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The Elephant Man
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The Elephant Man (1980) More at IMDbPro »

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The Elephant Man (1980) -- Based on a true story, the film examines the complex emotional experiences faced by John Merrick, "The Elephant Man" (John Hurt), when he is discovered by a dedicated surgeon (Anthony Hopkins).
The Elephant Man (1980) -- MyMovieScripts.com - Trailer (Flash)
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Overview

User Rating:
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 2% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
David Lynch
Writers:
Christopher De Vore (screenplay) &
Eric Bergren (screenplay) ...
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Elephant Man on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
10 October 1980 (USA) more
Genre:
Biography | Drama | History more
Tagline:
I am not an animal! I am a human being! I...am...a man!
Plot:
A Victorian surgeon rescues a heavily disfigured man who is mistreated while scraping a living as a side-show freak. Behind his monstrous facade, there is revealed a person of intelligence and sensitivity. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Nominated for 8 Oscars. Another 8 wins & 13 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(24 articles)
Danny Arroyo on new film Repo Chick and his passion for superheroes
 (From The Geek Files. 23 November 2009, 12:47 PM, PST)
The second outing of John Hurt
 (From The Guardian - TV News. 20 November 2009, 4:11 PM, PST)
User Comments:
i'm speechless more (264 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Anthony Hopkins ... Frederick Treves

John Hurt ... John Merrick

Anne Bancroft ... Mrs. Kendal

John Gielgud ... Carr Gomm
Wendy Hiller ... Mothershead
Freddie Jones ... Bytes
Michael Elphick ... Night Porter
Hannah Gordon ... Mrs. Treves
Helen Ryan ... Princess Alex
John Standing ... Fox

Dexter Fletcher ... Bytes' Boy
Lesley Dunlop ... Nora
Phoebe Nicholls ... Merrick's Mother
Pat Gorman ... Fairground Bobby
Claire Davenport ... Fat Lady
Orla Pederson ... Skeleton Man
Patsy Smart ... Distraught Woman
Frederick Treves ... Alderman
Stromboli ... Fire Eater
Richard Hunter ... Hodges
James Cormack ... Pierce
Robert Lewis Bush ... Messenger (as Robert Bush)
Roy Evans ... Cabman
Joan Rhodes ... Cook
Nula Conwell ... Nurse Kathleen
Tony London ... Young Porter
Alfie Curtis ... Milkman
Bernadette Milnes ... 1st Fighting Woman
Brenda Kempner ... 2nd Fighting Woman
Carol Harrison ... Tart (as Carole Harrison)
Hugh Manning ... Broadneck
Dennis Burgess ... 1st Committee Man
Fanny Carby ... Mrs. Kendal's Dresser

William Morgan Sheppard ... Man In Pub (as Morgan Sheppard)
Kathleen Byron ... Lady Waddington
Gerald Case ... Lord Waddington
David Ryall ... Man With Whores
Deirdre Costello ... 1st Whore
Pauline Quirke ... 2nd Whore
Kenny Baker ... Plumed Dwarf
Chris Greener ... Giant
Marcus Powell ... Midget
Gilda Cohen ... Midget
Lesley Scoble ... Siamese Twin (as Lisa Scoble)
Teri Scoble ... Siamese Twin
Eiji Kusuhara ... Japanese Bleeder
Robert Day ... Little Jim
Patricia Hodge ... Screaming Mum
Tommy Wright ... First Bobby
Peter Davidson ... Second Bobby
John Rapley ... King In Panto
Hugh Spight ... Puss In Panto
Teresa Codling ... Princess In Panto
Marion Betzold ... Principal Boy
Caroline Haigh ... Tree
Florenzio Morgado ... Tree
Victor Kravchenko ... Lion / Coachman
Beryl Hicks ... Fairy
Michele Amas ... Horse
Lucie Alford ... Horse
Penny Wright ... Horse
Janie Kells ... Horse
Lydia Lisle ... Merrick's Mother
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Eric Bergren ... Lyra Box Player #1 (uncredited)

Adam Caine ... Kid at Train Station (uncredited)
Christopher De Vore ... Lyra Box Player #2 (uncredited)
Harry Fielder ... Police man (uncredited)
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Directed by
David Lynch 
 
Writing credits
Christopher De Vore (screenplay) &
Eric Bergren (screenplay) &
David Lynch (screenplay)

Sir Frederick Treves  book "The Elephant Man and Other Reminiscences" and
Ashley Montagu  book "The Elephant Man: A Study in Human Dignity"

Produced by
Stuart Cornfeld .... executive producer
Jonathan Sanger .... producer
Mel Brooks .... executive producer (uncredited)
 
Original Music by
John Morris 
 
Cinematography by
Freddie Francis (director of photography)
 
Film Editing by
Anne V. Coates 
 
Casting by
Maggie Cartier 
 
Production Design by
Stuart Craig 
 
Art Direction by
Robert Cartwright  (as Bob Cartwright)
 
Set Decoration by
Hugh Scaife 
 
Costume Design by
Patricia Norris 
 
Makeup Department
Paula Gillespie .... hairdressing
Stephanie Kaye .... hairdressing
Beryl Lerman .... makeup artist
Michael Morris .... makeup artist
Wally Schneiderman .... makeup application: 'Elephant Man'
Wally Schneiderman .... makeup supervisor
Christopher Tucker .... makeup creator: 'Elephant Man'
Christopher Tucker .... makeup designer: 'Elephant Man'
 
Production Management
Terence A. Clegg .... executive in charge of production
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gerry Gavigan .... second assistant director
Anthony Waye .... assistant director
 
Art Department
Reg Richards .... construction manager
Terry Wells .... property master
John Roberts .... set designer (uncredited)
Adrian Start .... chargehand painter (uncredited)
 
Sound Department
Robin Gregory .... sound mixer
Peter Horrocks .... sound editor
John Iles .... engineer: Dolby
David Lynch .... sound designer
Alan Splet .... sound designer
Alan Splet .... special sound effects
Doug E. Turner .... dubbing mixer (as Doug Turner)
Terry Sharratt .... boom operator (uncredited)
 
Special Effects by
Graham Longhurst .... special effects
Neil Corbould .... special effects (uncredited)
Paul Corbould .... special effects (uncredited)
Martin Gutteridge .... special effects supervisor (uncredited)
Garth Inns .... special effects (uncredited)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Frank Connor .... still photographer
Jim Dawes .... dolly grip
Jerry Dunkley .... camera operator
Roy Larner .... gaffer
Wick Finch .... electrician (uncredited)
John Matthews .... best boy (uncredited)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Tiny Nicholls .... wardrobe supervisor
 
Editorial Department
Patrick Moore .... assistant editor
 
Music Department
Jack Hayes .... orchestrator
John Morris .... conductor
 
Transportation Department
Brian Hathaway .... transportation
Gerry Turner .... transportation
 
Other crew
Randy Auerbach .... researcher
Ceri Evans .... continuity
Graham Ford .... location manager
Loretta Ordewer .... production secretary
John Trehy .... production accountant
Ellen Adolph .... manager of production accounting (uncredited)
 
Crew verified as complete


Production CompaniesDistributorsSpecial EffectsOther Companies
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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
124 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Black and White
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby
Certification:
Portugal:M/12 | Iceland:LH | Italy:VM14 | Spain:T | USA:PG (Approved No.26063) | Denmark:11 | Israel:PG | Netherlands:12 | South Africa:PG | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Brazil:10 | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A | Finland:K-16 | Ireland:12 | Norway:16 (original rating) | Singapore:PG | South Korea:15 | Sweden:15 | UK:AA (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) | West Germany:12
Filming Locations:
Broadgate, London, England, UK more
Company:
Brooksfilms more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
When the nominees for the 53rd Annual Academy Awards were announced in February 1981, many in the industry were appalled that this movie was not going to be honored for its make-up effects. At the time there was not regular category and winners for make-up were cited with a special award. Feeling that the make-up technicians deserved to be rewarded for the film, a letter of protest was sent to the Academy's Board of Governors to ask them to change their minds and give the film a special award. The Academy refused, but in response to the outcry, they decided a year later to reward make-up artists with their own annual category, and thus the best make-up award was born. more
Goofs:
Continuity: In nearly every scene, John Hurt's make-up changes in some way. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Skeleton Man: Get rid of them! I don't want to see them!
Fat Lady: Darling, don't be difficult! Let's take our sweet lovely children on an outing.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps: My Delicious Guava (#4.3)" (2004) more
Soundtrack:
Adagio For Strings more

FAQ

Is this film based on any particular account of the life of Joseph Merrick?
A NOTE REGARDING SPOILERS
How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?
more

User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
161 out of 181 people found the following comment useful.
i'm speechless, 14 August 2002
10/10
Author: ofurkusa (ofurkusa@hotmail.com) from Reykjavík, Iceland

I just watched this movie last night and i must say... it touched me in a way no other movie has... some of the scenes even brought me to tears, which has never happened to me before.... John Hurt and Anthony Hopkins are simple incredible, and this movie is just filled with unforgettable scenes....

but like some people have mentioned here before, it is an incredibly hard movie to watch, especially after you realize what a sweet, kind, smart and innocent man John Merrick was, it is often painful to watch the way he's treated by some people, and like Hopkins says after he sees him for the first time "I pray to god that he's an idiot", sadly, he is everything but that...

10/10, no question

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Could he have sex in nowadays? shescheating
Why is it b+w if it's from the 80's? lady-dinobug
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What is the line between exploitation and non-exploitation film? magiclove
Ending Song from Platoon!?!? boxster8
The Elephant Man VS Edward Scissorhands maxmal86
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