The Elephant Man (1980) First Time Watching! Movie Reaction!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 14 ก.ค. 2024
- The Elephant Man (1980)
I AM NOT AN ELEPHANT! I AM NOT AN ANIMAL! I AM... A HUMAN BEING!
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00:00 Intro
02:51 Reaction
30:56 Outro & Discussion
45:29 THANK YOU!
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This video is for commentary and criticism only and is not a replacement for watching The Elephant Man
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Fun Fact: The film industry heavily criticized the Oscars for not recognizing the makeup effects in this film, which prompted them to create the Best Makeup and Hairstyling category.
Also, John Hurt said in an interview about this film: "If you got to the end without being moved, I don't think I'd want to know you."
also he was ollivander from the wand shop in harry potter
Rocky Dennis
@AmjadAliSyd .... and a lot of other things, bruh
@@godzillaprime sure
Typical Oscars really, this and Raging Bull were up for best film that year. What won? Ordinary People, a film almost no one watches these days.
God, I can't express how much I love people reacting not relying on polls alone, so many great movies are being overlooked because people are going down the lowest common denominator lists.
Indeed, it's ridiculous how narrow the range of movies is that are being covered by most reactors, and how many timeless classics are being overlooked.
YES! I always bypass the “in” films & TV shows (we all know the ones) that “first time watching” channels watch.
As sad as the end is I always think it's beautiful that he goes out on his own terms. It's a decision he makes and makes alone, finally taking control of a life that has been in the control of other people up until then.
The tiny man who helps John escape was Kenny Baker. A british actor who was also R2D2 in most of the Star Wars movies.
And Fidget in Time Bandits
@@vincegamer I named my first dog Fidget after that character
"I AM NOT AN ANIMAL! I AM A HUMAN BEING! I am a man."
John Merrick.
Joseph Merrick. It is a common misconception that his name is John. I have known his name since I was a small child. Having NF1, It was part of the literature that I read about my disorder.
It wasn't until much later that I learned his name is actually Joseph and not John
Actually the line he said is, I am not an elephant I'm a human being
It is amazing, they made him look EXACTLY like Joseph Merrick actually looked.
@anthonydelossantos7576 thanks 🤭
I believe they made a real life mask of him when he died?
Didn't the makeup artist cast from the real, original JM cast. It's a superb makeup.
Yes, the original skeleton is preserved in a museum where I work.
@@nevrogers8198 Yeah... I'm not a believer but it's disgusting how he still can't rest in peace today... That poor guy, this "human being", is one of the most unlucky kid on this planet... It's so sad.
I am so glad you reviewed this movie. I think it’s one of the best movies about humanity.
The actor who plays John Merrick, the amazing John Hurt, is an acclaimed British actor, and since you both saw “Alien”, you will remember him as Kane, the crew member who had the baby alien burst out of his chest. (Rest in Peace, John). SO happy you are reacting to The Elephant Man! Just such a fantastic film and one of my all time favorites. Great pick! 👍😎
Ash was the android, John was crew member Kane :)
@@honovy4393oh crud, I messed up! Thanks!
but hasn't hurt passed away⚛😀
@@FrankOdonnell-ej3hdYes, he passed away in 2017. ❤ That’s why I said Rest in Peace in my comment.
HURT has a nice famous ancillary role in CONTACT, "WAN'NA TAKE A RIDE?" . . . He's also the lead in the movie1984, which was a major disappointment, not because of his wonderful acting.
For the record. Princess Alexandra was the Princess Dianna of her day. The British public loved her for her generosity and noble causes.
I know this one made the schedule because of a Patreon draw, but I'll forever be a proponent of seeing smaller, more thoughtful films like this one on the channel (and in youtube reactions in general).
The algorithm certainly favors the monoculture, but it's so refreshing to indulge in film from all sources.
Their chanel is one of the very few on youtube, that does reactions to non-mainstream movies.
Very well said!
The movie "Mask" (1985) with Cher, Eric Stoltz and Sam Elliot is another great movie like this worth a watch/review.
@@Leigh-ik7hvugh, you know that’s a film that came 9 years later with Jim Carrey, right?
I've been asking reactors to watch that movie for over a year.
@@butkusfan23 Ugh, you must of been living in a cave until a week ago to say that shit!
@@Leigh-ik7hvTsk tsk.....NOT the Mask.....but MASK, with Eric Stoltz.
And YES!!! Mask is a must see movie after this one.
Mask was wonderful! Cher gave an Oscar worthy performance!
This movie is amazing to me. Having worked as a nurse I've seen my share of those whom need love and care more than physical needs. However Jon needed both but asked for less. My heart breaks every time I watch it. But I believe it is a must see so others may gather knowledge of how NOT to treat people and how to treat people with special care. Thank you both for your heart warming points of view.
Some of it was created for the movie though. He was never beaten by the freak show owner or kept in a stable, he lived in an apartment in the basement with his own terrace and not one room in the attic, he regularly stayed at the countryside home of one of the doctors friends and swapped poetry with her, the scene at the railway station never happened, the night porter who rapes the woman in the hospital bed didn't exist, John had an uncle who he was in regular contact with. There is a detailed book about him.
In my opinion you two are the best reaction channel on TH-cam so I appreciate that you make some time for the lesser known/artsy/classic films that many other reactors would probably ignore. Makes we feel you two have a real interest in film and not just clicks. Keep up the good work.
Two trivia facts of this movie.
Jonathan Demme, director of "Silence of the lambs", choose specifically Anthony Hopkins for the part of Hannibal Lecter because of this movie. He was impressed by the sweetness of the doctor that Hopkins played here, and had the idea that he could play now a completely opposite kind of medic.
The other fact is that one of the producers of this movie was Mel Brooks, but his name isn't in the credits because he didn't want that general audiences tought the movie was a comedy or something funny, as many others of his productions.
Truly a great movie
Yes. And Mel Brooks also produced The Fly. Though more horror obviously, both films share protagonists who are (pitiably) disfigured.
I believe the name of the production company, "Brooksfilms", does appear, but I suppose most wouldn't realise the connection with Mel Brooks.
Curiously, Jeff Goldblum, star of "The Fly", also played The Elephant Man. Or at least, he was in the comedy "The Tall Guy", where he played an actor who eventually got to star in a musical version of The Elephant Man. 😊
@@Yngvarfo - Haha, "The Tall Guy" is such an unknown gem of a film. That Elephant Man musical was hilarious, and the sex scene between Jeff and Emma Thompson is maybe the funniest sex scene in a film.
@@Yngvarfo _Elephant!_ . Gods, I'd forgotten about that. One of the most painfully funny movies I've ever seen.
I was a kid when I saw this movie, and I weeped through the entire thing.
Mel Brooks produced this and he pretty much gave David Lynch his career by hiring him to direct. Lynch's only feature length film at the time was Eraserhead - which at the time Stanley Kubrick was screening for the cast and crew of The Shining to set the mood for filming - and the success from The Elephant Man probably helped a lot for him in squeaking by the disaster that Dune turned out to be (critically and commercially; its not a bad movie) to solidify his name with Blue Velvet. I love his abstract ethereal style and he brought just enough of that to The Elephant Man to make it unique without losing too much of a mainstream audience; something he decided to not bother with for quite a while after Dune.
He was a beautiful gentle soul.
There's a fantastic documentary about the making of the film. Apparently when John Hurt appeared on set for the first time in full make up, a lot of the crew started crying. David Lynch then knew he was onto something incredible.
I believe that’s on the blu ray ? Ill have to dig it out. There’s quite a lot of interesting features on the copy Ive got.
One of the saddest movies ever made! I can't watch it without crying my eyes out by the end! Heart wrenching since it's based on a very real person who was intelligent and thoughtful but horribly disfigured and abused throughout his life! You two are the only ones I have ever seen react to this! You are brave! Fantastic acting in this, great to see Anthony Hopkins as a good guy! Always enjoy your reactions!
They have to watch Midnight Express with Brad Davis and John Hurt
Some of it is fictional though. The scene in the railway station never happened. And neither did the scene with the corrupt night porter bringing people to see him for money. He had a flat in the basement with his own terrace to go out on and not a room in the attic.
@@pobstrel What did happen, though, is that between being presented to the medical society by Treves, and being invited to stay at the hospital, Merrick returned to exhibiting himself as a freak. When the London show was closed by the police, he embarked on a European tour, but ran into problems with the authorities there, too. Eventually, he was robbed by his road manager and left stranded in Brussels. Returning to England only with great difficulty, he arrived penniles, and there was an incident of some sort at the train station, because he had to beg for assistance from strangers, who couldn't understand his speech. A crowd, if not the angry violent mob depicted in the film, did form around him, and the police were called. Since the only identifying piece of information they could find on Merrick was Treves' business card, they returned him to Treves. That's when Treves began to help him. Presumably, the disturbing subplot about the hospital worker exhibiting him, and his being kidnapped, and having a more dramatic version of the train station incident occur much later in his story were to create more narrative interest in a story that otherwise has a rather bland trajectory (Merrick's situation constantly improves, without any setbacks).
It's a fantastic film but I cry so much, oh so heartbreaking at the end but also a relief for him 😥💔❤
One of the greatest films ever made. To think that was Hannibal Lector alongside the first ever Xenomorph victim in Alien is insane. The ending always broke my heart. I recall going up London when I was younger and seeing the hospital. Got really emotional to think he was there. Love you John Merrick x
If you haven't already you should check out the world's fastest Indian to see how diverse Hopkins is and also a excellent movie.
My absolute fave go-to Hopkins flicks are Remains of the Day and 84 Charring Cross (also with Anne Bancroft from Elephant Man).
Quite right, one of the greatest most profound films ever made.
His name was actually Joseph, they changed his name to John for the movie.
@@2apocalypsex I understand in some films/series, where they chang names of real life people but whatwas the point in doing that about Joseph!
The late, great John Hurt: What a magnificent career. Too many great performances to count.
Max in "Midnight Express" (1978)
Kane in "Alien" (1979)
Joseph Merrick in "The Elephant Man" (1980)
Winston Smith in "Nineteen Eighty-Four" (1984)
S.R. Hadden in "Contact" (1997)
Chancellor Adam Sutler in "V for Vendetta" (2005)
Pretty sure he was in a fairy tale/fabel show in the 80s called the storyteller. Jim Henson did the puppets and John Hurt was "the storyteller" wasn't on long but I believe some episodes are on TH-cam ❤
@@emilykeegan4345yes he was. I loved that show. His costar in THE FIELD, Sean Bean, was actually in an episode.
TBR Schmitt and Samantha has to watch Midnight Express
1984.. Possibly his most important film.
Champions 1984 where he played jockey Bob Champion winning the Grand National on the horse Aldaniti for me was one of his best.. Rarely mentioned these days..
Joseph “John” Merrick’s story always fascinated me. Shows how cruel humans can be. Joseph wasn’t forced or kidnapped into the sideshow. It was his idea. He said if people are going to stare at me then I should be paid…something like that. Still a lot we don’t know. Found dead with a dislocated neck by the doctor & believed he got wanting to sleep like a normal person. Great reaction guys..as always!!
Well I think the real story is the opposite of humans being cruel. A lot of people around him helped out, both poor people then later even rich people. It's actually heartwarming what people did for him considering the time and how hard it was for common people. Very few people were cruel to him, most felt pity.
The really sad part is that he's still an oddity for medical students to pull out of a drawer and gawp at to this very day.
His last freak show was directly across from the Whitechapel hospital. They still have his bones. For most of his life he was paid to be stared at. He was actually well looked after by the freak show owners. He spent the last of his life being stared at by doctors for zero pay and was unable to go anywhere he wanted unless they agreed. I think he killed himself.
I don't know about the killing himself part, but I have also read that this film actually flips the narrative and in reality it was in the sideshow he felt the most liberated and in the doctor's care he felt the most captive.@@Trebor74
@@dmthandmade5674His skeleton is in a glass display case.
Such an amazing movie with an incredible atmosphere. David Lynch can create things terrifying, but also very beautiful.
He can mystify, befuddle, and repulse. He can make everyday life into something esoteric and deranged, beautiful and horrific in equal measure. Uncle David is a cinematic artist of the highest order.
TH-cam needs more Lynch reactions
@@reservoirdude92 My favorite example being Twin Peaks, especially Fire Walk With Me.
You two need to react to a movie called Mask, not The Mask with Jim Carrey, but just Mask. I think it's based on a true story/person, it stars Cher, Sam Elliott & Eric Stoltz who plays a teen named Rocky.
saw it when I was 12 years old and instantly learned the best and worst of humanity - this is the movie that got me into cinema
This movie introduced me to real acting. I balled like a little girl watching this film.
There’s only a very few movies that can make me cry beyond just tearing up…this has always been one of them.
The movie includes Sit John Gielgud, Sir Anthony Hopkins, and Sir John Hurt… all knighted for their incredible acting contributions!
The music at the end death scene in Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings". Used to great effect also in Oliver Stone's "Platoon".
I can’t listen to that piece without being reduced to tears. Most lovely…
Thank God a reaction channel has finally come up with a way to pick a movie that doesn't end up with the same ole Red Box selection that every other reaction channel is watching.
John Merrick (Joseph Merrick in real life) did exist and had the deformations as portrayed in the film.
Frederick Treves (played brilliantly by the amazing Anthony Hopkins) was maybe one of the only person who saw Merrick as a human being.
Merrick died in 1890 from what Treves who did the post mortem said was a dislocated neck, because of the heaviness of his gigantic head.
Sad story but Hurt (Kane in Alien) does an amazing job portraying the deformed but sensitive Merrick.
Fun Fact: Mel Brooks was one of the secret Producers of The Elephant Man as well as The Fly, but they chose to leave his name out of the credits because they didn't want people to think it was a Comedy. He also personally hired David Lynch after screening his first film Eraserhead. Brooks; same dude who wrote Springtime For Hitler! 😂
John Hurt's performance as Caligula in I Claudius is also exceptional.
This is an incredible movie. One of the most amazing performances by both John Hurt and Anthony Hopkins, as well as Sir John Gielgud. The sad truth about this movie is the fact that the way he was treated was commonplace back in the day. People with deformities were treated like things or animals, simply for the purpose of profiting from their deformities. Great reaction!
Good comment
They should still do it.
It felt like isolated
What I learned from taking care of my Mom with dementia is that we are more then even our personality. There is a soul that shines through even when the body or mind is crippled.
Yes but some parts are fictional. He actually had a flat with a private terrace in the basement of the hospital not a room in the attic. The scene at the railway station never happened. He had regular visits to the countryside. Also he said he was never beaten by the freak show owner or lived in a stable.
I have been fortunate enough to see John's room( unfortunately the building is now gone due to modernization of the hospital ),his model and his skeleton ( I was guest of the senior nursing officer, back in the 80s ) after I left I felt humbled and grateful that I didn't have to experience his life
He did have a flat in the basement with his own terrace that he went out to at night and was only in the attic room for a few weeks.
I was on a trip to London and went to Bedstead square in 2008 , just before they started renovating for the new hospital.
Beauty is from the heart. Don't judge others upon their physical appearance.
The briliant cinematographer, Freddie Francis photographed this movie. I would rank his camera work in this film among his greatest achievements. He also had a side carrer as an excellent horror movie director.
I'd recommend the classic ghost story that is The Innocents (1961), similarly great cinematography by Francis.
Oh wow.. what a hidden gem that not many react to!
An absolutely wonderful movie. I wonder why more people don't react to it.
John Hurt's performance is staggering. He's effectively only got his eyes and voice to work with, and yet he makes Merrick into the most gentle, brave and sympathetic characters in movie history.
Hopkins is also on incredible form.
A special shout out to Hannah Gordon too who plays Treves' wife. Her scenes are played absolutely perfectly. If you can't get through the tea scene without breaking you're probably a sociopath.
The whole thing is beautifully shot and Lynch creates a fantastic steamy Victorian dreamscape for it to play out in
I'm so glad you enjoyed it in all its tragic beauty.
I recognized Hannah Gordon from Upstairs Downstairs - she played Lord Bellamy's second wife. She brings intelligence and sympathy to her roles.
A film that never ceases to touch me. Such wonderful performances, and the true story the movie tells. There is infinite heart here, and I love that you have gotten to watch it.
It is hard too watch
Not all true though. There is a book complete with several interviews with John/Joseph. The scene at the railway station never happened, he lived in a basement flat with a private terrace, he said he never got beaten by the freak show owner.
Total respect for the Schmitts for watching this great film. It takes courage and determination to watch such a painful story.
"Mask" (1985), starring Cher, Eric Stolz and Sam Elliott, is a similar film. Great performances, but many tissues are needed.
They were compete with Raging Bull but it was a fair share to be nominated.
Yeah but, Mask is nowhere near the level of this movie. Mask is just cheesy tear-jerker that you forget after 2 hours
@@swvi9459 Agreed, Mask is good but it's the Hollywood way...
@@swvi9459 ....You're entitled to your opinion.
More recently, *Wonder* (2017) explored some similar issues.
This is one of the most heartbreaking films ever made. I think Freddie Jones is one of the most underrated of actors. He was usually cast as low lifes but was great in all his roles,
I first saw John Hurt play Caligula in the phenomenal BBC production I, Claudius. It featured an all-star cast, including Hurt, Derek Jacobi, John Rhys-Davies, and Captain Picard himself, Patrick Stewart. It was obvious then that Hurt was an incredibly talented actor.
@samuraiwarriorsunite
I watched "I, Claudius" when it first aired. And now, decades later, I vividly remember how horrified I was watching Mr. Hurt's portrayal of Caligula's descent into madness.
What a talented & powerful actor he was.🌿🌿
@@deborahcornell171 Although, nobody can beat Jay Robinson's Caligula in *The Robe* (1953).
I’ve seen that ,as well. Very good.
not a typical Lynch movie but he nailed it. Such a powerful emotional movie.
This is one of my favorite films. Happy to see it getting reacted to. John Hurt should've won an Oscar. Mel Brooks was a producer.
I will always remember seeing this movie in the theater with my family when I was ten. Very emotional drive home. 😂 We had to stop at a store for kleenex. Probably the first time that I can remember a movie having such an emotional impact. There's something about seeing John's "perfect" last night at the theatre, his finishing his model, and seeing the pain that he's in that makes his decision so sad and tragic, but beautiful. In the end he had a home, friends, and felt safe. It will always be a favorite movie of mine.
But it is hard to watch which nobody mention it
So glad you watched this and are posting reactions to great and important films like this. I can't even watch this reaction without bursting into tears during certain scenes. A wonderful film and a fitting tribute to the struggles of the underprivileged and, the all too many, people that don't have the benefit of what we most take for granted, health and comfort. ❤❤
It’s worth noting that, apparently the stuff involving the cirus, particularly concerning the manager were extremely exaggerated for dramatic purposes. He was still treated extremely poorly by most people, but apparently the manager wasn’t one of them.
That was isolated
And the scene at the railway station never happened . And he had a flat in the basement with his own terrace not one room in the attic.
His second manager who he went on the European tour with robbed him of his life savings and abandoned him in Brussels. But yes, the first manager was nothing like how portrayed in this movie. Merrick was trying to save up enough money to buy himself a house. That also happened before he was admitted to the hospital
John Hurt was a fantastic actor who did not get as many prominent roles as his talent deserved because he wasn't the "leading man" type. He stars in the film "1984", & I recommend it.
Another good Hurt one is The Hit (1984) with Terence Stamp and Tim Roth, strangely underrated but highly recommended.
@@LarryFleetwood8675 When you mentioned Tim Roth alongside John Hurt, you reminded me of "Rob Roy" (1995), an excellent movie with lots of great acting performances, including from Roth & Hurt as antagonists & from Liam Neeson & Jessica Lange as protagonists. Roth & Hurt (as well as Brian Cox) somewhat steal the show as baddies.
@@hemlock399 True, I'd forgotten all about that movie that they're actually reunited there...
This movie clearly shows how incredibly good people can be and, conversely, how incredibly bad people can be. The spectrum is shockingly large. I think the biggest thing for me, though, is John’s spirit and how, after how he was treated, he remained a kindly gentleman. He had every reason to not be.
I'm glad that you two ended up watching this movie :)
Lynch may be associated with the weird, but films like this and his later, The Straight Story, really demonstrate how humane he is, and watching this movie again makes me realize how few films are truly humane like this, and I don't mean manufactured sentimentality or rote "inspiring" narratives. There's a lot to unpack about this film, and remember that Lynch only had only one strange indie feature (Eraserhead) under his belt at this point when Mel Brooks put his trust in Lynch for a major studio release, and he delivered. Notice Brooks' wife, Anne Bancroft, is in the film, and also one of the most distinguished British casts, alongside Hopkins and Hurt there are British acting legends Wendy Hiller, and John Gielgud and Freddie Jones, the latter would be immortalized with those crazy big eyebrows in Lynch's next film, the ill-fated but rather marvelous, Dune. It's kind of important to watch Eraserhead alongside this movie to see how Lynch carried over many of the visual and thematic motifs from that film for a more conventional narrative. I saw this in college when it came out and was devastated by it. Thank you for the reaction, and if you've read this far, thanks for reading.
Lynch is a big proponent of meditation and seems to have a deeply spiritual perspective
Wendy Hiller (who played the Head Nurse, Mrs. Mothershead), for those who don't know, was Eliza Doolittle in the first screen version of George Bernard Shaw's *Pygmalion* (1938), which later became the basis for the musical *My Fair Lady* (1964).
I love "The Straight Story", and yes, it speaks to the humanity and the range of expression for Lynch.
28:23 Back in the day, "I am not an animal! I am a human being!" was iconic.
Why ?
"The Elephant Man" is one of those great movie that you can only watch once.
Why ? Because it is depressed to watch ?
I've seen it at least a dozen times over the years and I'm certainly not the only one.
@@dggydddy59 Absolutely agree, it's Lynch's masterpiece in my opinion with Blue Velvet a close 2nd.
I first saw John Hurt when I watched Alien as a 13 year old with my mum in 1979 and I followed him from then, so many great character moments ..from the naked civil servant, I Claudius, Contact, and Harry potter what a great actor, he is profoundly missed...
Excellent movie! Hurt, and Hopkins both kill it!
Another great John Hurt movie that hasn't been reacted to is 'Midnight Express' (1978).
That shot when Anthony Hopkins first sees John and they push in to his face and that one tear falls from his eye is one of my favorite shots of all time. This was the first "Hollywood" film that Lynch directed, coming off his debut film "Eraserhead" - also shot in B&W - and it's still just one of two "normal" films he's done, along with the G-rated "The Straight Story" (which is great). But, with this film, it's still very much a 'Lynchian' film. His sound design and the dream imagery that starts the film are early examples of his style that carried over to many of his other films. Fun fact: There's a theatrical version of this story and multiple actors we know have played John in it.When it was on Broadway in 1980, John was played by David Bowie, and Mark Hamill took over for a little while when Bowie left. Billy Crudup (Almost Famous, Watchmen) has played him and, most recently in 2015, Bradley Cooper did. In the play, they didn't use all the prosthetics, they used actual photos to give the audience the full visual of what John looked like, and then the actors used contorted ways of standing to keep the story going. Great reaction to one of my top ten favorite films.
I haven't seen this move since I was a kid, and I had completely forgotten about it until you posted this. I remember being very emotional about it as a child.
David Lynch is such a beautiful human being in real life, it's no wonder he imbued this film with so much genuine heart and soul ❤
Incredible movie. I later learned that Mel Brooks produced it. Mel's wife played the actress who befriends John/Joseph Merrick. My eyes still teared up like it did 43 years ago.
When Merrick was becoming famous the Jack The Ripper murders were taking place. John and the Ripper probably read about each other in the newspapers
This is the only movie that made me really tear up. Beautiful piece of cinema.
I love this movie SOOO much! I even wrote a thesis paper about it for a college movie course.
Lovely reaction - John Hurt at this point was probably most known for his astonishing turn as Caligula in I, Claudius - also, apparently this is the role that won Hopkins the role of Hannibal Lecter - director Demme said he wanted to suggest a decent man trapped inside an insane mind - Lynch is very much a surrealist, and this film thrives on the tension between sublime vs obscene, beauty vs ugliness, beatific vs monstrous, turning these words inside out - Merrick is also trapped within his ideal of beauty
- in that context, the best thing he could ever hope for in his life would be an invitation into this Heaven, which he is fortunate enough to receive, thanks to the doctor - but I think Merrick's arc is that he comes to realize that even though he may be residing in his own vision of Heaven - at the same time, he can never envision himself as anything more than a Guest there - someone who will never truly belong in this Paradise
- the more beauty he finds around him, the more compassionately he's treated, the more he sees this gap between himself and these "beautiful" people around him - the rude interruptions in his new life keep reminding him of What He Really Is in his own mind - it's clear he has sublime aspirations, but when he's given everything he wants, that's humanly possible to give him, I think at this point he realizes that he can never aspire to being anything more than a well-treated Circus Animal
- and it's his own sense of Humanity, his own sense of Human Dignity, that ultimately refuses to accept this - and I think this is why he chooses to die - to go out on a high note, as a way of closing the Happiest Day of his Life
- I keep thinking, in that era, that a better environment for him might perhaps have been to remain in the carnival - but without that abusive owner or treatment, of course - but at least in the environment of the "freak show", he's surrounded by others who understand what it's like to grapple w the feelings he's going thru; he doesn't stand apart quite so drastically; and together they do feel they have a sense of purpose, a role to play in society - the advantage their difference gives them as members of this carnival
- it's ironic, because Merrick clearly has the most beautiful spirit of anyone in the film, unearthly, an almost angelic spirit - and it's the very purity of this spirit that measures itself against the ideal of its new surroundings, and ultimately chooses to reject what it regards as an impure life - "T'was Beauty that killed the Beast"
Now for Mask (1985). It's a similar story, also based on a real person, but it has a more modern tone and doesn't hit as heavily.
Great film and performance by the actors, John will always be a true hero
John Hurt is one of my all time favorite actors. Such a talent. So many great movies and roles.
Anthony Hopkins is such a legendary actor. I have 43 of his movies, and always expanding more.
⭐⭐⭐⭐Beautifully shot film. It always evokes so many questions. It shows the very worst of humanity and it also shows some of the best of humanity. Anne Bancroft (Mrs Mel Brooks) played the Actress. If you have not seen her in The Miracle Worker please do so......bucket list film for sure. She one the Oscar for best actress for her roll and Patty Duke won for best supporting actress in the same. film. Mask with Cher and Eric Stoltz is also a great modern take on this type of story.
one of David lynch's less confusing movies, but very emotional. I suggest blue velvet and lost highway
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Lost Highway is a far-out experience, but the soundtrack is absolute fire. 🔥
I would love them to react to Lost Highway if they thought that Mullholand Dr was confusing. 😂
I love Mulholland Drive, do I know what it's about exactly? Not anymore than anyone else. A Straight Story is great also, no crazy Lynch stuff but great movie.
The Elephant Man was an incredible play on Broadway in 1979. David Bowie played John Merrick. It was remarkable because he was shown without makeup to show his beauty within. Probably the greatest performance I have ever seen.
Thats amazing, I saw this on Broadway I want to say 03/04, and Billy Crudup played Merrick & it was the greatest acting performance I’ve ever seen. No makeup, he twisted his body into a pretzel for the entire performance, until he passes at the end & Billy morphs into a healthy person for the last 30 seconds to show he was finally out of pain. Just remarkable.
Bradley Cooper also played him on stage a few years ago.
I believe Bowie played it in the West End (in London), though he wasn't the first to play it there. Phillip Anglim (as Merrick) and Kevin Conway (as Treves) were the original Broadway stars, and both reprised their roles when the play by Bernard Pomerance was filmed for television in 1982. Neither the play nor the David Lynch movie is adapted from one another; each is a separate, different adaptation of Treves' memoir.
You are correct! I totally forgot I saw this play in the West End in London! It was so long ago, I forgot the details.@@oliverbrownlow5615
Beautifully shot in black and white by Freddie Francis. How John Hurt never won an oscar was unbelievable.
This is a tough one. It taught me how much people suck. As a kid.
David Lynch’s best film. One of the saddest endings of all time.
I'll never not cry watching the end.
Same as Raging Bull at the time.
I wish Lynch had made more films like this. I like how the surreal Lynchian element is there around the edges but it's like a stylistic or aesthetic choice that he made in service to the dramatic logic of a conventional story rather than it being the substance or point of the film. Elephant Man was the film where he really hit that sweet spot most effectively.
I literally just watched this as a recommendation from someone and it was a GREAT watch! I had teared up when John starts crying about how he was never treated with respect and doesn’t know how to handle it.
The head nurse is none other than Wendy Hiller, star of stage and screen, who won the academy award for best actress in 1938 for playing Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion.
Also, the society woman, Madge Kendal, was played by Anne Bancroft, who was married to Mel Brooks, the producer of the film. She also won a best actress Oscar for her role in The Miracle Worker, playing the teacher of Hellen Keller.
Hiller and Hannah Gordon who played Hopkins' wife, were reunited in the underrated Miss Morison's Ghosts (1981).
Anne Bancroft also made an incredible Mary Magdalene in Franco Zeffirelli's epic Biblical miniseries, *Jesus of Nazareth* (1977).
@@oliverbrownlow5615 One of the best TV mini-series ever.
Every actor love this role.
Great movie. I remember reading about the real Joseph Merrick too ("John Merrick" in the movie). I was happy to read that he had more autonomy in real life than was shown, though his story was still very sad.
Should have won Best Picture 1980, better than Ordinary People
Love this draw idea. Super glad you reacted to this, and very excited about the potential for some more niche films in the future. Great pick, Ron!
I've seen this film several times over the years and I'm always moved to tears! Great reaction as always!
this film is very powerful;, but also fantastic. the ending is incredible.
I was 17 when I saw this film. When the credits started rolling THAT was when I finally released all my emotion and cried for 20 minutes straight. A beautiful film that I don't want to see again. Too sad but an excellent film that I'm glad I watched. =)
Great reaction, you two! Yes, his crying out, "...I am not an animal! I am a human being!" always brings me to tears. Glad we did away with carnivals and circuses that exploit humans (and animals), treating them horribly. John Hurt and Anthony Hopkins were terrific in this. I remember John Hurt in A Man for All Seasons (with Paul Scofield, who won Best Actor). He portrayed Richard Rich, who sold his soul for profit. Brilliant actor.
I forgot that Ann Bancroft was in this too. I hope you get a few happier, Christmas films in to cheer you up!
So glad you got to see this masterpiece! It just goes to show how well Lynch can portray humanity as well as surrealism. If you get the chance you should definitely check out ‘The Straight Story’ - which has a similar tone to The Elephant Man.
To me The Elephant Man is David Lynch's finest achievement as a director of stature...unlike his other films..there is a clear understanding and appreciation of subject matter..a beautiful evocation of compassion..kindness and barbarity..in equal measure..Hopkins and Hurt should both have received Oscars for their roles in this glorious production
Oh my gosh I am so glad that you are doing that random selection! Even though I'm not a patron right now, I can't tell you how many channels I've stopped following because the patrons were all picking the same kind of films and the polls were only favoring the most commercial stuff. This is a great way, like you said, to give smaller more niche films a chance--and this is definitely one of them! When I saw the title I couldn't believe you were doing it and I then I thought, oh fuck! They are going to be so sad this movie is brutal! 😂 Thank you!!!!
I remember watching this with my younger sister….at the end we were so silent, I know I was on the verge of sobbing…then our young niece and nephew pop in for a visit and that immediately distracted us and saved us from breaking out in tears.
David Lynch, you either love him or hate him. I love most of his movies. Wild At Heart is a weird but accessible film. Mulholland Drive and Lost Highway are movies that are just weird and hard to make head or tails of them. One movie that I think you will both love is The Straight Story. Based on a true story of an elderly guy who travels from Iowa to Wisconsin on a ride on mower to visit his brother who has suffered a stroke. Some really touching moments in that movie.
The film's executive producer was none other than comedy legend Mel Brooks ("Blazing Saddles", "Young Frankenstein") for his studio Brooksfilms. That's Mel's wife, the great Anne Bancroft, as the stage actress Dame Madge Kendall. Brooks and John Hurt became very good friends during filming, and Hurt made cameo appearances in Brooks' films "History of the World, Pt. I" and "Spaceballs".
Merrick wasn't actually abused at all during his time in the circus, and in fact it was his own idea to join once it became clear how bad his condition was becoming. He got quite a lot of financial success at it too. But the movie demands more drama.
That is actually a relief to my empathetic nature ❤
This film always brings a tear, my Grandfather had a old freak book and it had drawings and pics of John merrick the make up artists got him down to a tee he was covered in lumps of benign tumors and his spine was twisted the poor guy must of went through pain and suffering on a unimaginable scale, thank god those freak shows don't exist anymore life was so unforgiving and cruel back then, Thanks guys.
When Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings is played during the final scene, I cannot stop the tears. Every time I watch.
What a pleasant surprise! About 80% of the big reaction channels have been reacting to pablum lately, so it's great see something that's actually interesting.
David Lynch is a sweetheart and a romantic. You'll find heart somewhere in the darkness. ❤ Keep reviewing David Lynch!!
Great pick, Ron! I'm sure you two will get tons of suggestions for "Mask" with this review, and it is an amazing film also.
RIP Joseph Carey Merrick 5 August 1862 - 11 April 1890
Just so you know, this is a fictionalized version of the life of John (or Joseph, it's unclear) Merrick. By his own testimony, he was never badly treated by the sideshow people. On the contrary, he said they treated him kindly and paid him his share always. Also, he was not in pain. His deformity looks painful to a normal person (he suffered from neurofibromatosis), but other than discomfort from his spine having to support his massive head, his lumps and bunching were no more painful than the layers a very overweight person has to carry - they were just his body. But Lynch wanted to use the story of Merrick to comment on the Industrial Revolution and the awful conditions of that era for poor and disadvantaged people, so the story became more awful than it was in real life. So it's a wonderful story, but not particularly accurate. Merrick was a very interesting guy, though, so I recommend you look him up. :)
I respect you two for reviewing this movie from 40+ years ago. Thanks.
Thumbs up for both of you. Your channel is one of the few that doesn't review the same 50 movies that everybody else does.