The Elephant Man (David Lynch Retrospective)

In late 19th century London, surgeon Frederick Treves discovers John Merrick, a deformed man suffering from abuse as an attraction at a local freak show. Impressed by John’s intelligence and kindness, Frederick brings John into his hospital and develops a bond with him. John eventually becomes a celebrity among members of high society, but there are also others who fear him and see him as a freak. After Eraserhead used human deformity as an object of horror, Lynch makes a surprising shift to the other end of the spectrum, capturing Merrick and Treve’s extraordinary story with compassion and relative restraint. The black-and-white drama – nominated for eight Academy Awards – is buoyed by amazing performances by Anthony Hopkins and especially John Hurt, who endured eight hours of makeup every day during production to become John Merrick.