Surrealism and heartbreaking sadness in David Lynch’s film set against the background of industrial London: a story of a non-standard human body subject to the public gaze.
In a basement in Victorian London, Frederick Treves (Anthony Hopkins) finds a man with a severely deformed body (John Hurt) who is exhibited in a freak show as the «elephant man.» Treves offers him refuge at a hospital, where the «elephant man» becomes an object of scientific interest. Soon, doctors discover that their patient’s horrifying appearance is deceptive: the «elephant man» can not only speak (his name is John), but knows the psalms, builds models, and is a tender and sensitive person. He is now welcomed into the upper-class circles, but nevertheless remains an exhibit—now in a fancier showcase.
This story, based on the life of Joseph Merrick, an Englishman who suffered from Proteus syndrome, was produced by Mel Brooks’ company. He appointed Lynch as director after seeing his debut feature, the surrealist horror Eraserhead (1977). In the uncompromising Lynch, he saw a creator who could merge reality with the world of symbols.
The film received eight Oscar nominations and, although it did not win in any category, it ensured Lynch’s entry to major film studios. Despite its similarity to classical cinema, The Elephant Man has a particular Lynchian feel of anxiety, excess, and vulnerability. It is also a treasury of images and situations that recur in his later works.
The film will be screened in English with Russian subtitles.
«The Elephant Man»
Director: David Lynch
USA, 1980. 103 min.
18+