Excellent, moving tale

Rating: Null/10 (6 June 2000)

This has always been a film I have long remembered, even though I last watched it when I was very young. It is the moving tale of the hideously deformed John Merrick, who is rescued from his freak-show lifestyle.
The performances are all impeccable. Anthony Hopkins is masterful as the doctor, his compassion overtaking his cold-hearted scientific nature. John Hurt, unrecognisable under the fantastic make-up manages to deliver a most moving performance as the deformity. There is a whole host of supporting roles, all played well, and it is fun to spot the familiar faces in the crowds from British TV.
The black and white cinematography works wonderfully, although my only gripe is that the sound quality is not really good enough, and we often lose the dialogue from Mr Merrick. That aside, though, THE ELEPHANT MAN is a thoroughly outstanding cinematic achievement.