L'Homme éléphant

A humanistic journey into the soul of a man who looks like a monster but is beautiful on the inside, The Elephant Man features masterful work with the camera and lighting, as well as extraordinary acting performances. The director’s take on his subject matter is so sensitive that it seems as if he has fallen to his knees before it. A filmmaking event with one of the most beautiful endings ever seen on the screen. (2009-02-17)

This Lynch picture tells us a lot about people. And it’s not all nice. In terms of film craftsmanship, this is precise work where the director doesn’t stray for an instant from the planned storyline and achieves absolutely engrossing atmospheres by working with light and the camera. The acting performances, primarily the hypnotized Anthony Hopkins, just go to underpin the perfection of this biographic drama. (2011-10-02)

The breathtaking story of a man who, despite his intimidating exterior, was a much better and more genuine person(!) than many other "healthy" people. Eight Academy Award nominations is a strong number and it's a great shame that none of the nominations resulted in an award. For me, The Elephant Man has proven itself as a quality story, it has a plot that makes sense, and is fully comprehensible, unlike other films by David Lynch. The whole film is accompanied by a wonderful score, especially the opening and closing sequences. Shooting the film in black and white was a really smart move, as it managed to draw me deeper into the plot and made everything seem more believable and depressing. Last but not least, I have to mention the amazing acting performances by John Hurt, Anthony Hopkins and Anne Bancroft. In short, a film that is at once a stellar acting tour de force and a technically proficient achievement that should surely have raked in the Oscar for make-up, which unfortunately wouldn’t be awarded until a year later. (2010-10-30)

David Lynch always focused on emotional manipulation with the viewer and enjoyed pulling at their heartstrings. However, betting on sentimentality was not usually part of his tried and true directing style, and The Elephant Man represents a departure from that. In this case, Lynch overwhelms the viewer with sentiment and purposely counts on the audience's sympathy toward his protagonist. Unfortunately, the story is somewhat simplistic for my taste, and Lynch's approach feels too shallow and predictable. The truths he aims to reveal are simply too obvious and do not present any dilemmas or tricky choices for me. Nonetheless, the film remains a quality work with excellent performances from the actors, especially Anthony Hopkins, who demonstrates why he has been at the top of his craft for decades, not only on the British Isles but also in world cinema. Additionally, the atmosphere of Victorian England deserves recognition. Despite all of this, I truly do not see it as deserving of four stars. After all, such a highly acclaimed film does not require my approval. Overall impression: 65%. (2014-04-05)

The suggestive and oppressive atmosphere of a hostile city as a contrast to the soul of an internally beautiful person. Lynch occasionally goes beyond the discomfort of the audience in terms of human monstrosity and allows the defenseless individual to suffer too often, but in the end, it gets to me. Mainly because the final Adagio for strings is among the most melancholic scenes I have ever seen. (2006-01-08)