The Elephant Man (1980)

Director: David Lynch
Stars: Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt, Anne Bancroft
Runtime: 124 minutes

Synopsis: A Victorian surgeon rescues a heavily disfigured man who is mistreated while scraping a living as a side-show freak. Behind his monstrous façade, there is revealed a person of kindness, intelligence, and sophistication.

Verdict: If you're familiar with David Lynch's body of work, you're probably aware that his second feature film, "The Elephant Man", is a bit of an outlier. The true story of John Merrick is told in a much more conventional and familiar way than the rest of his filmography and barely features any of his trademark surreal imagery. Shot entirely in black and white, it recounts the encounter between a surgeon, extraordinarily played by Sir Anthony Hopkins, with a heavily disfigured man, brought to the screen by an unrecognizable yet remarkable as always Sir John Hurt. And while many moviegoers will watch it as a way to educate themselves about the life led by the unfortunately named titular character, I was much more invested in the film's commentary on humanity and kindness.

When Hopkins' Dr. Treves sees John for the first time, he's on display at a freak show against his will, filling the pockets of the despicable man who only sees him as a mere investment. The horrified crowd doesn't view a man in front of them, but a monster who doesn't deserve their sympathy simply because of his deformities. The question of who the real monster is is raised instantly, and the answer becomes clearer as we get to know the real John throughout the next couple of hours. Despite taking place during the late 1800s, what struck me most within that aspect of the film is how relevant this topic still is to this day. In a world plagued by racism and prejudices of all sorts, we see ourselves questioning our common sense of humanity more often than we'd like to.

Another fascinating recurrent theme found through the movie, this time of a more philosophical nature, is that of kindness and whether it truly exists in its purest of forms. This conundrum fully materializes when Dr. Treves is confronted by the hospital's matron, who asks him if he's providing John with help for his own benefit rather than his patient's. It's a dilemma that is certainly worth exploring as it implies that most, if not all, acts of kindness come from a place of selfishness, whether we're aware of it or not.

Considering how important and topical the themes of this classic are, I'd label it a must for pretty much everyone. The heartbreaking story of John Merrick is one that everyone should be familiar with as well, as it summarizes the good and the bad of the world we live in. Even if you're not a fan of Lynch's other work, I'd absolutely recommend making this one a priority.

FINAL GRADE: 9/10