David Lynch's powerful and poignant film The Elephant Man brought the true and hitherto obscure story of the shockingly disfigured John Merrick to a worldwide audience. Released in 1980, its central performances - from John Hurt as Merrick (aka the Elephant Man) and Anthony Hopkins as Frederick Treves (the surgeon who rescues him from a fairground freak show) - are high-class acts indeed. Hurt, almost unrecognisable beneath the heavy make-up, is quite superb, while Hopkins's performance is relatively restrained, and all the better for it.
Sympathetically shot in black and white by Freddie Francis, the film stoically delivers Merrick's story, faithfully recreating the horrors of Victorian England and exposing the social prejudices of that time. Nominated for eight Oscars, it's probably Lynch's most conventional movie. Highly recommended. Paul Strange
Did you know? Director David Lynch has a small cameo in the film. When Merrick returns to London, he is chased by an angry mob, and flees underground. The shot of the crowd descending the stairs in pursuit features Lynch in full period costume.
(4 Star)
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