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The Elephant Man [DVD] [1980]
 
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The Elephant Man [DVD] [1980]

DVD ~ Anthony Hopkins
4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (20 customer reviews)

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10 new from £7.81 13 used from £2.45 1 collectible from £18.99
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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

The Elephant Man [DVD] [1980]
48% buy
The Elephant Man [DVD] [1980] 4.8 out of 5 stars (5)
£4.98
The Elephant Man [DVD] [1980]
45% buy the item featured on this page:
The Elephant Man [DVD] [1980] 4.7 out of 5 stars (20)
The Straight Story [DVD] [1999]
3% buy
The Straight Story [DVD] [1999] 5.0 out of 5 stars (2)
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The David Lynch Collection [DVD] [1982]
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The David Lynch Collection [DVD] [1982] 3.0 out of 5 stars (2)
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Product details

  • Actors: Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt, Anne Bancroft, John Gielgud, Wendy Hiller
  • Directors: David Lynch
  • Writers: David Lynch, Ashley Montagu, Christopher De Vore, Eric Bergren, Sir Frederick Treves
  • Producers: Jonathan Sanger, Mel Brooks
  • Format: Anamorphic, Black & White, Dubbed, PAL
  • Language English
  • Subtitles: Dutch, English, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Turkish
  • Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Classification: PG
  • Studio: Momentum Pictures
  • DVD Release Date: 14 May 2001
  • Run Time: 118 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B00005B73G
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 20,720 in DVD (See Bestsellers in DVD)

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Reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
You could only see his eyes behind the layers of makeup in The Elephant Man but those expressive orbs earned John Hurt a well-deserved Oscar nomination for his moving portrayal of John Merrick, the grotesquely deformed Victorian man. Inarticulate and abused, Merrick is the virtual slave of a carnival barker (Freddie Jones) until dedicated London doctor Frederick Treves (Anthony Hopkins in a powerfully understated performance) rescues him and offers him an existence with dignity. Anne Bancroft co-stars as the actress whose visit to Merrick makes him a social curiosity, with John Gielgud and Wendy Hiller as dubious hospital staffers won over by Merrick. David Lynch earned his only Oscar nominations as director and co-writer of this sombre drama, which he shot in a rich black-and-white palette, a sometimes stark, sometimes dreamy visual style that at times recalls the offbeat expressionism of his first film, Eraserhead. It remains a perfect marriage between traditional Hollywood historical drama and Lynch's unique cinematic eye, a compassionate human tale delivered in a gothic vein. The film earned eight Oscar nominations in all and though it left the Oscar ceremony empty-handed, its dramatic power and handsome yet haunting imagery remain just as strong today. --Sean Axmaker, Amazon.com

On the DVD: Being black and white, it's easier to judge the digital transfer in terms of shade and thankfully this print looks just fine. There's a little confusion over the sound, however, which is advertised as Stereo on the box but says Mono on the Audio Menu. It certainly seems to be a basic Dolby stereo but it's a shame Lynch hasn't given it the personal touch since he's obsessed with mixing his films' sound himself. From the nicely thought-out animated menus there's a gallery of 20 photos and a misguiding, dramatic theatrical trailer. The only other extra is a 64-page book of which only 10 pages relate directly to the film (the rest re-tell Lynch's career and the real Elephant Man's life). --Paul Tonks

Special Features
2.35 Anamorphic Wide Screen
DVD 9
Italian
Spanish
English
Region 2
Dolby Digital Stereo English\Mono Italian Spanish
Dolby Digital Stereo
Mono
Trailer
Photo Gallery
Scene Selection
Danish\English\Italian\Portuguese\Spanish\Turkish


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Customer Reviews

20 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.7 out of 5 stars (20 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars a priceless gem..., 16 May 2007
By H. Serkan SILAHSOR (Ankara, TURKEY) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   
Definitely an exquisite piece of cinema, one of the most harrowing, engrossing and poignant movies in motion picture history. No gargantuan budgets, no Hollywood hotshots, no special effects, no violence, no sex, no long-legged chicks, even no colors!. This is PURE CINEMA where both elegance and substance are blended into a perfect mixture of intensity and integrity.

It is beautifully shot black & white on purpose. Although filming B&W was very expensive process at that time, it was a right choice by director David Lynch and producer Mell Brooks because it fitted perfectly with the eerie mood and sinister ambiance of the story.

Visually it drags the viewer into dark, grey, filthy, haunting and suffocating PHANTASMAGORIA of INDUSTRIAL WORLD where cruelty and self-interest overwhelm kindness and compassion. Soggy streets, foggy alleys, smoky steel mills, and crummy crowds are all the elements of Lynch's SYMBOLISM used to portray very sharply the psychological turmoil of John Merrick - a physically plagued & horribly abused soul with massive deformities throughout his body - while being constantly bombarded with inhumane indecencies. So, this is the story of that hapless and hopeless man's arduous journey to return in humanity and dignity in a world full of real freaks and two-footed beasts.

It's sad to say that aside from a trailer and photo gallery with fairly small images, the DVD is bare bones with no extras or commentary. More disappointingly, the Dolby Digital 2.0 audio track on this disc contains a Dolby Surround audio track sourced directly from the optical audio of the film print itself, but OK it still manages to have its intended impact. On the other hand, the widescreen transfer is very good. I highly recommend R1 release with richer content in terms of interviews with cast, crew and make-up artist Christopher Tucker. It also features 5.1-channel sound support too.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars One of Lynch's best, 25 Jul 2007
By A. Weaver "Thing Witch" (Somewhere in England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
I am a big David Lynch fan and decided I just had to see this film. I stuck it at the top of my rental list and a few days later it arrived in that special packaging that puts a smile on my face every time. I watched it that night and it certainly did not disappoint. It lived up to every expectation and blasted most of them right out of the park.

`The Elephant Man' follows the life of Joseph Merrick, incorrectly named John in the film, and that of Frederick Treves who was his doctor and friend. While the film is filled with its fair share of inaccuracies and errors it is no less perfect for it. A lot of the fiction is there for a reason as it serves to make the film more entertaining and helps to provide more character depth. I really do urge you to watch the film, even if you are unsure because of the made up bits, because it is a superb and phenomenally beautiful film.

The film stars Anthony Hopkins as the doctor Frederick Treves and John Hurt as Joseph Merrick, the elephant man. They are both brilliant in their roles, everyone is, but it really is John Hurt who is the star here. I think there are probably a lot of ways you could mess up the character of Joseph Merrick but John Hurt just excels. He was nominated for an Oscar and as far as I'm concerned he should have won it. His portrayal of Joseph Merrick is one of the best character performances I've ever seen and I do consider myself to be a movie buff.

Not leaving out Lynch himself, the director brings us more of his trademark direction and invites once again to view his marvelous vision of the surreal. Though, `The Elephant Man' certainly never reaches the weirdness of `Mulholland Drive' it is no less a David Lynch film and masterpiece of cinema. Throughout the film his direction, as with the script and sets, is spot on. This film is a sum of all its parts and every part in the equation was an essential ingredient equaling near perfection.

While the whole film is wonderful, there is one part, and I'm sure I'm not the only one to break down into tears during this scene, at the end of the film that was pure visual poetry. With Samuel Barbers joyously sad and emotionally overwhelming Adagio for Strings playing in the background, we are treated to an almost too simple shot of Joseph Merrick just sitting on his bed starring at the viewer and it just killed me. I can say in all honesty and without any over exaggeration that it was one of the most beautiful things I ever saw in my whole like. Perfect. Just a perfect scene.

So, basically, just buy or rent this now. If you consider yourself even remotely interested in truly good films then you have no choice but to see it.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant movie, 21 Jan 2007
By Carol S. Lewis "Movie buff" (Oriskany, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
One of the best movies I've ever seen. John Hurt as the Elephant Man is amazing; how the gentleness and humilily of his character come through with all that makeup is just astounding. The movie can be painful to watch and definitely produces a lot of tears for me, but it is also about the triumph of the human spirit, as well as the depths to which humans can sink. They have changed some facts about Merrick's life (apparently his life with the "freak show" wasn't so bad; he experienced kindness with many of those involved in that aspect, but all his money was stolen by a dishonest promoter in Europe). However, after reading a bit about Merrick's actual life, I don't think the movie is too far off concerning the pain and cruelty he experienced. A very affecting movie, that you will think about long afterwards.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Painfully sad to watch but a true classic
Rightly regarded as one of the classic British films of the last decades, this broadly true tale of dignified humanity shining through the gloomy, impersonal smog of Victorian... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Bruno

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent piece of not just cinema,but humanity!!!!!
This film gives the viewer an insight not just in first class cinema,but in humanity and how people born different are looked down upon,thus overlooking the real person within. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Arthur Gwillim

5.0 out of 5 stars The Elephant Man - a must see....
A truly special film. John (Joseph) Merrick is the severely deformed man, treated badly by a drunken, ignorant circus owner as one of life's freaks, and takes payment accordingly... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Ann Denton

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent movie; arthouse+drama=moving!
In one of the earlier postings I read some questioning of the accuracy of the story. I think that it's beside the point; it doesn't state to be a true story. Read more
Published on 14 Mar 2007 by Yovra

5.0 out of 5 stars BRILLIANT. The only move to make me cry
What a masterpiece of a film. Every time I watch it gets better and better.

It's heartbreaking to watch how we can be so cruel to such a man. Read more
Published on 3 Sep 2006 by Simple Simon

1.0 out of 5 stars Joseph Merrick
This film could not have been further from the truth. Joseph Merrick was not depicted in any way true. He was a very wealthy man who made money from his deformities. Read more
Published on 9 May 2006 by Frances

4.0 out of 5 stars Haunting
One of the most powerful elements of this film is the constant thrum of the boiler room in the London Hospital that pervades throughout the film. Read more
Published on 3 May 2006 by Jones the Film

4.0 out of 5 stars 5 for the film, 3 for the DVD package
I recently watched the DVD of the Elephant Man, having not seen the film for some years. What came back to me was the sheer craft employed by Lynch to express the story of John... Read more
Published on 15 Dec 2004 by Andy Millward

5.0 out of 5 stars Lynch's best film
You'd think David Lynch, a director known for visual metaphors and truly offbeat films (Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks) would be a bad choice for this, a film with a subject... Read more
Published on 11 Jun 2004 by gazthefool

5.0 out of 5 stars Truly a unforgetable film.
An emotional,heart thumping masterpiece everyone should enjoy and learn from. The elephant man has to be one of the greatest films ever made and really shows you that beauty is... Read more
Published on 24 Jan 2003 by A G SHARP

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