The Elephant Man [DVD]

When I was a young child, while visiting the beautiful Canadian boundary waters of Northern Minnesota, we stayed at a lake resort that was a fishing village, rustic, and remote. These were some of the best times of my life. I had not yet seen this movie. These were the 1970's, and the movie had not yet been made. My parents became friendly with a lovely couple who were kind and soft-spoken, though, even as a child, I could sense sadness in them. I don't know how I knew that, but I did.Later one afternoon, I looked out to the field where a playpen and a swing set had been erected for the children of the camp. I asked Mama if I could go to play, and just as she was answering me, "Yes," my eyes met with the sight of a young girl swinging on swings. She was so pretty from a distance with her long black hair blowing in the wind that was being created by the sweeping back and forth movements of the swing. Suddenly, she stopped swinging, as if she knew that she was being watched. Her eyes met mine, and I could see that she was different.She was severely deformed facially, and her hands and feet were absolutely huge and swollen as if they had been inflated with air, and though I could not name the disease that afflicted her at the time, I have come to realize that she had the same disease that Mr. Merrick had. Somehow, I was not afraid, and I walked to the swing set to meet this angel, cruelly mangled and unfairly cheated in this life. She was gentle and smart and almost shocked that I wanted to play with her. She kept her head down and would not look up often, but when she did, I saw her smile. We spent hours playing and talking. She was the same as you and I, but she was burdened by the crippling of her ailment and crippled by the savagery that society had shown her.It was not long after that encounter that my mama told me this little girl's mother came to her in tears, almost bawling at times, telling Mama that NO ONE had ever wanted to play with her daughter, and that the little girl was so happy that she had made a friend. I was proud of that, but I hadn't needed to be because I deserved no special praise for treating another child as a friend, no matter what she looked like.Oddly, and perhaps ironically, we never spoke of her condition when we played. I don't think that that thought even occurred to me while I was with her. I just knew that she looked lonely, and the swings looked inviting, and it was a beautiful day in Northern Minnesota. We were both young and alive, sharing a summer afternoon under the warming sun.That was fifty years ago, and to this day, I often think of my friend and whatever became of her. Chances are, with her condition, she may not have lived very long. I was too young to know to ask for her address or phone number. I hope that she was happy and that she was no longer maligned and mistreated by this world that demands perfection and shuns exception. Life is beautiful and nature is cruel. There was nothing fair about her deformity ,or Mr. Merrick's. I have never understood suffering, but watching this film again, I can tell you that the little girl I met had the same gentleness and intelligence that John Merrick had.This film took me back to a moment that was meaningful in my life. It reminded me how we treat people and how life is unfair, but if you just take the time to care and be gentle, you can bring peace, and dare I say, love, to another suffering soul, because in the end, there but for the grace of God go we. We all carry scars and pain, but most of ours are hidden. Theirs were visible to the entire world--perhaps as a reminder to us all of the suffering of the human soul.My tiny friend was not ugly, and neither was Mr. Merrick. Ugliness was how the world treated them. That was ugly. As we watch this masterpiece of a film, made by a genius of a filmmaker and acted by the class and character of great thespians, may we all remember that, in the end, we are all alike, and we just want to be loved.I can tell you one thing: I love this film.

As I sit down to write this review, my experiences with it from my youth came flooding back. I first saw it as a 17 year old high-schooler at my local movie theater, late one evening. I had seen, and enjoyed, the Broadway play a few months earlier, and wanted to see how the movie compared. The play, I should say, was very moving and had a certain spareness in its production design that was very effective. I had left the theatre with a moist eye and an interest in learning more about John Merrick, The Elephant Man (who had neurofibromatosis, NOT elephantitis, as is so often attributed to him).Anyway, when the movie concluded, the ENTIRE audience of 150 or so sat in its seats, numbed and unmoving. It was one of those experiences where you fight back your tears, because you're worried if you let go, you'll start bawling like a baby! The film was so profoundly moving to me and so artistically brilliant, that I went again the very next day, dragging reluctant friends with me. They were all stunned. I watched it AGAIN later that week.I've watched it on video a couple of times years ago, but until I rewatched it recently on DVD, it had been nearly 10 years since I'd seen it.The story is set in the early turn-of-the-twentieth-century London. John Merrick (John Hurt) is, for lack of a better word, enslaved as a sideshow freak. He has the most hideous growths on his bones, which give him a frightening appearance. His head is probably three times bigger than a normal human, and the shape resembles a lumpy dirigible. His limbs are mostly tangled messes. Noted physician Dr. Treves (Anthony Hopkins) hears of this "elephant man" and is fascinated so greatly by his condition that he brings him to his hospital for study. Everyone has always assumed this man must be a mute "idiot." Turns out that Merrick is a gentle, thoughtful and almost unbearably forgiving soul. The relationship that emerges between Treves and Merrick, as well as with Merrick and virtually everyone he encounters, is at the heart of this film.(Note of caution: The movie does not follow John Merrick's life terribly accurately...neither did the play. When I read the biography of Merrick that his doctor, Treves, wrote, I got his "true" story, which is just as moving in its own way.)David Lynch, we all know, is a "difficult" director, at least when it comes to narrative continuity. This movie, however, is his most accessible (along with THE STRAIGHT STORY, which doesn't even feel like a Lynch movie). It tells a straightforward story...no dancing dwarfs, no little people behind radiators, no Wizard of Oz references, etc. etc. No Laura Palmer. However, the touches he brings to it are pure Lynch, and they serve the movie profoundly.For example, the movie takes place in the midst of the early Industrial Revolution, when science was becoming more "popular" or "glorified" by the masses. It was also a time when London was awash in factories, and all the noise and pollution they wrought. If you've seen ERASERHEAD or DUNE, you know that Lynch likes to have lots of background noises of machinery. Often, those sounds are distracting. In ELEPHANT MAN, we are constantly aware, through these sounds, that we are in a very specific time and place, where the lifeblood of society was machinery, but big, dirty, unsubtle, dangerous machinery. This, coupled with the glorious black and white cinematography, truly create a mood that is unequaled.Also, there are some brief dream sequences in which Merrick sees his mother. She flits in and out of his dreams in a manner only Lynch can evoke. No one has ever been better at capturing on film the elusive nature of dreaming...that dreams are a crazy combination of good things and bad things happening all at once. These dreams are not a "device" but a window into Merrick's soul.Those of us who remember when the film first came out remember the constant rehashing of the "I am not an animal, I am a human being, I am a MAN!!" line that Merrick yells out when cornered in a train station. This howl of despair is one of the most gripping moments EVER put to film. I tear-up just thinking about it.The makeup is incredible. Having seen photos of the real Merrick, I can state that the makeup crew got it right! And the black and white helps to mask any imperfections. And underneath the makeup......is John Hurt, a fabulous actor in the role of his lifetime. He brings a delicacy and gentleness to the part that has to bee seen to be believed. I guarantee you'll be moved.Hurt is ably assisted by Anthony Hopkins in a role which calls for restraint, and he delivers, which is unusual for Hopkins, who can overact at the drop of a hat...I love him, but sometimes he can overdo it, you must admit. The rest of the cast is full of familiar British character actors, as well as a brief but incandescent appearance by Anne Bancroft. Everyone is at their very best.Initially, the film snags the viewer because of our fascination at seeing a human being so horrifically monstrous. It holds a lurid fascination that fades into compassion and empathy. If a person as horribly mistreated by his fellow man, as well as by fate, can find beauty, forgiveness, tenderness and love flowing from him and to him...well, the film leaves you to draw your own personal conclusions.I know that Lynch receives more ongoing accolades for his disturbing BLUE VELVET, and of course, for the groundbreaking TWIN PEAKS...but THE ELEPHANT MAN is the one I'm always drawn back to.I simply cannot recommend this film highly enough. Moviemaking doesn't get any more heartbreaking and effective than this masterpiece.

Personal viewing only. I appreciate the struggle Anthony Hopkins has with his feelings and motives for caring for "The Elephant Man".

Want to teach your child/grandchild about empathy? Have them sit down with you to watch. Some critics said the Director, David Lynch, added too many sympathetic scenes. I believe they were needed embellished to engulf the viewer with John Merricks' tragic life.

Excellent ratio qualité/prix!

un grand classique tellement sensible qu'on ne peux qu'avoir la larme à l'oeil , édition bluray évidemment superbe qualité d'image , très content de mon achat !!!

Dirigida por David Lynch y lanzada originalmente en 1980, "El Hombre Elefante" nos cuenta la historia de Joseph Carey Merrick (John Merrick en el filme), y quien tuvo una vida muy difícil debido a las terribles deformidades que padecía a causa de una rara enfermedad (hoy conocida como síndrome de Proteo), y que le orillaron a ganarse la vida como fenómeno de circo bajo el apelativo que da título al filme.Su vida cambió radicalmente gracias a un joven médico llamado Frederick Treves, quien le ayuda a conseguir asilo en el Hospital Real de Londres al descubrir en él a un hombre con una inteligencia superior a la media de aquella época (sabía leer y escribir, y tenía una sensibilidad artística y creativa), y gracias a ello, pudo ahí vivir sus últimos años con la dignidad que se merecía.La película fue filmada en un magistral blanco y negro, gracias a la preciosa fotografía de Freddie Francis (no color stock b&w, ¡se uso verdadero blanco y negro! Lo que le da una atmósfera única, que incluso ha llevado a mucha gente a pensar que fue filmada en los años 40). Fue nominada para ocho premios de la academia, incluyendo mejor director, mejor película y mejor actor. Tristemente no se llevo ninguno, pero logro que se creara la categoría de mejor maquillaje al año siguiente, gracias al excelente trabajo de Christopher Tucker.Pues bien, pasemos a revisar ésta edición en DVD de parte de Universal México.El transfer de video es muy superior al de la versión lanzada por Paramount en el año 2000/2001 (al parecer, es el mismo transfer de la edición del DVD francés que salió posterior a la edición de USA). La imágen es mucho más nítida y brillante. Está en formato de pantalla 2.35:1, lo que es de agradecer. En cuanto al sonido, lamentablemente, sólo cuenta con sonido estéreo 2.0 (la versión de Paramount si contaba con mezcla de audio 5.1).Otro punto a su favor, son los extras incluídos en esta versión, ya que son diferentes al resto de las versiones mencionadas. Primero, se incluye un documental llamado "El Verdadero Hombre Elefante", en el cuál, el curador del Museo del Hospital Real de Londres, nos da detalles acerca de la figura histórica del personaje. Se incluyen también una galería de fotos y el tráiler original europeo (distribuida originalmente por EMI Video). Así como también, está versión si incluye la opción de selección de escenas (algo muy práctico, ya que en la versión de Paramount, no existe tal opción). Tanto la película como los extras, tienen la opción de subtítulos en español latino.Hay varias versiones en DVD y Blu-Ray actualmente, y está edición nacional es de lo mejor (aún no veo las versiones de Zima Entertainment, pero siempre dejan mucho que desear en la mayoría de sus transfers; aún así la voy a comprar para compararlas y añadirla a mi colección). Aún así espero conseguir la edición especial francesa en Blu-Ray que según tengo entendido, es la mejor versión disponible actualmente en el mercado.¡¡¡Yo le doy sin dudarlo 5 estrellas de calificación!!! Tanto por la calidad del filme, como a la edición del DVD.Recomiendo su compra a todo cinéfilo que se precie de serlo, a todos los fans de David Lynch y a quienes admiren la figura de Joseph Carey Merrick. ¡¡¡100 % recomendable!!!

Die Geschichte des "Elephant Man's" ist die eines Menschen, Joseph "John" Merrick. Er lebte in viktorianischen England und wurde wegen seines Aussehens als Elefantenmensch genannt.Der Film hält sich ziemlich genau an die Fakten. Es existiert ein Bild des "echten" John Merrick, das ein Jahr vor seinem Tod gemacht wurde. John Merrick wurde 1868 geboren, in den zweiten Lebensjahr wurde sein Kopf immer größer, der Körper sehr deformiert. Nur der linke Arm blieb beweglich. Man weiß, dass er auf Jahrmarkten gezeigt wurde. Dort sah ihn der Chirurg Frederick Treves, holte ihn ins Krankenhaus und versuchte ihm das Leben etwas zu erleichtern. Er fand aus, dass Merrick durchaus intellegent war, zwar etwas kindlich und naiv. Zwischen den beiden entwickelte sich eine "Freundschaft", die bis Merrick's Tod dauerte. Er starb mit 22 Jahren (1890) vermutlich wegen eines Herzinfarktes. Er wurde liegend im Bett gefunden, was für einen Freitod sprechen könnte. Er konnte nämlich wegen der starken Verformungen des Rückens nicht normal schlafen. Wegen seines Kopfes bestand die Gefahr einer Asphyxie. Die Untersuchungen, die wir heute kennen, weisen auf ein Proteus Sindrom, dazu kam noch Mb. von Recklinghausen, genetische, unheilbare Krankheten. Noch heute. Mb. Proteus wurde erst 1979 bekannt (Wikipedia).Soviel zu der Geschichte.Einer wollte sie verfilmen, und zwar der damals noch weitgehend unbekannte Reisseur David Lynch. Er hatte mit Eraserhead (1977) einen beachtilichen Erfolg gehabt, doch der Film war nur für das bestimmte Publikum interessant.1980 mit 34 Jahren hatte er die Idee zum Film The Elephant Man soweit, dass er Produzenten suchte. Nach einigem Suchen fand er Mel Brooks, der dann noch zwei "Investoren" begeistern konnte. Auch die Schauspieler/innen ließen sich auf ein sehr schweres Projekt.Lynch drehte den Film in London, wo er das "Viktorianische" bis ins kleinste Detail durchdacht hat.Was bewegt die Menschen, dass wir das Ungewöhnliche sehen wollen? Damals wie heute? Warum besucht man einen Jahrmarkt? Um etwas zu erleben, dass man dann zuhause bei Licht und Wärme weiter erzählen kann? Wenn die Aussicht auf einen Elefantenmenschen besteht, geht Alt und Jung dorthin.Wer vermutet schon, dass hinter entstellten großen Kopf ein Gehirn ist, das denken kann, wer sieht hinter dem entstellten Körper ein Herz, dass lieben vermag? Die Vorstellung, das man ein Monster sieht, halb Mensch, halb Tier, ist viel mehr real. Was wir nicht kennen, das bennen wir mit exotischen Namen, nehmen den "Kreaturen" jegliche Möglichkeit sich zu wehren.Aber, war der Arzt so viel besser, als er zwar John half in einem Zimmer im Krankenhaus zu wohnen, dann aber erlaubte er, dass ihn die hohe Gesellschaft besuchte? Die mit ihm "schön" sprach, ihn sehen wollte, weil das modern und menschlich war. Nur die Mothershead (die leitende Krankenschwester) fand die rechten Worte. Sie sagte dem Arzt geradeaus, dass er John mit solchen Besuchen nicht helfe.Es musste etwas passieren, damit auch der Arzt in John einen ebenbürtigen Menschen sehen konnte. Im Film wird das durch John's Entführung gezeigt, sein alter "Herr" hatte ihn nach Frankreich gebracht um ihn wieder als Monster zu zeigen. Erst nach der Flucht (ihm halfen die Zirkusleute, alle mit irgendeinem "Makel") sieh der Arzt DEN MENSCHEN in ihm.John Hurt spielte die Rolle perfekt, hinter der schweren Maske konnte er Gefühle zeigen. Anthony Hopkins als dr. Frederick Treves glänzt in der Rolle eines Arztes, der zuerst mehr aus Neugier dem Elefantenmenschen half.Die Frauen waren es, die am besten mit ihm kommunziert haben. Mrs. Madge Kendall, eine Schauspielerin, sprach mit John normal, sie ekelte sich nicht. In der Rolle überzeugte Anne Bancroft (die Ehefrau von Mel Brooks). Auch die anderen Schauspieler sind Créme de la Créme, von John Gielgud, der den Krankenhausdirektor Francis Carr-Gomm spielte, bis Wendy Miller, die schon erwähnte Krankenschwester verkörperte.Der Film lässt keinen kalt. Als ich ihn zum ersten Mal sah, dachte ich, da hat sich einer EINE wirklich grosse Arbeit angetan. Auch ich war, wie die Menschen damals, fasziniert von John Merrick, habe mich am Beginn sogar gefürchtet. Die schwarz-weiße Bilder haben bei mir die Gefühle noch verstärkt. Das wollte Lynch auch.Nach Jahren und jetzt wieder kann ich im Film hinter Kulissen sehen. Jetzt sehe ich vom Beginn an John Merrick als einen kranken Menschen, dessen Körper zwar entstellt war, die Seele, das Herz..., alles andere aber rein, rein wie die Bilder eines Raffael's. Man muß nur lange genug hinter der Maske schauen, dann sieht man die Augen, in denen sich die Sterne, das Himmel, die Unendlichkeit verstecken und nur warten, dass man sie findet. Dann, ganz hinten findet man etwas sehr kostbares: DIE LIEBE ohne Einschränkungen, DIE LIEBE, die alles verzeiht, die alles zulässt, DIE LIEBE, die manche auch GOTT nennen.Ein wirklich guter Film eines sehr sehr speziellen Regisseurs, dem NICHTS Menschliches fremd ist.Homo sum, humani nihil a me alienum puto (Terenz).

Una pelicula muy entretenida en todo momento, bien actuada, muy recomendable