The Elephant Man [VHS]

The Elephant Man [VHS]
by David Lynch

The Elephant Man [VHS]

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Product details

Actor: Anne Bancroft, Anthony Hopkins, John Gielgud, John Hurt, Wendy Hiller
Director: David Lynch
Edition: VHS Tape
Audio: English (Original Language), Analog
Format: Black & White, NTSC
Running Time: 124 minutes
Release Date: 1999-09-22
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Publisher: Paramount
Studio: Paramount

VHS Movie Reviews of The Elephant Man [VHS]

Movie Review: "I Am Happy Every Hour Of The Day."
Summary: 5 Stars

"The Elephant Man" is simply one of the very best movies ever made. It was made by a diverse and unexpected group of people including executive producer Mel Brooks and uber-strange director David Lynch (Eraserhead) and stars the brilliant Anthony Hopkins and John Hurt in their best film appearances ever.

The film follows the story of John Merrick (Hurt) in early twentieth century London. Merrick had been born with multiple serious deformities, and had been exploited as a sideshow attraction in a circus when he was discovered by the dedicated Doctor Frederick Treves (Hopkins,) who sought to help him and learn from him, despite much official and unofficial prejudice and dissuasion.

The film focuses on human dignity and the ability of the human spirit to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles and ignorant prejudice and hatred from fellow human beings. I am amazed at the interactions between Hopkins and Hurt onscreen: surely this is among the best acting in any production ever. Although the movie takes certain liberties with Merrick's life story, the film still stands as a testament to both these men and what they stood for, and, more importantly, to the capability for good, love, and compassion that mankind possesses. The film has many other excellent performances from preeminent actors and actresses (John Gielgud, Anne Bancroft, etc.) but Hurt and Hopkins are the two that make this film the piece of genius that it is.

I rarely prefer black and white as a directorial choice, but in this case, the film is enhanced immeasurably by the moodiness it creates. The cinematography, direction, sets, and score are all equally breathtaking, and if you are like most people you won't move an inch for the mesmerizing duration of the film.

The DVD comes with numerous extras, including interviews, and "making of" segments. Certainly this was a labor of love for all involved, especially John Hurt, who had to be made up in the most difficult and time consuming manner imaginable. Their efforts were not in vain, though, as the result is one of the most important films of all time, and certainly one of the best. I absolutely could not recommend a film more highly than this one, and as I sit here, I can't think of a single one that I think is actually better than "The Elephant Man." Everyone should see this movie.

Movie Review: Elephant Man still fascinates
Summary: 4 Stars

Years ago when I saw this movie I was both fascinated and appalled. It's so heartbreaking, but also hopeful. It's still as good as I remember it.

Movie Review: 4 stars out of 4
Summary: 5 Stars

The Bottom Line:

Expertly directed, painfully acted, and shot in a way that makes the 19th century London setting come alive, The Elephant Man would still not be such a great movie (which it is) if it wasn't for the humanity that pervades every minute of the film.

Movie Review: Painfully sad to watch but a true classic
Summary: 5 Stars

Rightly regarded as one of the classic British films of the last decades, this broadly true tale of dignified humanity shining through the gloomy, impersonal smog of Victorian London hardly puts a foot wrong. Anthony Hopkins is superb as the dispassionate surgeon who rescues the maltreated circus freak and convincingly settles his own (and our) moral doubt as to whether he has simply replaced the morbid curiosity of the voyeuristic crowds for an equally exploitative scientific curiosity and means of personal gain. But it is John Hurt's rendition of a humanity that has refused to die that makes this film so memorable, a peerless performance that is heartbreakingly never less than utterly convincing.

Movie Review: One of the most powerful films in existence
Summary: 5 Stars

This is an incredible film and one of my all time favorites. I first saw it on cable TV when I was only 6 years of age or so and was completely blown away by the film's message. Even at such a young age, it changed my outlook on the world. This movie kept me up at night. It truly redefines what is to be human. I purchased it on DVD a few years ago and the film was just as powerful as I remembered, even more so. Yes, it is a sad film but is equally uplifting as kindness and compassion trump cruelty and fear in this true story of Joseph Merrick. I've read numerous books on Merrick's life and the film does differ in some ways from the historical accounts. Being a cinema adaptation of the story, it is to be expected. But most importantly, David Lynch understood the temperament of Merrick as being a polite and intelligent young man and conveyed this successfully in the film. John Hurt's performance as `The Elephant Man' was amazing. Joseph Merrick had to endure incomprehensible hardships while growing up but his spirit was never broken. He always remained a kind, intelligent, well read, and gentle soul without hatred and a desire for revenge. He will always be of my heroes. David Lynch did a fabulous job with this film. Great film score too. Highly recommended.

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Summary of The Elephant Man [VHS]

You could only see his eyes behind the layers of makeup, but those expressive orbs earned John Hurt a well-deserved Oscar nomination for his moving portrayal of John Merrick, the grotesquely deformed Victorian-era man better known as The Elephant Man. Inarticulate and abused, Merrick is the virtual slave of a carnival barker (Freddie Jones) until dedicated London doctor Frederick Treves (Anthony Hopkins in a powerfully understated performance) rescues him from the life and offers him an existence with dignity. Anne Bancroft costars as the actress whose visit to Merrick makes him a social curiosity, with John Gielgud and Wendy Hiller as dubious hospital staffers won over by Merrick. David Lynch earned his only Oscar nominations as director and cowriter of this somber drama, which he shot in a rich black-and-white palette, a sometimes stark, sometimes dreamy visual style that at times recalls the offbeat expressionism of his first film, Eraserhead. It remains a perfect marriage between traditional Hollywood historical drama and Lynch's unique cinematic eye, a compassionate human tale delivered in a gothic vein. The film earned eight Oscar nominations in all, and though it left the Oscar race empty-handed, its dramatic power and handsome yet haunting imagery remain just as strong today. --Sean Axmaker

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