A remarkable film that should not be forgotten!

Rating: Null/10 (24 August 2004)

Sometimes the most obscure people can be immortalized for their greatness of simply being.' We are all flawed persons in our own ways. But as we struggle with our own failures at not meeting our own expectations, we forget about the people who have existed, or now exist who suffer greatly, or have been given an unfair lot at life. One such individual was a man named John Merrick who lived in Victorian England. Merrick was born horribly disfigured-his spine crooked, large tumors all over his body, but most noticeably, a large protruding skull. It was this last characteristic that would coin him as the Elephant Man.
It was not until 1980 that a motion picture would be made to examine Merrick's life. Starring John Hurt as Merrick in a performance that could move the heart of the hardiest person, along with Anthony Hopkins as the doctor who would show pity on a soul that most would seek to ridicule, `The Elephant Man' is a remarkable film that should not be forgotten!	`The Elephant Man' examines Merrick's life from the perspective of the doctor Frederick Treves (Hopkins), who would save Merrick from the freak show where he was tortured and jeered at. Treves takes Merrick to London Hospital where at first, he seems to stick out like a sore thumb, but where he would eventually learn to find his dignity.	`The Elephant Man' is a truly unique movie that avoids conventional filmmaking techniques and relies upon its set design, excellent performances, and strong direction from a young up-and-coming filmmaker, David Lynch (`Mulholland Dr.'). The film is shot in black and white to create a greater sense of authenticity for the time. Furthermore, the black and white was used as a medium to hide any imperfections within the makeup design for Merrick's face, which was actually modeled upon the body cast of the real Merrick.	The actors perform with absolute truth and bring dignity and greatness to the real people who lived to see this incredible man rise above his place in the world. Hopkins is outstanding as Treves, and quite convincing as he portrays his emotions in the film. In the scene where Treves first sees Merrick, a solitary tear runs down his face in pity towards another person who had never been shown any prior to that moment. Hurt's performance as the tortured Elephant Man is one of great inspiration. We first find a person who is forbidden to have a voice, but gradually gains the strength to take pride in his natural humanity, regardless of his physical form. (In actuality, the real Elephant Man could barely speak due to the bone structure of his mouth). Hurt also does a great job at presenting the natural conundrum of Merrick's life-his mother died when he was born. He has no direct family relations-no one can love him in such a way because they are not of the same bloodline. What's more, Merrick's mother was a very beautiful woman, and yet Merrick was horribly disfigured. He feels shame and regret for his very being and wants nothing more than to be something special for her. `The Elephant Man' is a reminder of the greatness of the human spirit. Amongst a world filled with despair and grief, this one man was shown a little bit of pity and found a person inside himself that could be proud. Furthermore, he was given the chance to live as normal a life as possible, with a real home and most importantly, real friends. ***1/2