The Elephant Man

The Elephant Man is set in Victorian London and follows the story of John Merrick, a surgeon disfigured by a rare condition and relegated to a life as a side-show freak. He is rescued by Dr. Treves, under whose auspices he becomes the darling of the London aristocracy. Lynch directs his film with luscious black-and-white cinematography and evinces typical British performances by the entire cast. This early Lynch film has hints of all the characteristics of the director's filmography, in particular, the body as a source of honor and repulsion and the tension between life on the margins and in the mainstream. This tension is given subtle and simple expressions, and surprising emotional power.