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A Movie A Day: Quint watches THE ELEPHANT MAN (1980)I am not an animal! I’m a human being! I am a man!
Ahoy, squirts! Quint here with today’s installment of A Movie A Day.
[For those now joining us, A Movie A Day is my attempt at filling in gaps in my film knowledge. My DVD collection is thousands strong, many of them films I haven’t seen yet, but picked up as I scoured used DVD stores. Each day I’ll pull a previously unseen film from my collection and discuss it here. Each movie will have some sort of connection to the one before it, be it cast or crew member.]
Today is THE ELEPHANT MAN. I bought this DVD at Pedazo Chunk’s closing a few years ago, having seen many scenes and hearing great praise for the photography and the performances. Over the years I kept meaning to watch it and now I’ve finally done it.
What an incredible film. Powerful in every way. David Lynch’s direction, Freddie Francis’ cinematography, John Hurt and Anthony Hopkins’ performances…
John Hurt is a revelation in this film. He really does Boris Karloff justice, creating a creature that is more innocent, human and kind than many “normal” people. At first Hurt’s performance is only given in grunts and body language.
Lynch hides Merrick’s deformity from us for the first quarter of the film, keeping him in shadow and silhouette… and that iconic sack-head mask, making us, the audience, just as curious as the people paying to see him in the freak show.
When we see him, it is shocking and even as we begin to see him as a person, not a creature, it’s still impossible to take your eyes off of him. It is quite genius on Lynch’s part and a real testament to the performances in the film.
Watching this movie it really made me long for David Lynch telling a coherent narrative with real production value. When was the last one? THE STRAIGHT STORY? Don’t get me wrong, I love bizarre Lynch, but all we seem to get anymore is bizarre Lynch. He’s such a smart and inventive director and we don’t get to see films of his like THE ELEPHANT MAN anymore.
Hopkins is magnetic in the film and I especially love his inner-conflict in the second half of the movie. Is he just as bad as Freddie Jones’ carnival huckster, Bytes, who enslaved Merrick and ran him on a freakshow tour? Is he doing the same thing, but instead of carnie attendees it’s the upper crust and professionals? Does it matter that John Merrick is happier? Does that make what he’s doing right?
Really heady stuff that isn’t really resolved, at least not in a big “resolution” scene, which I loved.
Now, I couldn’t write this up and not have the famous “I’m not an animal!” quote in the subhead, but I think my favorite quote in the whole movie is the touching moment between Hopkins and Hurt in which Merrick tells the doctor that he’s happy. “I’m happy every hour of the day. My life is full because I know I am loved.”
This is a heartbreaking movie, with amazing black and white photography by Freddie Francis and performances that hit you deep in the gut, the brain and, most importantly, the heart. If you haven’t given this one a viewing yet, make it a priority.
The schedule for the next 7 days is:
Monday, June 30th: THE GOOD FATHER (1987)
Tuesday, July 1st: SHOCK TREATMENT (1981)
Wednesday, July 2nd: FLASHBACK (1990)
Thursday, July 3rd: KLUTE (1971)
Friday, July 4th: ON GOLDEN POND (1982)
Saturday, July 5th: THE COWBOYS (1972)
Sunday, July 6th: THE ALAMO (1960)
Now, fair warning… I have a little voice in the back of my brain telling me that I have seen the John Wayne THE ALAMO, but if I have it was early in my childhood and I haven’t revisited it since, so I’m going to include it on the list.
Tomorrow we follow Anthony Hopkins over to Mike Newell’s THE GOOD FATHER. See you folks then!
-Quint
quint@aintitcool.com
Previous Movies:
June 2nd: Harper
June 3rd: The Drowning Pool
June 4th: Papillon
June 5th: Gun Crazy
June 6th: Never So Few
June 7th: A Hole In The Head
June 8th: Some Came Running
June 9th: Rio Bravo
June 10th: Point Blank
June 11th: Pocket Money
June 12th: Cool Hand Luke
June 13th: The Asphalt Jungle
June 14th: Clash By Night
June 15th: Scarlet Street
June 16th: Killer Bait (aka Too Late For Tears)
June 17th: Robinson Crusoe On Mars
June 18th: City For Conquest
June 19th: San Quentin
June 20th: 42nd Street
June 21st: Dames
June 22nd: Gold Diggers of 1935
June 23rd: Murder, My Sweet
June 24th: Born To Kill
June 25th: The Sound of Music
June 26th: Torn Curtain
June 27th: The Left Handed Gun
June 28th: Caligula
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+ Expand All
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it's almost July!
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An incredible movie, everyone in front and behind the camera are on top form.
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Great movie.
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I too wish we could get more mainstream Lynch. Although, I think that even his greatest mainstream movies pale in comparison to his masterpiece: Erasherhead.
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..or the "Least Lynch" movie made by Lynch, as I say (or something like that--my english isn't that good and I can't quite translate my idea of this film..)
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One of the few Black and White films that I've really enjoyed.
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was fantastic too. Those industrial sounds and the trademark Lynchian bass sound - heavy, low-notes that help build that oppressiveness that the film has, in the beginning at least.. brilliant. This really was a case of everyone involved doing their best work. From casting director, through sound designer to makeup artist (Chris Tucker I think). Masterpiece.
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Then it all went to decadent, dream-logic wanking for Lynch.
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I still maintain that Blue Velvet and Twin Peaks are Lynch's best hybrids of the insane and the understandable.
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Damn I'm getting old
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only David Lynch films I ever really loved.
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before the special school brigade get in with the completely worn out jokes...
this is an incredible film and YES, we need Lynch directing more mainstream movies again..what he brings to a solid narrative creates amazing experiences. -
I mean pro-choice. Anyway, it's a good film.
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have absolutely no chapter breaks? Was that changed for the later DVD editions? I hate the colourised DVD cover art of the version printed above.
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Two outstanding period films both deliberately shot in black and white. Speaking of black and white: I dig Coppola's underrated 1983 film Rumble Fish too.
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For later titles in this series, can you include a few of those great (but underrated) Walter Hill films from the 80s? I'd love to see someone on this site give a little love to Hill's misunderstood genre flicks like Streets of Fire, Extreme Prejudice or Johnny Handsome. Hopefully you haven't already seen 'em all.
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Maybe Mike Gundy is the elephant man.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VytIZZzee0
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I hope you are under 30 because I fully plan on taking your brilliant observation one step further and pushing for a Logan's Run type society. There is no place for imperfection in our world. The "elephant man" had no value to us or to himself.
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1970's "Joe" with Peter Boyle. Fucking awesome movie about hippies. Add that one to your list.Oh and 1985's "Tuff Turf" with James Spader as The New Kid. Classic.And for good measure add in 1982's "Last American Virgin." Most underrated coming-of-age comedy ever (watch with gut-curdling cringing as the protagonist gets pwned by the chick in the end--if ever there was a more unflinching movie about how much chicks suck, it's this movie. Heh.)
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Aaaaaangeeeeeer!!!
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I have it on dvd - no chapter breaks. Or at least I don't think so, must look
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Or at least I remember it being pretty awesome when I watched it on HBO back in the mid 80s when I was like 12 or 13...
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Let's not forget Mel Brooks' contribution to this, the film was produced for his Brooksfilm company. Considering Lynch had only made Eraserhead by this point you have to give Brooks some props for seeing "mainstream" potential in such a unique talent. Brooksfilm also handed The Fly to Cronenberg. Brooks really knows his movies. Also, Christopher Tucker's prosthetic make-up work is among the finest.
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He doesn't have them in The Straight Story DVD either. If I read it right he wants them to be "a whole experience" when viewing.
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Sorry couldn't resist it. The Elephant man is a great movie and probably one of the best examples of a period movie where there is a genuine feeling of authenticity to the thing. Sterling stuff!
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I almost watched this earlier today for the first time ever, too... But chose to watch Casino instead.
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Go watch Eraserhead then Elephant Man. It's amazing how similar they are (you can't even really argue that the storytelling in EM is more linear). Not to mention the sound design similarities!
Good on Mel Brooks for having the balls to make both this and Cronenberg's The Fly I say!
Cotton, the effectiveness of this story/the man contradicts you and myopic views of humanity. Then again, I guess you were joking. Otherwise I'll now refer to you as Hitler. -
But in a way I do envy your ignorance of these classics.
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What are you playing at man? Can't believe you hadn't seen this before. Lynch's best film by miles, an absolute stormer. The dolly in on Anthony Hopkins reaction as he sees Merrick for the first time is one of the all-time great moments in cinema. Glad you liked it Quint and I agree, Lynch should make more films like this one.
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When he talks about his mother and when he goes to bed at the end! fuck me i just crack everytime. Lynch at his most coherent and powerful and one of the best movies ever made about the best and worst in Humans!If you didn't know it was Lynch you'd never guess unlike his weirdy stuff like Mulholand drive which was ace or Inland Empire which was poo!
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One of the greatest endings to a film ever.
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absolutely brilliant. You've had some good ones on that list Quint.
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but I agree, wholeheartedly. Kinky name, mate. I hope you're talking chicks in heels, not something weird like workboots or boring like trainers!
As for Christopher Tucker, there's a book called Special Effects (well there are many called that, but it's-) by Pascal Pinteau, which shows the very first colour pictures of the makeup, as well as Tucker applying it.
As well as retelling that favourite old story about how the production only got in touch with him for info on makeup suppliers, then came begging for him to do it when the initial test (supposedly Lynch himself had designed a HARD/RIGID prosthetic!!) failed completely.
I do hope one day Lynch tells us how he did Eraserhead though. Skinned rabbit or not, that thing was pretty cool. I bet he won't though, like a good magician. -
But this is the only movie that actually makes me choke up. I love the movie, but daren't watch it for fear of tearing up and looking stupid. It's definately one of the best movies I've ever seen. Glad you've watched it Quint,just surprised no one has insisted you watch it earlier :)
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Like I say, watch it and Eraserhead. I don't know how you could possibly think anyone BUT Lynch made Elephant Man. Not dissing you mate, just genuinely surprised, that's all.
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Hey mate, haven't seen you 'round here for a while.
No, I think pretty much everyone around here understands, and it'd be a heartless prick that mocked anyone for misting up at this one. -
With Remains of the Day a very close second.
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there, I said it
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finally a movie quint has seen that i've seen! loved htis movie. brilliant. i rememebr watching it when i was akid and thinking, Michael Elphick, what a bastard! bearing in mind he was always on tv in "lovable" character sitcom roles
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Great job Quint. I need to see this too.
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Haven't necessarily avoided them, but never watched them as they seemed to neuter what was unique about Lynch. Guess I'll have to re-evaluate that idea and give them a look.
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That's the opening scene. Soooo fucked up!!!
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That well made Lifetime movie won over RAGING BULL and ELEPHANT MAN and Redford must be a better director that Scorcesse and Lynch. But God bless Mary Tyler Moore. What a perfect bitch she was in that movie.
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. . . but that was when I was a little kid and this was first out on HBO. I haven't seen it since, but the emotional impact kind of gets me every time I think about it. Might just have to put it in the queue.
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... when they hear Barber's Adagio for Strings, even though Elephant Man used it 6 years before Platoon did. Elephant Man's use of the music is also far more moving, in my opinion. Also, isn't it funny that Elephant Man and Raging Bull were released in the same year (both incredible black-and-white films at a time when everyone thought they'd never see a black-and-white movie ever again). And both these films' lead characters use the phrase "I am not an animal". Freaky.
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http://tinyurl.com/53cxfp - it's not THAT bad.
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yet very depressing.
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films with Tony Hopkins in them. He's so bloody good in The Elephant Man.
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outstanding film. Even though it won Best Picture over the legendary Raging Bull, it shouldn't be bad mouthed. It's a powerful and deeply moving picture.
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I'm fairly certain I saw it more than once as a kid, but I remember it really bumming me out. Too sad.
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The Elephant Man and Lynch's next film, Dune? I wonder when he was hired for Dune. I'll guess filming started in '83. What was Lynch up to, directly after The Elephant Man?
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There, I said it. And I've tried a couple times. I might as well go ahead and admit that as a general rule I don't enjoy Scorcese movies. It seems like he focuses on stuff that I'd never really pay attention to. And the characters are often people I find pretty repugnant like in Goodfellas. ORDINARY PEOPLE was really good. I'm assuming at the time there was a similar outrage at that win, as their was when SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE beat SAVING PRIVATE RYAN. You can probably guess what camp I was in on that one too.
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It looks and sounds fantastic. Highly recommend it if you can find a copy (and still have a player, obviously).
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Tess
The Coal Miner's Daughter
Raging Bull
Ordinary People
The Elephant Man -
Your RAGING BULL confession reminds me of FAMILY GUY when Peter Griffin confesses to not liking THE GODFATHER. His arguments: "It insists upon itslef". "Let me just respond by saying that I love THE MONEY PIT".
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Rocky winning Best Picture over Taxi Driver, Network and All The Presidents Men in '76ORKramer Vs Kramer winning Best Picture over Apocalypse Now in '79?
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But their legacy in no way compares to films like RAGING BULL and SAVING PRIVATE RYAN. Let's not forget about DANCES WITH WOLVES over GOODFELLAS. What a sin!!
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Eraserhead on Blu-ray, too. You know, to make the experience even MORE vivid! - Just like regular chickens!!
Cherry, it's cool. The people that think SPR is genius (including Academy members) seem to mainly focus on the start, and forget about the dead bits, and the apalling melodrama and jingoism with the beating of chests and tear-in-the-eye over-the-top salutes and all. Maybe, like 'Contact', if you ran it backwards it would get better and better... -
APOCOLYPSE NOW
KARMER VS KRAMER
BREAKING AWAY
ALL THAT JAZZ
NORMA RAE
Bad year for movies. APOCOLYPSE NOW is too much of a downer to win that wawrd. The other movies were nice little movies but nothing too special. -
John Hurt was in that too! What an incredibly rich (and very "Geek Friendly") filmography that fella has. Hellboy, Alien, 1984, Rob Roy, Space Balls, Frankenstein Unbound, Dead Man, Indy 4...
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No ones mentioned that From Hell has a pretty good Elephant man , though it was a bit of a pointless cameo , and though more accurate in appearance , lacked the pathetic look of john Hurts make-up.And if peaple find the front view of Merrick disturbing , the back view is even worse , he looked exactly like a pile of cauliflowers.His skeleton was seriously messed up as well.His skull looked like its covered in deep sea coral.It's amazing a guy could be that seriously deformed and still function to any degree.The film is a classic I might add.
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Always tend to "heart over art". Something emotionally engaging is always easier to reward than artistic integrity.
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For a moment there I thought you were saying the makeup work for John Merrick, in Lynch's film, was pathetic. Must read more carefully in future :P
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oh my...someone's gonna sleep well that day. :P
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you're picking all these movies that I've never seen, so I'm enjoying your reviews. Keep up the good work Quinto!
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Yeah after I posted it , I realised that it sounded like I was having a go at the quality of the make-up not it's effect!I meant that , the design consciously made john hurts elephant man , more childlike and pitiable , whilst toning down the horror of his deformed face/head
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is what chokes me up every time I see this flick. Then I get a bit of a breather, then blubber again when he sleeps horizontally. Good movie.
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One of the BEST movies of all time - and Hurt just downright nailed the performance - and really - Hopkins has never been better - now I love Lector - but the skills it took Hopkins to pull off this character - the subtleness of the character... one of the best screen performances. Great movie - I remember seeing it in the theater and this big ol guy in the row ahead of me - balling at the end of the movie.
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really makes you think about life, death, and most sadly people that have no connection to their mothers. . .
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I've always felt this film was very consistent with Lynch's other work. It deals with some of his favorite themes like horror and identity. One of my favorite moments is when the camera zooms into the opening in Merrick's mask. It's exactly like when we enter the world in (behind?) the radiator in Eraserhead. I watch this movie every few years and it always blows me away. Can you imagine it getting nominated for Best Picture today?
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One of the greatest movies ever made. Wish you wrote a bit more about it.
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So was everybody else. When the tormentors show him the mirror ... ouch. Great movie!
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It's the Good Father he hasn't seen, not The Godfather. Different movies, this one has Anthony Hopkins.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009KQP9Q/102-0869784-9252121?ie=UTF8&tag=aintitcooln0b-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0009KQP9Q -
Check out this interesting article by Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle: http://tinyurl.com/36wrx3
It takes balls to admit you have never seen a classic film.
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because this is probably lame as I doubt everyone who loves films has seen every great film - but how the fuck haven't you seen this film until now?
This is just one of a fairly small (when all is said and done) number of must see films if you really care about cinema, and I'm just speechless that you haven't seen it until now... and sorry to be elitist but if you haven't seen it on the big screen then you still haven't seen it properly...
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TOTALY AGREE TAHT THIS IS A GREAT MOVIE THOUGH I DO LOVE HIS AVANT GARDE IF TAHTS THE CORRECT TERM FOR THE TYPES OF FILMS HE BEEN DOIN LATELY. STILL SCRATCHIN MY HEAD ON WHATS GOIN ON IN INLAND EMPIRE EXCEPT THE FACT THAT LAURA DERN WAS AMAZING IN IT!! LOVE THEM FREAKY RABBITS!!! THIS IS A PRETTY GREAT COLUMN SCRATH THAT GREAT COLUMN THAT HOPEFULLY WONT GO AWAY ANYTIME SOON, DESPITE ALL THE HATERS OUT THERE ON QUINTS OPINIONS ON HIS FILMS SINCE THEY ARE OPINIONS. IM SORRY BUT I HAVENT SEEN EVERY MOVIE EVER MADE MYSELF. THATS JUST HOW I ROLL, SO I ASSUM QUINT HAS A LIFE AND HASNT SEEN EVERYTHING OUT THERE OTHER WISE HOW CAN HE PROVIDE THIS GREAT SERVICE. YOU KNOW SOME PEOPLE HAVENT SEEN THE FILMS HE IS DOIN A MOVIE A DAY ON SO FOR THEM THIS IS NEWS AND I PERSONALY THNK ITS GREAT.
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The scene where Merrick and the woman read Romeo and Juliet together, and she treats him like a regular person, and even kisses him is so fucking beautiful. It's definitely not the least Lynch movie though. Stuff like the elephant at the beginning is classic Lynch. The Straight Story is definitely Lynch at his most un-Lynch like (although he'd probably argue that Dune is the least like him).
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I love Lynch to death. I've seen everything he's done, including some really obscure stuff, but talk to me about why you like The Straight Story over all his other stuff. Granted, I've only seen it once, but it kind of bored me. I understand the simplicity of it, and how it's not supposed to be "exciting". I get the emotion. I think the performances are great, but besides some beautiful cinematography (that does get repetitious eventually), there's no way I can say this film offers anything nearly as good as some of the stuff in Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive, Twin Peaks, INLAND EMPIRE, or even Wild at Heart. I'm not attacking or criticizing your opinion. I WANT to like the movie more. But is there anything more to it than a simple touching story being told in a simple touching way?
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Lynch was mostly trying to get his pet project "Ronnie Rocket" made during this time and was even doing location scouting and principle photography for it while they were in London for Elephant Man. Mel Brooks and Brooksfilms tried to help him, but things just didn't work out. He eventually met up with Dino De Laurentis and again, more movies almost took place, including an adaptation Lynch was working on of Kafka's Metamorphosis. De Laurentis offerred Lynch to direct Red Dragon . Lynch read it and wasn't a fan (and this later went to Michael Mann, and became Manhunter). De Laurentis eventually presented Lynch with Dune. Lynch read it, enjoyed it, and started working on it (as well as partly finishing the script of a sequel which he considered better than the original Dune). Lynch had issues with De Laurentis and not having final cut and making a lot of compromises on the film, but he eventually was allowed to keep these liberties with Blue Velvet (albeit taking a pay cut), which De Laurentis produced. After Blue Velvet, Lynch became pretty well established.
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amazing movie, looks great, is creepy and atmospheric first half then really tears at the heart strings in the second half. Good character centric film.
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if I am remembering this correctly, was when they crossed the border from Oregon into Canada.
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Did it ever occur to you that maybe some of his stuff is outside of your intellectual register? Could it be possible that some of his stuff is actually radically coherent? God forbid somebody should actually admit that maybe certain material exists a plane they simply don't have access to.
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When I saw INLAND EMPIRE the second time I completely understood what was going on. Lynch firmly understands and believes what he's working with at all times.
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Is when he goes to see the theatre show and enjoys and loses himself in delight to the surreal spectacle. For once he has lost himself (without self consciousness) in a moment that seems dazzling from his perspective . He's laughing with joy.
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but is so painful to watch. what a tragic story
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That was a weird one. I want to draw/paint a Ronnie Rocket graphic Novel for him. That'd be cool.
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Jul 01, 2008 5:52:31 PM CDT
You know...if you put a long res curly wig and a red beard on th
by chocolatejesusman
Aw hell that joke is way too easy.. carry on talbackers
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Oh, never. Nothing will die. The stream flows, the wind blows, the cloud fleets, the heart beats. Nothing will die. An amazing movie.
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Don't forget: John Hurt was also the original Aragorn, in the Bakshi LotR.
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and cried at the ending. I completely lost it the more i tried not too the worse it became. Its the only movie that did this to me.
His real name was Joseph Carey Merrick -
Mrs. Kendal: Why, Mr. Merrick, you're not an elephant man at all.
John Merrick: Oh no?
Mrs. Kendal: Oh no... no... you're a Romeo. -
Dr. Fox: Have you ever mentioned his mental state?
Dr. Frederick Treves: Oh, he's an imbecile, probably from birth. Man's a complete idiot... Pray to God he's an idiot.
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