The Elephant Man

The Elephant Man

When David Lynch made his debut with the extremely experimental and utterly unconventional Eraserhead, few could have foreseen that the same director would reach and win over broader audiences with his second feature, even making it all the way to the Oscars. The Elephant Man, with its charismatic cast (featuring Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt, Anne Bancroft, and Wendy Hiller) and its immersive black-and-white cinematography by the great Freddie Francis, garnered eight Oscar nominations (also prompting the Academy to introduce an Oscar for Best Makeup the following year) and went on to triumph at the BAFTAs and win a César Award for Best Foreign Film. Drawing inspiration from the incredible true story of Joseph Merrick, David Lynch presents a tale marked by compassion and the acceptance of difference, reminding us all that there is nothing more monstrous than a (high) society that enjoys freak shows without shame, yet never plucks up the courage to look at its own inner monsters in the mirror.
Screening Schedule

No physical screenings scheduled.

Direction: David Lynch
Script: Christopher De Vore, Eric Bergren, David Lynch
Cinematography: Freddie Francis
Editing: Anne V. Coates
Sound: Alan Splet, David Lynch
Music: John Morris
Actors: Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt, Anne Bancroft, John Gielgud, Wendy Hiller, Freddie Jones, Michael Elphick, Hannah Gordon, Helen Ryan, John Standing, Dexter Fletcher, Lesley Dunlop, Phoebe Nicholls
Production: Brooksfilms
Producers: Jonathan Sanger
Costumes: Patricia Norris
Production Design: Stuart Craig
Format: DCP
Color: B/W
Production Country: USA, UK
Production Year: 1980
Duration: 125'
Contact: Tamasa Distribution
Awards/Distinctions: Best Film, Best Actor, Best Production Design – BAFTA 1981, Grand Prize – Avoriaz FFF 1981, Best Foreign Film – César Awards 1982, Best Foreign Film – French Syndicate of Cinema Critics 1982, Best Cinematography – British Society of Cinematographers 1980

David Lynch

David Keith Lynch (1946) is an American filmmaker, visual artist, musician, and actor. Lynch has received critical acclaim for his films, which are often distinguished by their surrealist qualities. He has received numerous accolades, including the Golden Lion in 2006 and an Honorary Academy Award in 2019. In 2007, a panel of critics convened by The Guardian announced that “after all the discussion, no one could fault the conclusion that David Lynch is the most important filmmaker of the current era.”

Filmography

1978 Eraserhead
1980 The Elephant Man
1984 Dune
1986 Blue Velvet
1990 Wild At Heart
1997 Lost Highway
1999 The Straight Story
2001 Mulholland Drive
2006 Inland Empire