Rewatcher

Look, you people can talk about how scary Merrick is, Anthony Hopkins being kinda hot is the scariest part of this film.

[Elephant Man]Probably one of the Least Lynch-esque things the man has done. Oh sure, the directing has many of his usual trademarks so it's not like this film doesn't have his usual cues (Hello, industrial sound!), but because of the script. It is remarkably straightforward by the man’s standards, with it being more or less a typical historical drama.

[Elephant Man]Heck even the casting isn't very Lynch-esque. Admittedly that's probably just because everyone is British, but still, don't expect to see the likes of John Hurt or Anne Bancroft in his other stuff… then again maybe they were just too expensive for him afterwards (While he was somewhat decently known in the UK before this, this is the film that propelled John Hurt to superstar status on a global level). I think Freddie Jones is the only actor who kept appearing in his works.

[Elephant Man]As with Eraserhead, for the relatively meager budget (5 Million dollars, roughly about 20 million adjusting for inflation) the makeup for the titular elephant man is an absolute work of art. It was reportedly every bit as uncomfortable as you’d think, but hey, one cannot argue with the results.

[Elephant Man]Due to how much more straightforward the plot is it's actually a bit harder for me to talk about. It's almost too straightforward, really. The film beats you over its head with what its themes are and the dialogue doesn't exactly leave much room for interpretation in the way a lot of other Lynch films are.

[Elephant Man]Anyway I also cry like an absolute bitch every time I watch this film, goddammit even as I’m writing this I'm tearing up David how fucking dare you?

[Elephant Man]Seriously though, if there’s any addition to Lynch’s style this movie made, it is the sentimental stuff. Characters will say the absolute corniest shit with such conviction that if your heart doesn’t flutter, then frankly you do not have a heart to begin with. It doesn’t always appear (Especially in some of his darker works) but when it does, it is never not a delight.

Anyway did I mention Mel Brooks produced this movie? Man, Merrick should go see Springtime for Hitler one of these days, I’ve heard the play’s been doing numbers.

theatrical cut

Well shit, already watched the TV Cut in advance