THE ELEPHANT MAN

USA | 1980 | DCP | 125 min.
Director: David Lynch
Cast: John Hurt, Anthony Hopkins, Anne Bancroft

Producer Mel Brooks provided the opportunity for Lynch to direct a studio feature, a bigger budget follow-up to the independently-made Eraserhead that also earned Lynch his first two Oscar nominations. The Elephant Man details the final months in the life of the deformed Londoner John Merrick (played by an unrecognizable Hurt wearing prosthetics created by Christopher Tucker), whose career as a sideshow freak ends when he meets the compassionate Dr. Frederick Treves (Hopkins). Lynch’s dreamlike imagery is aided immeasurably by the gorgeous black and white widescreen cinematography of Freddie Francis.