Viewing: January 21,2025
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Cast: Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt, Anne Bancroft, John Gielgud
Join us Tuesday, January 21st at 7:00 p.m. as we kick off Let’s Do Lynch: A David Lynch Retrospective with his award-winning 1980 film The Elephant Man.
Admission $8
About the Film
Based on the true story of Joseph Merrick, The Elephant Man relates the story of a man with incredible physical deformities who lived in Victorian England during the 19th Century.
While visiting a freak show in London’s West End one night, surgeon Frederick Treves (played by Anthony Hopkins) happens upon an exhibit featuring the grossly deformed Merrick and is immediately struck with curiosity about the man. This begins a relationship between the two men that will have lasting consequences on both of their lives. Treves can tell that beneath Merrick’s crude exterior lies a pure soul with a boundless intellect, and he helps to cultivate Merrick’s senses of humanity and dignity, in addition to making inroads for Merrick in high society. However, Treves soon realizes that, regardless of his good intentions, Merrick continues to be an object of ridicule and exploitation and eventually finds himself back on the freak show circuit. With his physical condition worsening, Merrick may lose his chance to die as a man.
Nominated for 8 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, The Elephant Man is regarded highly by critics and fans. Although it is a bit more conventional than most of his other films, the beautiful black-and-white cinematography, strange subject matter, and exceptional cast make this film arguably one of the best movies of David Lynch’s career.
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