perfect film

If one was to turn on David Lynch's The Elephant Man midway through, without knowing what it was, one might be startled at the appearance of the main character. One might even be tempted to make fun of the character. But if one was to watch the film from the beginning, one's sympathy with John Merrick (John Hurt), 'The Elephant Man,' would be strong enough to deny that the former situation was ever a possibility. Lynch does not allow his audience to glimpse Merrick sans mask until his appearance has been built up substantially. When we the audience are at our zenith of anticipation, we see him-no dramatic music, no slow motion; a simple cut and he's there. There he is. And it's no big deal.

This is the beauty of Lynch's direction. We are led through our morbid curiosity at the same rate the characters in the film are. We develop alongside them. More specifically, we develop alongside Frederick Treeves, played with an astounding sublimity of emotion by Anthony Hopkins. Next to Treeves we pity Merrick, respect him, pity him again, and then ask ourselves with him, 'is he just a spectacle to me? Am I a bad person?'

Lynch certainly doesn't let us bypass this question easily. Are we bad people for being intrigued or are we good people for pitying? Certainly there is a mix of intrigue and pity with every character who first meets John, and we are not excluded. However, as with almost every character who truly comes to know John and confer with him, we learn to respect him as a human being and not as a spectacle. Nonetheless, this issue never finds close in the film, nor do I feel it ever can be closed in actual life. Hopkin's Treeves is never fully sated in how he feels about this dilemma, and so, neither can we be.

Technically, The Elephant Man is a beautifully shot film. In crisp black and white, the film recalls the cinematic technique of American cinema circa the 1930's. The scenes dissolve into one another; there is no brisk editing. The lighting is kept low-key during dark scenes, balanced during daytime scenes-this is standard film-making of the era. The one digression from this form are the distinctly Lynchian surrealities-pseudo-dream-sequences of commendably original imagery that break up the film and serve as distinct mood-setters for the audience. These are, for the most part, fairly intimidating sidenotes. We as an audience are caught off-guard because in these tangents we are not identifying with Treeves, we are put instead into Merrick's shoes. It is unsettling.

But Lynch has never been a director to flinch at unsettling prospects. We must watch Merrick beaten, abused, harassed, humiliated, and tormented. We may feel a surge of happiness when he finally stands up for himself, but by that point we still have to cope with what we've already, what he's already, experienced. I suppose that is the greatest and most devastating aspect of the film-empathy. Every moment is heartbreaking. Yet no matter how hard it gets, and how much better it then turns, there is always the threat of another jab. And those jabs only get more and more painful.

The Elephant Man is a perfect film. It is sorrowful but it apologizes not at all for it. It is a film about where our empathy stems from, a film that asks you to feel sorry but rebukes you for your blind pity. It asks you to respect Merrick, not cry for him. But you can't help crying. The Elephant Man is a film that treks you through despair and asks for your hope in the end. It asks you to hate humanity but to love the humane. It asks you to look at a man who appears sad and know that inside, he's okay.