(David Lynch, 1980, USA, 124 minutes)

The Elephant Man, director David Lynch’s second feature film, made three years after his breakthrough, Eraserhead, began to make audiences aware of just how much range this promising young talent had. Nominated for eight Oscars, including Lynch for Best Director and the film for Best Picture, The Elephant Man is based on the true story, set in Victorian England, of surgeon Frederick Treves (Anthony Hopkins) and his discovery of the physically deformed John Merrick (John Hurt) in a circus sideshow. Subsequently, Treves takes an interest in Merrick’s welfare and comes to learn of his interior life and interests.