Because of his extreme bodily and facial deformities, he was nicknamed. The elephant man is an awardwinning play which is based on the reallife experiences of john merrick, who lived from 18621890. A victorian surgeon rescues a heavily disfigured man who is mistreated while scraping a living as a sideshow freak. With very few options open to him, merrick whose first name is john in pomerances play is forced to display himself to. The elephant man movie hd 1980 best film scene youtube. It simply looks at the day as it unfolds, and that is a brave and radical act. Yet whilst it is undoubtedly one of his most moving and compassionate pieces of cinema there are still traces of the themes that he. Lynchs film joined bernard pomerances 1979 play, the elephant man, as well as several biographies and a novel published around that time, in portraying merricks extraordinary body and life, particularly his transformation from an abject sideshow freak to a favorite of society. Merrick, known as the elephant man, makes a life journey from being a freak show attraction to medical wonder to society intellectual to spiritual inspiration. He happens on a hideously deformed creature called the elephant man john hurt, and pays the owner mr. Time and time again lynch is true to his characters, and its. In one of his most legendary films, director david lynch chronicles. The play is divided into twentyone scenes that depict the last six years of merricks life.
With philip anglim, kevin conway, penny fuller, richard clarke. The mans injuries, as well as an attack from bronchitis, leads treves to admit him to the hospital. The elephant man is a 1980 film about joseph merrick whom the script calls. It is the story of the life of a man named joseph merrick, who lived in. The elephant man synopsis plot character traits moral values themes. The elephant man opens with frederick treves, an upandcoming surgeon, meeting his new employer francis carrgomm, the administrator of the london hospital ross, the manager of a freak show, invites a crowd on whitechapel road to come view john merrick, the elephant man. Movies like the elephant man if you like the elephant man you are looking for emotional, psychological and touching movies about with social misfits, disfigurement, freak, disability, dignity, life is a bitch and human nature themes of biography and drama genre shot in usa or uk. In fact, he is highly intelligent and sensitive, a fact made public when one dr. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of the elephant man by bernard pomerance. Frederick treves is a doctor at the london hospital. Frederick treves anthony hopkins wanders through an urban carnival in search of freak shows. The closing moments of the elephant man are tragic, forceful, and ambiguous all at once, but more than anything, lynchs final scene can be viewed as the ultimate culmination of events and the suppressed psyche of his main character john merrick john hurt, aka the elephant man.
It has heart and an emotional impact, something rare in lynchs movies the straight story is another exception. Behind his monstrous facade, there is revealed a person of kindness, intelligence and sophistication. It offers no explanation for the tragedy, no insights into the psyches of the killers, no theories about teenagers or society or guns or psychopathic behavior. Before we begin, please allow me to make one thing perfectly clear. The elephant man is a mostly faithful version of trevess memoirs, but the real joseph merrick was a stronger character than either treves, or the film, allows. The elephant man 1980 movie mistakes, goofs and bloopers. The elephant man is a 1980 britishamerican historical drama film about joseph merrick a severely deformed man in late 19th century. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing the elephant man 1982 near you.
At a meeting to do with the hospitals dealings, one man, mr broadbeck, objects to the elephant man being a patient in the hospital in the beginning he is wearing spectacles, but, a few seconds later, the spectacles are gone. Dr frederick treeves, a surgeon in the late 19th centruy london, rescues a hideously deformed young man called john merrick from an abusive sideshow entrepeneur. Merrick uses his disfigurement to earn a living as the elephant. The elephant mans hospitalization sprang from a benevolent desire to help this poor fellow. Great chicago architect benjamin marshalls story told in. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. The elephant man 1991 legendary freak john merrick philip anglim has a debilitating disease that has physically transformed his features in a. Unable to secure rights for the famous stage play the elephant man, producer mel brooks based his film on the. The detailed victorian records make it 99% certain this is the elephant man, said mrs vigormungovin. The elephant man full plot summary including detailed synopsis and summaries for each scene. The film was directed by david lynch and stars john hurt, anthony hopkins, anne bancroft, john gielgud, wendy hiller, michael elphick, hannah gordon, and freddie jones. Yes, im fully aware that the elephant man isnt totally accurate and does possess a number of factual mistakes relating to the title character. Summary of the elephant man scenes 110 the play the elephant man by brenard pomerance is a book about the sad life of john merrick, who suffers from a grotesque skin disorder. John hurt stars as john merrick, the hideously deformed 19th century londoner known as the elephant man.
Four decades on, john hurts performance gives this biopic a poignancy that marks it. Born with a congenital disorder, merrick uses his disfigurement to earn a living as the elephant man. The elephant man returns from the seminar to bytes and is beaten severely for wondering off. John hurt stars as john merrick, the hideously deformed 19th century. This study guide consists of approximately 104 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the elephant man. Holladay and stephen watt argue that treves encourages merricks normalcy, while restricting it at the same time. The elephant man movie trailer hd 1980 plot synopsis. Both the play and the movie adopt essentially the same point of view, that we are to honor merrick because of the courage with which he faced his. Based on a true story, the critically acclaimed, oscarnominated film has. The elephant man, much like the straight story, is a film that may initially seem at odds with david lynchs other work. Treves brings merrick into his home, discovering that his rough exterior hides a refined soul, and that merrick can teach the stodgy british upper class of the time a lesson about dignity. Summarythe elephant man bernard pomerance page 4 the elephant man foco novo original production of the elephant man. Director and cowriter david lynch doesnt explain the characters actions, which makes them good topics of discussion for teenagers mature enough to tackle the subject matter.
This dark and beautiful 1980 movie is based on the elephant man and other reminisces by the reallife treves, as well as ashley montagus the elephant man. Mistakes about his given name it was joseph, not john, his harrowing abduction which didnt happen, his mistreatment by the night porter. Gus van sants elephant is a record of a day at a high school like columbine, on the day of a massacre much like the one that left dead. Joseph john merrick is an intelligent and friendly man, but he is hated by his victorianera english society because he is severely deformed.
Treves happens upon the freak show and is intrigued by merricks disorder. Ever since bernard pomerances 1977 play the elephant man became a hit in london and on broadway, the pitiful image of joseph carey merrick referred to as john in the play. Lynchs film was celebrated and spoofed in its time, not least in richard curtiss comedy the tall guy, the plot of which featured a. The elephant man is a 1980 drama film based on the true story of joseph merrick called john merrick in the film, a severely deformed man in 19th century london. In an attempt to convince the authorities to allow the man to stay, treves endeavors to communicate with the person. The film of the elephant man is not based on the successful stage play of the. With anthony hopkins, john hurt, anne bancroft, john gielgud. But, for merrick, it may have been little different from entering the workhouse. Both the play and the movie adopt essentially the same point of view, that we are to honor merrick because of the courage with.
As a permanent resident, supported entirely by charitable donations, he was rendered a dependent member of the deserving poor. Treated as a sideshow freak, merrick is assumed to be retarded as well as misshapen because of his inability to speak coherently. The elephant man 1980 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. One day, he stops in front of a shop and sees a picture of a horrible creature.
The elephant man depicts the difficult life of joseph john carey merrick, a real person who lived from 1862 to 1890. The elephant man is a perfect movie and, as john hurt once said if youre not moved by the time the elephant man is over. The film of the elephant man is not based on the successful stage play of the same name, but they both draw their sources from the life of john merrick, the original elephant man, whose rare disease imprisoned him in a cruelly misformed body. The burial is dated 24 april 1890, and joseph died on 11 april. The elephant man is a 1980 britishamerican historical drama film about joseph merrick whom the script calls john merrick, a severely deformed man in late 19th century london. The script is based upon the life of joseph merrick, a man so physically deformed that he became known as the elephant man. Traves, first stumbles upon merrick on an advert poster outside a. In their article comparing the elephant man, the play, and the elephant man, the movie, william e. The elephant man is a play about a young man named merrick who suffers from severe physical deformities. Trevess attempts to create an illusionary normalcy have been the topic of other critics. Posted on april 5, 2017 august 29, 2017 grace posted in literature. A taped version of the stage play about a hideously deformed 19thcentury london man and how he managed to triumph over his disease. Frederic treves anthony hopkins discovers joseph john merrick john hurt in a sideshow.
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