This was recommended to me by Dirk Hasselman and man...wow.

Going into this, I knew very little about it. I didn't even know it was directed by David Lynch, which as odd as it may sound this could very well be his most accesible film. All I knew was that it was about some man who looked like an elephant, or was an elephant; I wasn't sure going in. In either case, I went in with no expectations. Coming out, it's one of the best films I've ever seen.

The story basically asks the question: What does it mean to be beautiful? Is beauty internal or external? If it's external then is there a way for us to look at…

The Elephant Man, much like The Straight Story, is a film that may initially seem at odds with David Lynch’s other work. Yet whilst it is undoubtedly one of his most moving and compassionate pieces of cinema there are still traces of the themes that he would explore in greater detail later in his career. By illuminating great humanity it casts a shadow over the darker aspects of society, the seedier side of show business (swapping Hollywood for the small scale carnivals and freak shows of London) and retaining Lynch’s surrealist and often nightmarish flourishes.

The film features two actors at the peak of their careers as well as a who’s who of supporting players from Anne Bancroft to John…

It shouldn't come as a surprise that people can be really cruel, especially in such a difficult time/place as 19th century London. Therefore, David Lynch brings this story to life in a pretty straightforward way, showing all of the ways Merrick was mistreated and debased throughout his short and painful life. John Merrick was born with a number of physical deformities that earned him the nickname "The Elephant Man" and even though he physically had the ability to speak, no one bothered to help him use his voice. When Dr. Treves pays his caretaker to bring Merrick to his hospital, he assumes that he is an imbecile and almost writes him off. Slowly he starts to come around to the…

The Elephant Man. A freak of nature; a monstrous creature exploited for shock value, circus entertainment and monetary gain to feed anyone's lust but his own. John Merrick truly lived an unimaginably horrible life. One so abhorrent, the thought of it alone provokes a sickening sense of dread. It is at times hard to accept the whole truth of man's inhumanity to man, but the story of the elephant man is forever a frightening testament to just that. How incredible then that David Lynch should take a story - and a main character - so unequivocally ugly and use it to create an extraordinary parable of beauty.

John Hurt is astounding in the lead role, even under make-up which reportedly…

A tragic and sincere biopic of a man shunned by society because of his disfigurement. A young doctor (Anthony Hopkins) rescues him from the circus life and finds him a home in the hospital. This is a unique character study while also being a commentary on the different sides of humanity.

This is a lot less strange than "Eraserhead", it's more cohesive, it's more realistic and to me it's much better. This is still experimental with surreal or strange elements appearing every once and a while but it doesn't go all out with it. It manages to have a perfectly straight forward story while being slightly experimental. I enjoyed "Eraserhead" but I prefer when films don't sacrifice a narrative while…

The Elephant Man. A freak of nature; a monstrous creature exploited for shock value, circus entertainment and monetary gain to feed anyone's lust but his own. John Merrick truly lived an unimaginably horrible life. One so abhorrent, the thought of it alone provokes a sickening sense of dread. It is at times hard to accept the whole truth of man's inhumanity to man, but the story of the elephant man is forever a frightening testament to just that. How incredible then that David Lynch should take a story - and a main character - so unequivocally ugly and use it to create an extraordinary parable of beauty.

John Hurt is astounding in the lead role, even under make-up which reportedly…