Writer/Director: David Lynch
Starring: John Hurt, Anthony Hopkins and Anne Bancroft
‘A Meaningful Masterpiece’
Not many actors in Hollywood have created a legacy as strong as John Hurt. Ever since his rise to stardom in the 1980’s, Hurt has become a celebrated British icon. Whether it’s men with facial deformities, magical teachers or space survivors, Hurt has portrayed many celebrated characters. Arguably, Hurt’s finest strength as an actor has often been commitment towards his craft. He is one of those rare actors which often poured his heart and soul into each and every role. Hurt was never afraid taking risks in his career by playing characters which weren’t likeable. An actor with strong commitment to his craft, Hurt became a celebrated icon in the realm of entertainment. Through his abilities to portray strong characters that audiences can easily relate to, Hurt has become a celebrated actor which audiences value. Throughout his long-lasting career, Hurt has made many films that are definitely worth talking about without a single doubt.
In a huge fan of Hurt and adore all the movies which he crafted in his career. However, “The Elephant Man” is my favourite. Ever since its release back in 1980, David Lynch’s film has become a classic. Packed with phenomenal production design, engaging storytelling and strong acting, it’s one of the best movies ever made about facial deformities. At the centre of it all is an extraordinary performance by John Hurt, who portrays a man with severe facial deformities facing tragedy. Ultimately, what makes “The Elephant Man” a commemorated cult classic is its universal appeal. Unlike most movies created in the 1980’s which tend to be outdated, the movie tackles strong themes everyone would relate to. It delivers a meaningful message on facial deformities which will definitely resonate among everyone. A mesmerizing masterpiece about people with frightening facial deformities, there are many strong reasons why “The Elephant Man” is worth seeing.
Based upon a true story, “The Elephant Man” follows a man with severe facial deformities. John Hurt portrays John Merrick, a heavily disfigured man whose life is tragic. From an early age, Merrick has often been mistreated by people in society due to his appearances. Mocked by the public, Merrick struggles to overcome a deadly disorder which is tragic. However, Merrick’s life forever changes when he receives assistance from a caring doctor. Frederick Treves (Anthony Hopkins) is a bold neurosurgeon which treats all of his patients with compassion. It doesn’t take long before Merrick forms a strong bond with his doctor. As all the odds are stacked against his favour, Merrick begins to wonder whether it’s truly possible for him to overcome a devastating facial disorder. Facing a dilemma, Merrick struggles to find social acceptance from his peers in a racist era.
David Lynch is a newcomer towards themes of facial deformities. Before he has directed “The Elephant Man”, Lynch had never made a movie about facial deformities before. Lynch was well known for making movies about criminals that are in dangers. With “Elephant Man”, however, the filmmaker produced his first period drama about facial deformities. It was the filmmaker’s first attempt to capture the hardships endured by men with facial deformities facing disaster but he succeeded. Using bold cinematography, Lynch captures the life of a man which suffers from severe facial deformity. Visually, the film is a stunning feast for the eyes. Inspired with Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho”, Lynch effectively employs black and white cinematography to capture men with facial deformity. Throughout the movie, the black and white visuals capture the struggle of a man whose face is a shocking sight. For instance, the black and white visuals enhance the elephant man scene. During this unforgettable scene, Treves is introduced for the first time to John Merrick that causes him to face terror. Through black and white visuals, Lynch captures hardships men suffering from facial deformities go through. Black and white is a complicated technique to use in films. As Steven Spielberg’s “Schindler’s List” claimed, black and white visuals elevate commemorated movies about the Holocaust. Nevertheless, they work well in this movie. Through captivating visuals, Lynch captures terrifying hardships which frightening men suffering from painful facial deformities are facing.
Another admirable aspect of “The Elephant Man” that merits appreciation is the makeup. From a technical perspective, the movie is extremely well made. Lynch uses immersive makeup to capture the lives of men suffering from facial deformities. Throughout the film, the makeup plays a crucial role in capturing tensions men with facial deformities always are facing. For instance, the makeup elevates the bullying scene. During this unforgettable scene, Merrick feels humiliated when he is bullied by people on the street for his heavily disfigured appearance. Through successful makeup, Lynch created a facially deformed character audiences can relate to. Moreover, the musical score is magnificent. John Morris’ music is key to the success of the movie. It gives the film a tense atmosphere capturing painful burden which men with severe facial deformities bear. Through strong production design, Lynch captures the tension of facially deformed helpless men whose mental health face decline.
Storytelling is one of the main reasons why “The Elephant Man” is a classic film which is compelling. The movie is beautifully written, and successfully uses silence to capture the lives of facially deformed men which face a traumatic experience. Throughout the movie, Lynch effectively uses silence to capture the tensions faced by facially deformed men with trouble communicating. For instance, silence elevates the doctor meeting scene. During this engaging scene, Merrick struggles to speak in his meeting with a doctor facing an awkward situation. Through sequences of silence, Lynch creates a facially deformed character which audiences value. Silence is a tricky technique to utilize in movies. John Krasinski’s “A Quiet Place” proved that silence enhances movies about silent survival. Robert Mulligan’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” suggested silence enhances commemorated courtroom dramas. However, it works well in this movie. Through a phenomenal screenplay, Lynch captures frightening hardships experienced by facially deformed men facing a price to pay.
One appreciates astonishing performances.
John Hurt delivers one of his greatest career performances as John Merrick. Hurt earned appreciations for playing heroic survivors of sad alien disasters. With “The Elephant Man”, however, he took on his most challenging role. It isn’t simple to portray a facially deformed man which faced adversity but Hurt pulled it off successfully. This is the actor unlike you have ever seen him before: intense, charming and emotional in his most commemorated role. Hurt has always had an aptitude for playing eccentric characters under intense pressure, and “The Elephant Man” showcased his strengths as an actor. With riveting expressions, Hurt captures the bravery, depression and grief of a facially deformed man seeking social acceptance. It’s a phenomenal performance from one of the most commemorated actors working in Britain today.
Anthony Hopkins is extraordinary as a caring neurosurgeon that dedicates his life to help a man with facial deformity. While Hurt gets the showier role, Hopkins is also phenomenal as a doctor driven to achieve his goal. Hopkins has always had an aptitude for playing characters with an intelligent nature, and “The Elephant Man” demonstrated his strengths as an actor. Whether he is seeking to assist Merrick with learning how to speak or striving to teach his class about facial deformities, Hopkins used his strong body language to create a doctor which is compelling. It’s a strong performance from one of the most commemorated British actors they is currently working in Hollywood today.
Finally, “The Elephant Man” will definitely earn the appreciation of everyone for capturing the lives of facially deformed men without a plan. Unlike most movies created during the 1980’s that are outdated, it tackles universal themes everyone would relate to. It discusses relatable themes including identity, mental health and disability which would resonate with everyone. Viewers don’t need to be familiar with facial deformities to appreciate it. It delivers a bold message about disability that would resonate with everyone. Therefore, “The Elephant Man” is one of those rare commemorated movies about facial deformities which everyone would adore.
Fans of John Hurt would definitely appreciate “The Elephant Man” and so will movie-goers seeking heartfelt entertainment. A captivating classic about facial deformities, it honours an actor that has built a legacy which is iconic.
Nearly 40 years following release of a groundbreaking film about men with frightening facial deformities struggling to find social acceptance in a society that’s unforgiving, it’s a riveting reminder of an actor that built a lasting legacy earning a huge fan following for his abilities to portray compelling characters in engaging movies that are worth celebrating years after his heartbreaking passing left the world mourning.
5/5 stars
The Film Buff 