The Elephant Man (1980 film)

The Elephant Man
Company type	Film
Industry	Film industry
Founded	1980; 46 years ago
Founder	David Lynch (director), Jonathan Sanger (producer)
Headquarters	United Kingdom, United States
Products	Film

| runtime = 123 minutes | country = United Kingdom
United States | language = English | budget = $5 million | gross = $26 million }}

The Elephant Man is a 1980 biographical drama depicting the life of Joseph Merrick (referred to as "John" in the film), a man with severe deformities residing in late 19th-century London. Directed by David Lynch, produced by Jonathan Sanger, and with Mel Brooks serving as uncredited executive producer to avoid comedic associations, the film features performances by John Hurt, Anthony Hopkins, among others.

The screenplay, crafted by Lynch alongside Christopher De Vore and Eric Bergren, is adapted from Frederick Treves' The Elephant Man and Other Reminiscences (1923) and Ashley Montagu's The Elephant Man: A Study in Human Dignity (1971). Filmed in black-and-white with Freddie Francis as cinematographer, it showcased remarkable make-up artistry by Christopher Tucker.

Achieving commercial success, The Elephant Man was lauded for Lynch’s direction and Hurt’s portrayal. It secured three BAFTA Awards, including Best Film, and received eight Academy Award nominations plus four Golden Globe nods. In response to criticism over the omission of make-up recognition, the Academy introduced a competitive Best Makeup category the following year.

Plot

Frederick Treves, a surgeon at the London Hospital, encounters John Merrick, a severely disfigured and seemingly mute man exhibited in a Victorian freak show. The show’s proprietor, Mr. Bytes, spins sensational tales about Merrick’s deformities. Seeking medical acknowledgement, Treves discreetly arranges for Merrick’s transfer to the hospital.

Treves introduces Merrick to his medical peers, emphasizing his physical abnormalities such as a misshapen skull that requires him to sleep upright. After suffering a violent assault by Bytes, Merrick returns to hospital care where Mrs Mothershead reluctantly tends to him.

Initially suspecting an intellectual disability, Treves soon discovers Merrick’s intelligence and limited speech ability. To prove this, Treves coaches him to recite simple sentences and part of the 23rd Psalm before his superior, Mr Carr Gomm. Though initially anxious, Merrick impressively recites the entire Psalm from memory. Despite no cure for his condition, he is permitted to remain under care.

Treves broadens Merrick’s experiences by encouraging hobbies like constructing a model of St Philip's Church and introducing him to his wife Ann. Merrick expresses hope that his mother would be proud of these new friendships, moving Ann emotionally.

Merrick gains attention from high society figures. Actress Madge Kendal presents him with Romeo and Juliet, igniting his interest in theatre despite never having attended a play. They enact a scene culminating in a kiss. Meanwhile, Queen Victoria and Princess Alexandra arrange for Merrick’s permanent residence at the hospital. However, some visitors display overt disgust, exposing Victorian society’s superficial charity. Mothershead criticizes this hypocrisy, contrasting Treves’ compassionate care with Bytes’ exploitative freak show.

A new form of exploitation emerges when Jim, a corrupt hospital employee, sells tickets allowing people to gawk at and torment Merrick. Bytes abducts Merrick for a Belgian freak show. After intervention by Mrs Mothershead, Treves confronts Jim and terminates his employment.

Merrick’s health deteriorates rapidly during captivity; he collapses before an audience and is subsequently confined by Bytes as punishment. Fellow performers at the freak show liberate him and arrange his return to England. At Liverpool Street station, Merrick is harassed by boys and chased by a crowd after accidentally knocking down a girl. Helpless, he cries out, "I am not an elephant! I am not an animal! I am a human being! I am a man!" before losing consciousness. Authorities return him to the hospital.

Aware that Merrick is nearing death, Treves dedicates himself to ensuring his comfort in final days. Merrick expresses gratitude for Treves’ kindness, feeling fulfilled. Princess Alexandra invites him to attend a pantomime in the royal box—his first theatrical experience—where Kendal dedicates the performance to him amidst a standing ovation.

Back at the hospital, Merrick completes his church model and lies down to sleep as he had always wished—passing away while envisioning his mother reciting Lord Tennyson’s "Nothing Will Die".

Cast

John Hurt portrays John Merrick, a compassionate and intelligent individual whose severe physical deformities provoke fear.
Anthony Hopkins plays Frederick Treves, the surgeon who liberates Merrick from the exploitative freakshow.
Hannah Gordon appears as Ann Treves, Frederick’s spouse, one of the few who recognizes Merrick’s gentle nature beyond his appearance.
Anne Bancroft features as Madge Kendal, a prominent actress from the Victorian era.
John Gielgud takes on the role of Francis Carr Gomm, the administrator of London Hospital.
Wendy Hiller acts as Mrs. Mothershead, a matron responsible for supervising the nurses attending to Merrick.
Freddie Jones embodies Mr. Bytes, a merciless alcoholic showman who exploited Merrick in his freakshow, inspired by Tom Norman.
Frederick Treves, grandnephew of Dr. Frederick Treves, appears as Alderman.
Michael Elphick plays Jim Renshaw, a disgraced hospital worker who torments Merrick each night.
Dexter Fletcher portrays Bytes’ assistant boy.
Helen Ryan represents Alexandra, Princess of Wales.
John Standing acts as Fox.
Lesley Dunlop features as Nora, one of Merrick’s nurses.
Phoebe Nicholls (photograph) and Lydia Lisle (footage) depict Mary Jane Merrick.
Morgan Sheppard appears as a man in a pub.
Kenny Baker plays the plumed dwarf.
Pat Gorman takes the role of Fairground Bobby.
Pauline Quirke appears as a prostitute.
Nula Conwell portrays Nurse Kathleen, another nurse caring for Merrick.

Development

Producer Jonathan Sanger acquired the script written by Christopher De Vore and Eric Bergren through his babysitter. Having served as assistant director for Mel Brooks on High Anxiety, Sanger presented the screenplay to Brooks, who agreed to finance the project via his company Brooksfilms. Brooks’ assistant Stuart Cornfeld suggested director David Lynch.

Sanger and Lynch exchanged scripts, with Lynch showing keen enthusiasm for directing The Elephant Man. Since Brooks was unfamiliar with Lynch’s work, Sanger and Cornfeld arranged a screening of Lynch’s Eraserhead at 20th Century Fox. Impressed by what he saw, Brooks approved Lynch’s direction but chose not to be credited as executive producer to prevent audience confusion expecting comedy.

Casting

Dustin Hoffman expressed interest in portraying John Merrick; however, Sanger declined to avoid comparisons with Hoffman. Lynch initially considered his frequent collaborator Jack Nance, but ultimately cast John Hurt after witnessing his performance in The Naked Civil Servant. At that time, Hurt was engaged with Heaven's Gate, which faced delays due to director Michael Cimino’s meticulous approach. Hurt filmed his scenes during breaks before returning to complete Heaven’s Gate.

Filming

The film’s $5 million budget was predominantly provided by Fred Silverman of NBC, contributing $4 million; the remainder came from EMI Films. Marking Lynch’s second feature and first independently financed studio film, he managed both musical direction and sound design. Though he initially attempted to create the makeup himself, it was ultimately overseen by specialist Christopher Tucker, who based the designs on precise casts of Merrick’s body housed at the museum of the Royal London Hospital. Applying the prosthetics took seven to eight hours daily, with removal requiring an additional two hours.

John Hurt endured a rigorous schedule, arriving at 5 a.m. and filming from noon until 10 p.m., working every other day due to the physical demands imposed by the makeup. He reportedly voiced frustration about performing under these challenging conditions.

The movie includes surreal sequences centered on Merrick’s mother and her passing. For the climax and Merrick’s death scene, Lynch employed Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings, despite composer John Morris’s reservations that its frequent use in films might lessen its emotional effect.

Post-production

Upon their return from England with a print, Lynch and Sanger presented The Elephant Man to Brooks. He recommended a few minor edits but ultimately approved the film for release in its existing form.

Lawsuit

During the production of the movie, a successful West End play titled The Elephant Man was running on Broadway. Its producers filed a lawsuit against Brooksfilms over the use of the title.

Box office

The Elephant Man achieved commercial success, earning $26 million domestically in the United States. In Japan, it became the second highest-grossing foreign film of that year, generating theatrical rentals amounting to ¥2.45 billion, surpassed only by The Empire Strikes Back.

Critical response

The film holds a 91% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 64 reviews, with an average rating of 8.5/10. The critical consensus commends Lynch's sensitive and controlled direction as well as the outstanding performances delivered by John Hurt and Anthony Hopkins. On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 78 out of 100, reflecting generally positive reviews.

Vincent Canby lauded Hurt’s extraordinary portrayal and Freddie Francis' monochrome cinematography. Conversely, some critics were less enthusiastic: Roger Ebert awarded it 2 out of 4 stars, expressing doubts about the film’s interpretation of human nature. Nadja Durbach criticized its sentimental tone, attributing this to its dependence on Treves' memoirs.

Over time, the film has been ranked among the top films of the 1980s by publications such as Time Out (19th), Paste (56th), and Rolling Stone (38th), and is widely regarded as one of cinema’s finest biographical dramas. It also received five votes in the 2012 Sight & Sound polls. Additionally, the February 2020 edition of New York Magazine featured it in a list titled "The Best Movies That Lost Best Picture at the Oscars."

Accolades

At the 53rd Academy Awards, The Elephant Man earned eight nominations, matching the number received by Raging Bull. These included Best Picture, Best Actor for Hurt, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Best Costume Design, Best Director, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Despite this recognition, it did not secure any wins.

Industry insiders voiced disappointment over the absence of acknowledgment for the film’s makeup artistry. In response to these concerns, although an honorary award was not granted that year, the Academy introduced the Best Makeup category the following year. The first recipient in this new category was An American Werewolf in London.

The film received several accolades at the BAFTA Awards, winning Best Film as well as awards for Best Actor (Hurt) and Best Production Design. It also garnered four additional nominations in categories including Direction, Screenplay, Cinematography, and Editing.

Acknowledged by the American Film Institute, The Elephant Man was nominated in 2005 for AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes for John Merrick’s memorable line: "I am not an animal! I am a human being. I am a man."

Home media

The movie has been made available on various formats, including VHS, Betamax, CED, LaserDisc, and DVD. Paramount Home Entertainment issued the initial DVD release on December 11, 2001. The David Lynch Lime Green Box set features interviews with both Lynch and Hurt, along with a documentary about Joseph Merrick. This material is also accessible in Europe through Optimum Releasing as part of the StudioCanal Collection. Since 2009, the film has been distributed on Blu-ray in regions such as Europe, Australia, and Japan, compatible with both region A and B players; however, no official Blu-ray release exists in the United States.

Marking the 40th anniversary, a 4K restoration was produced from the original camera negative under Lynch’s supervision and released in a director-endorsed special edition on Blu-ray and DVD by The Criterion Collection in the US on September 29, 2020. This restored version also became available on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray alongside a remastered Blu-ray edition in the United Kingdom in April 2020.

A novelization connected to the film, written by Christine Sparks, was published by Ballantine Books in 1980.

Soundtrack

The score for The Elephant Man was composed and conducted by John Morris and performed by the National Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1980, 20th Century Fox Records issued the original soundtrack in the United States on both LP and cassette formats, featuring cover art depicting a masked John Merrick taken from the film’s theatrical poster.

The first compact disc (CD) edition of this score was released in 1994 by Milan Records, a label specializing in film scores and soundtrack albums.

Track listing for the original U.S. LP release

Side one

"The Elephant Man Theme" – 3:46
"Dr. Treves Visits the Freak Show and Elephant Man" – 4:08
"John Merrick and Psalm" – 1:17
"John Merrick and Mrs. Kendal" – 2:03
"The Nightmare" – 4:39

Side two

"Mrs. Kendal's Theater and Poetry Reading" – 1:58
"The Belgian Circus Episode" – 3:00
"Train Station" – 1:35
"Pantomime" – 2:20
"Adagio for Strings" – 5:52
"Recapitulation" – 5:35

In popular culture

The Elephant Man has left its mark across numerous artistic fields and media outlets. For instance, Michael Jackson incorporated samples from the film into his track "Morphine," featured on his 1997 remix album Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix. Former bassist of The Jam, Bruce Foxton, penned the song "Freak," inspired by this film, with cover artwork alluding to it.

Actor Bradley Cooper has acknowledged that viewing this movie with his father played a significant role in his inspiration; he subsequently portrayed the title character in a 2014 Broadway revival of The Elephant Man stage production.

Television shows have also referenced the film, such as The Simpsons (season 3, episode 21), where Lisa envisions Aunt Selma’s boyfriend as resembling the Elephant Man. Similarly, Seinfeld (season 4, episode 13) includes Jerry echoing the phrase "I am not an animal." The iconic line is parodied in the 1992 movie Batman Returns, spoken by the Penguin character.

British television personality Karl Pilkington names it as his favorite film, which has influenced his podcasts and radio broadcasts. Musicians like Michael Stipe of R.E.M. have drawn creative inspiration from it; Stipe’s songs "Carnival of Sorts (Boxcars)" and "New Test Leper" contain direct references to the movie.

Nicole Dollanganger sampled audio from The Elephant Man in her 2012 track "Cries of the Elephant Man Bones." French singer Mylène Farmer paid homage through her song "Psychiatric," featured on her 1991 album L'autre..., which includes John Hurt’s voice repeating "I'm a human being, I'm not an animal."

Bibliography

External links