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The Elephant Man (1980)

Rate: 10
Viewed: 7/14

Ele
7/14: The Elephant Man is one of the most touching films I've seen.

Shot in 1980, Freddie Francis' black-and-white cinematography is top-notch, and it's a surprise it wasn't nominated. Speaking of Oscars, this is the film that forced the Academy Awards to start rewarding makeup artists the following year, so Christopher Tucker and his team missed out big time because it's that good and spectacular. So, check out the documentary from the DVD because it's fascinating to listen to.

Among the cast, superlative and sensitive performances are rendered by John Hurt and Anthony Hopkins. Of all David Lynch pictures, The Elephant Man is his best achievement although the introduction is ridiculous and preposterous. What I like about it is the presentation of the human side of John Merrick. By the way, his name was actually Joseph, not John. It was the excessive calcium deposits that made his face appear disfigured. There's also a similar film, that's worth watching, called Mask with Eric Stoltz.

All in all, The Elephant Man is a fine picture.