The Elephant Man – film review Essay Example

being. Due to the black and white film and lack of light, the elephant man is barely visible, augmenting his mystique and causing suspense. This sensation intensifies when Treeves begins to cry upon seeing him. The immense shock generated by his appearance and living conditions are clear. The following day, Treeves is taken by the young boy who accompanied him to Bytes, to the medical examination.

The Elephant Man is observed wearing a cloth mask that only has an eye hole while having difficulty walking and being unable to speak. The boy shares his observation about the odour coming from the Elephant Man. Even during the medical examination, the viewer remains unaware of the Elephant Man's appearance. However, Treeves provides a detailed account of the deformities to other doctors present at the examination. Treeves informs them that the Elephant Man has tumours covering 90% of his body, chronic bronchitis, a curved spine, and an enlarged head. Additionally, he expresses hope that the Elephant Man is mentally ill and does not comprehend his appearance and how others treat him.

After his examination, The Elephant Man is taken back to where Bytes keeps him. In a subsequent scene, Bytes savagely beats the elephant with a stick causing him to fall heavily to the ground while moaning and wheezing in agony. Despite pleas from a young boy for mercy, Bytes continues without remorse, highlighting the cruel treatment The Elephant Man has endured as an animal at the hands of his so-called "owner". This effectively evokes enormous sympathy for The Elephant Man from viewers thanks to the director's portrayal of his mistreatment.
Later on, that same small boy leads Treeves to The

Elephant Man’s location since he is gravely ill and requires medical attention. Treeves agrees to treat him privately in a hospital room which is when viewers finally get their first glimpse of The Elephant Man - a shocking reveal made more suspenseful by earlier buildup about his appearance. A young nurse is then instructed to bring food and blankets into the room but she remains unaware of who awaits her and what she will witness.The Elephant Man's appearance shocks a woman so much that she drops her food and screams. This scene highlights how people react to him, initially portrayed as a monster by the director. However, as the film progresses, he is humanized for audience sympathy. The perspective of the film shifts after this moment. Subsequently, the hospital janitor is introduced.

During the scene, the protagonist informs the elephant man that he plans to exploit him by charging individuals money to see him. This elicits a sense of empathy for the elephant man as it invokes memories of his time in the circus, where he was viewed as an animal and onlookers ogled at him. Furthermore, this scene instills a feeling of contempt towards the janitor who appears to be indifferent towards others. Shortly after, we witness a pivotal moment between Treeves and the elephant man, where Treeves attempts to teach him how to speak. This serves as a means for the director to humanize John Merrick. Treeves gradually enables John to articulate his name, marking another milestone in his journey from monster to human being. The director uses camera techniques to emphasize this transformation, such as panning up to show John's cloth mask hanging

on the wall, no longer necessary as he is now safe from ridicule. When the hospital director visits the following day, John struggles to communicate due to nerves.

During their discussion, the director asks Treeves if he had scripted the conversation and prompted John's responses. Despite Treeves' denial, Carr Gomm remains skeptical and decides to transfer John to a hospital for incurables, where he can receive proper care. As they talk, John suddenly begins reciting a poem from a book, prompting Treeves and Gomm to rush back into the room. Throughout this poignant scene, dramatic music swells in the background, creating a sense of pride among viewers as they witness John's intelligence and articulate speech. Despite his differences, John is acutely aware of how he is perceived by others and has learned to endure the hardships that come with being viewed as "different" his whole life.

The janitor brings in drunk people who paid him to see John in his room, scaring him despite being treated well by Treeves and others. This showcases the treatment of John as a circus freak. John meets Treeves and his wife at their house for tea and breaks down, revealing that he has never been treated kindly by a beautiful woman before. He also shows them a picture of his mother and remarks that he must have been a disappointment to her. Treeves' wife begins to cry, empathizing with John's difficult life, creating more sympathy for him.

The following day, John's creativity is showcased as he constructs a model of the church visible from his window. He inquires of Treeves if there's a chance for a remedy for his abnormalities,

but is left with melancholy when Treeves expresses helplessness. As word of 'The Elephant Man's' residency at the hospital spreads through London, a distinguished actress expresses desire to encounter John and become acquainted with him due to his intriguing nature. The two convene, and she presents him with a personalized photograph and a copy of Romeo and Juliet.

During the reading of a scene from the book, John plays Romeo to an actress's Juliet. Upon being kissed by Juliet, John is told that he is not the Elephant Man, but instead he is Romeo. This overwhelms him with the kindness of those around him. This newfound attention from others leads to more visitors coming to see him. Despite this, John remains pleasant and maintains gentlemanly behavior to all who visit. The head nurse becomes concerned about the situation, believing that John is still part of a freak show albeit with more professional visitors due to its newfound trendiness. Treeves, however, disagrees and tells her that the enjoyment they share with their company is what matters most. Nevertheless, he conceals his own doubts about whether or not John is still merely being paraded around like before.

The next scene in the story reveals a disturbing dream depicting John's past working in a dangerous workhouse. As a result, Treeves is haunted by his curiosity about John and questions whether he is good or bad, breaking down in front of his wife due to his concern for him. Despite this internal struggle, Treeves' care for John exemplifies his goodness. Finally, the hospital committee debates whether to allow John to stay permanently with most members opposing until the Princess of

Wales arrives with a telegram from the queen thanking them for their kindness towards John.

At the princess's request for "the right thing," the committee held a unanimous vote to allow John to permanently stay at the hospital and move to a more suitable room. However, later on, while in his new room, John is visited by a drunk party of people led by the janitor, including Bytes. They toss him around like an animal and force him to drink alcohol while making him look at himself in the mirror. Eerie circus music is playing in the background, emphasizing that John is still in the circus, being used and abused like an object. After everyone else leaves, Bytes remains in the room and talks to John as he tries to recover from the abuse he suffered.The film's unique structure juxtaposes scenes where John is treated both humanely and cruelly. This approach raises the question of whether John can ever truly feel happy and safe in his own home. Despite expecting to be the most secure there, he is often vulnerable to abuse from those around him. When Treeves discovers the next morning that John is missing, he frantically searches for him, questioning the head nurse and janitor. Another care taker informs Treeves about what happened the previous night. The doctor confronts the janitor about John's whereabouts and resents the possibility of failing him due to his sincere concern for John's well-being.

Bytes has brought John back to his circus, which has relocated to Belgium. John is treated as a freak once again, and while performing, he falls to the ground, prompting Bytes to poke him with a

stick. The audience walks out in disgust. Ignoring John's illness, Bytes locks him in a cage beside some monkeys. John's situation is a profound contrast from when he was happiest just days prior. Being caged alongside animals symbolizes how others have treated him like an animal. The other performers decide to rescue John from the cage and take him back to England.

Having returned to England, John dons his old cloth mask once again. However, he is chased by a gang of boys who mock him. In his attempt to escape, he accidentally runs into a young girl which draws even more attention, including the police. Eventually, the group corners him and in the midst of his frustration, his mask falls off. He cries out passionately to them, proclaiming "I am not an animal! I am a human being!"

.Am...

The film's main tagline is "A Man!" and is prominently displayed on the movie poster. The director's message is to treat everyone equally, even those who are deformed or labeled as freaks. Later on, John is found and returned to the hospital where he reunites with Treeves. Unfortunately, John's condition has deteriorated and he is now dying.

John's long-held desire of seeing a play at the theatre is finally fulfilled when he is invited by a renowned actress. In a touching gesture, she dedicates the performance to him, which earns him a standing ovation from the audience. Although seemingly happy and fulfilled, one can't help but wonder if John knew that it was time for him to pass away due to his past experiences of abuse and unhappiness. The final scene of the film is poignant and

symbolic as John tragically suffocates to death while attempting to sleep in a normal position. The emotional impact of this scene is further heightened by the background music playing - Adagio for Strings.

The film concludes with a faded scene followed by one last dream sequence featuring John's mother stating "No one ever dies". This statement holds true as John was unique and will always be remembered as different from others. This powerful last scene of John's death evokes strong emotions in the viewer. Overall, the film was exceptionally well-directed and acted, with all characters playing their parts remarkably, particularly Hurt who portrayed Merrick with genuine emotion and dedication despite heavy make-up throughout the film. His depiction of Merrick was so convincing that it was hard to believe he wasn't actually 'The Elephant Man'.
Despite the availability of color filming for decades, the decision to shoot this film in black and white was a brave choice that paid off. The director made the right decision as this approach preserved the film's dark undertones. The use of black and white proved especially effective in conveying the sad scenes in the movie, making them more poignant through their bluntness and colorless tone.

The film generates a plethora of emoticons, prompting contemplation about how to respectfully treat individuals with disabilities and avoid discriminatory behavior. The ultimate purpose of the film is to question who the true freaks are: those in the sideshows or those who attend them? It condemns the Victorian era's fascination with the freak shows while also challenging contemporary society's views on discrimination towards those with disabilities or different races. Despite improvements in treating individuals better than the

Victorians, who allowed freak shows, we still exhibit discrimination towards those who differ from our norm.