Elephant is a 2003 american drama film written, directed, and edited by gus van sant. This is david lynchs most conventional film although it has its quirks. Ever since bernard pomerances 1977 play the elephant man became a hit in london and on broadway, the pitiful image of joseph carey merrick referred to as john in the play. Merrick was played by john hurt and frederick treves by anthony hopkins. Movie info john hurt stars as john merrick, the hideously deformed 19th century londoner known as the elephant man. Treated as a sideshow freak, merrick is assumed to be retarded as well as. The elephant man hurt, when he is discovered by a dedicated surgeon anthony hopkins. The film of the elephant man is not based on the successful stage play of the same name, but they both draw their sources from the life of john. The elephant man is full of ugly, cruel people tormenting the grievously deformed merrick, who at the outset of the film is the cowering, oftenflogged captive of a circus showman in victorian. Both the play and the movie adopt essentially the same point of view, that we are to honor merrick because of the courage with which he faced his.
Some of these films are quite good but this is by far and away the very best. Equal parts fable, fairytale, and dark, brooding, industrialrevolution nightmare, the elephant man is that true rarity a film filled with compassionate sentiment which somehow manages to be neither maudlin nor cloying. The elephant man is a 1982 american biographical television film directed by jack hofsiss about the 19thcentury english medical curiosity joseph merrick known in this film as john merrick. The elephant man features an academy awardnominated performance by john hurt as john merrick, the victim of a disease that has left him so grotesquely deformed, hes spent most of. The elephant man official trailer directed by david lynch. The film won several awards, and lynch was nominated for academy awards for best director and for adapted screenplay. He was first exhibited at a freak show as the elephant man, and then went to live at the london hospital after he met frederick treves, subsequently becoming well known in london society. John merrick john hurt is a hideously deformed individual dubbed the elephant man during his years in a circus freak show in victorian england. The film s version of events take place from 1889 to april 1890, a possible explanation for the odd timeline of the. The elephant man 1980 rotten tomatoes movie trailers.
The elephant man was nominated for eight oscars it failed to win a single one including best actor for john hurt, who played the cruelly misformed john. You could only see his eyes behind the layers of makeup, but those expressive orbs earned john hurt a welldeserved oscar nomination for his moving portrayal of john merrick, the grotesquely deformed victorianera man better known as the elephant man. This is probably one of the most perfect films ever made. Joseph carey merrick 5 august 1862 11 april 1890, often erroneously called john merrick, was an english man with severe deformities. Lynchs film was celebrated and spoofed in its time, not least in richard curtiss comedy the tall guy, the plot of which featured a gobsmackingly tasteless musical version of. This is extremely emotionally upsetting, depressing and traumatizing, especially for anyone who has gone through a similar fate. Mar 12, 2020 lynchs film was celebrated and spoofed in its time, not least in richard curtiss comedy the tall guy, the plot of which featured a gobsmackingly tasteless musical version of the elephant man. Elephant was generally praised by critics and received the palme dor at the 2003 cannes film festival, in. A victorian surgeon rescues a heavily disfigured man who is mistreated while scraping a living as a sideshow freak. The elephant man is often described as director david lynchs most normal film. David lynchs relatively straight second feature finds an admirable synthesis of compassion and restraint in treating its subject, and features outstanding.
David lynchs the elephant man is based on the life of joseph merrick 18621890, a man who we first encounter in the film as the elephant man of a freak show, whose physical differences are so frightening to the authorities that the exhibit is closed. With philip anglim, kevin conway, penny fuller, richard clarke. The elephant man is a fantastic, underrated and very powerful film. It was first broadcast by the american broadcasting company abc on january 4, 1982. The film of the elephant man is not based on the successful stage play of the same name, but they both draw their sources from the life of john merrick, the original elephant man, whose rare disease imprisoned him in a cruelly misformed body. A study in human dignity cast in credits order verified as complete. The elephant man went on to win numerous awards after it publication in 1979, including a tony, obie, drama desk award and a new york drama critics circle award. The elephant man pg 2h 4min biography, drama 10 october 1980 usa a victorian surgeon rescues a heavily disfigured man who is mistreated while scraping a living as a sideshow freak. Inarticulate and abused, merrick is the virtual slave of a carnival barker freddie jones until dedicated london doctor frederick.
John hurt in the elephant man studiocanal filmsalamy a blackandwhite film brought its director to hollywoods attention in 1980 r eleased in 1980, david lynchs the elephant man is the. Elephant is the second film in van sants death trilogythe first is gerry 2002 and the third last days 2005all three of which are based on actual events. Yet whilst it is undoubtedly one of his most moving and compassionate pieces of cinema there are still traces of the themes that he would explore in greater detail later in his career. Based on a true story, the elephant man tells the unforgettable tale of john merrick. Unable to secure rights for the famous stage play the elephant man, producer mel brooks based his film on the memoirs of frederick treves. This dark and beautiful 1980 movie is based on the elephant man and other reminisces by the reallife treves, as well as ashley montagus the elephant man. Ive always been fascinated with the true story of john merrick, otherwise known as the elephant man. It was the first david lynch movie i ever saw, thought at the time id never even heard about eraserhead and knew nothing about the guy. List of accolades received by the elephant man wikipedia. The elephant man is a 1980 britishamerican historical drama film about joseph merrick a severely deformed man in late 19th century london. Elephant man 1980 full movie trailer classic movie youtube. Elephant man 1980 full movie trailer classic movie.
Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. The elephant man 110 movie clip the terrible elephant man. From a beautifully demented caligula to a mauvequiffed quentin crisp and a disfigured elephant man, john hurts extraordinary talent has been to find the human truth at the heart of a character. Directed by one of the greatest directors, david lynch. In 1980, a film the elephant man, directed by david lynch, was released. The parents guide items below may give away important plot points. Jan 23, 2007 this is the trailer from the beautiful movie the elephant man, starring anthony hopkins, john hurt and anne bancroft. The elephant man is a mostly faithful version of trevess memoirs, but the real joseph merrick was a stronger character than either treves, or the film, allows. The elephant man the true face of society whether folk have seen the the elephant man 1980 directed by at the time new weird kid on the block david lynch, or not, theres a strong likelihood that they know the existence of one john merrick born joesph who lived in victorian london. Dec 10, 2009 the elephant man is a mostly faithful version of trevess memoirs, but the real joseph merrick was a stronger character than either treves, or the film, allows.
The elephant man 1980 full movie watch online 123movies. Not since shakespeare called for a muse of fire in henry v and olivier provided the light of an arcrod projector has there been such an interesting opportunity to examine the relations between film and theater as david lynchs the elephant man. Since the film was not based on bernard pomerances play of the same name, but draws on many of the same historical materials. The elephant man, much like the straight story, is a film that may initially seem at odds with david lynchs other work. In one of his most legendary films, director david lynch chronicles the intense emotional journey of a complex, lonely man and the dedicated. After suffering for years at the hands of his circus. Nov 30, 2014 the elephant man was nominated for eight oscars it failed to win a single one including best actor for john hurt, who played the cruelly misformed john merrick.
Other articles where the elephant man is discussed. Voir film elephant man the elephant man en streaming vf. Perhaps most recognizable for many, the play was made into a movie by david lynch in 1980. While i guess such a description might just about hold up in a court of law, though, particularly. The novelization by christine sparks fills out a couple of details not disclosed in the film. Treves are played by two of the greatest actors, john hurt and. The film the elephant man is often described as director david lynch s most normal film. Based on the true story of joseph merrick called john merrick in the film, a severely deformed man in 19th century london. I was incredibly impressed by the film, as i have been every time i watch it. For those not familiar with the film, the elephant man tells the story of john merrick john hurt, a man that is forced to take part in circus sideshows due to his disfigurement. The script was adapted by steve lawson from the 1977 play of the same name by bernard pomerance. I first watched the elephant man over twenty years ago, not long after it was released. The movie is based on the true life of john joseph merrick who lived from. I can remember watching this at a young age and it always resonated with me, about the story of a deformed man who was ridiculed, mocked and beaten because he was seen as a.
A taped version of the stage play about a hideously deformed 19thcentury london man and how he managed to triumph over his disease. The films version of events take place from 1889 to april 1890, a possible explanation for the odd timeline of the. Lynchs film was celebrated and spoofed in its time, not least in richard curtiss comedy the tall guy, the plot of which featured a. Rescued from his degrading life as a circus freak, merrick is given a chance to. The elephant man was the first of lynchs collaborations with cinematographer freddie francis, and aside from the stylised bookends involving visions of merricks mother her grotesque slow motion trashings and screamings a precursor to a shocking killing in twin peaks, visually it resembles the work of francis more so than of lynch. While i guess such a description might just about hold up in a court of law, though, particularly as hes. Screenplay was based on two books about the reallife elephant man, one the elephant man and other reminiscences written by his protector, sir frederick treves, played in the film by anthony. In 1982, us television network abc broadcast an adaptation of pomerances play, starring anglim.
Throughout the film, john merrick is continuously tormented by society, and hes shown getting physically and emotionally abused. Film elephant man the elephant man en streaming vf gratuit. Film elephant man the elephant man en streaming vf. The elephant man is a film directed by david lynch with anthony hopkins, john hurt, anne bancroft, john gielgud, year. Rescued from his degrading life as a circus freak, merrick is given a chance to live his last years with comfort, respect, and dignity. Director and cowriter david lynch doesnt explain the characters actions, which makes them good topics of discussion for teenagers mature enough to tackle the subject matter. John hurt, the wiry english actor who played a drug addict in midnight express, kane in alien, the title character in the elephant man, and winston smith i. Unable to secure rights for the famous stage play the elephant man, producer mel brooks based his film on the memoirs of frederick treves and a much later. Ive always been fascinated with the true story of john merrick, otherwise known as the elephant. Anne bancroft, anthony hopkins, freddie jones, john gielgud, john hurt, john standing, michael elphick, phoebe nicholls, wendy hiller director. Discussion of themes and motifs in bernard pomerances the elephant man. Having recently enjoyed a critically hailed revival starring bradley cooper on broadway, the 1980 film adaptation of the elephant man definitely deserves a revisit.
Francis was a master of black and white, and the films. Taking place in the victorian era, the film shows how a man born with a severe physical deformity is cruelly mistreated as a circus act before being rescued and brought to london by the queens own doctor frederick treves. The film was directed by david lynch and stars john hurt, anthony hopkins, anne bancroft, john gielgud, wendy hiller, michael elphick, hannah gordon, and freddie jones. The gunfighter a short film by eric kissack narrated by nick offerman.
It takes place in the fictional watt high school, in the suburbs of portland, oregon, and chronicles the events surrounding a school shooting, based in part on the 1999 columbine high school massacre. The elephant man is a 1980 american drama film based on the true story of joseph merrick called john merrick in the film, a severely deformed man in 19th century london. As you watch it, pick up the incidental imagery of animals, machines, boysthings that raise the question, what is a man. The elephant man is a 1980 britishamerican historical drama film about joseph merrick whom the script calls john merrick, a severely deformed man in late 19th century london. This is the trailer from the beautiful movie the elephant man, starring anthony hopkins, john hurt and anne bancroft. Jan 25, 2018 a victorian surgeon rescues a heavily disfigured man who is mistreated while scraping a living as a sideshow freak.
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