The Elephant Man Essay Example

to represent disabled characters in diverse ways and instead rely on stereotypes. However, there are some movies that have successfully portrayed disabled characters by highlighting their unique experiences and challenges. One such film is The Elephant Man (1980), directed by David Lynch, which features a Victorian surgeon who helps a severely disfigured man. Despite being mistreated by society due to his appearance, the man's exceptional intellect and sensitivity shine through in the story, revealing what lies beneath his monstrous exterior.

The film, The Elephant Man, stars Anthony Hopkins as Dr. Frederick 'Freddie' Treves and John Hurt as Joseph Merrick 'The Elephant Man'. It was produced by Mel Brooks who selected David Lynch to direct it and secured permission for the movie to be filmed in black and white. Although Brooks is a popular satirist, he opted not to include his name in the credits so that the triumph of the film would not be diminished.

The Elephant Man depicts the life of Joseph Carey Merrick, an individual afflicted with a debilitating and irreversible condition that impeded his daily activities. He endured skin discoloration and deformities in his head and hands that rendered him virtually helpless. Despite efforts to find employment at a factory, he was mistreated by colleagues, ultimately resorting to working for a sideshow attraction where he was dubbed 'The Elephant Man' due to the excessive growth on one side of his head and his unusually large nose.

During this era, people with disabilities were considered less than human and were often put on display in freak shows. These shows featured a variety of performers including dwarfs, hags, magicians, and The Elephant Man. Wealthy individuals from higher

and middle-class backgrounds found entertainment in attending these events while lower class workers were labeled as "freaks" and treated as objects rather than humans with emotions. In the beginning of the film, the audience is shown reacting in shock as curtains rise and women leave crying. The most grotesque performer is deemed to be The Elephant Man while unsettling music adds to the atmosphere. As Dr. Frederick's wife enters the scene with her two daughters, she appears vulnerable yet protective against any harm that might come their way.

The message of tolerance for differences in the story of The Elephant Man has moved audiences, but few know that it took nearly a hundred years for doctors to accurately diagnose his medical condition. The film creates a sense of suspense and anticipation for the audience as they do not see The Elephant Man for the first ten to fifteen minutes. This builds tension and manipulates the audience into feeling like they are part of the freak show audience. However, once revealed, The Elephant Man is portrayed as a gentle and intelligent person, rather than the hideous monster that had been anticipated.

Lynch had a unique perspective on Joseph Carey Merrick's condition, which was previously thought to be elephantiasis but later identified as neurofibromatosis causing abnormal tumor growth in the nervous system. Although experts attempted to diagnose Merrick's affliction for years, it wasn't until 1996 that Amita Sharma, a radiologist at the National Institutes of Health in America, determined its cause.

Following x-rays and C.T. scans, it was revealed that Merrick suffered from Proteus Syndrome - an uncommon genetic ailment distinguished by lymphatic lesions, asymmetrical growth, and an

unusually large cranium. The movie Elephant Man was created in 1980 amidst a time of substantial industrialization in England.

During Margaret Thatcher's time as Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990, there was a notable increase in the focus on monetarism. This led to negative consequences for the manufacturing industry, but it strengthened the financial sector. Additionally, extensive construction of buildings and industries took place during this period. As a result, certain parts of England experienced high levels of pollution due to smoke and gas emissions. Because David Lynch was drawn to machinery and industrial estates initially, he found it difficult to create the desired dream-like atmosphere for Elephant Man. Nonetheless, he persevered until achieving his vision.

While searching for a suitable location to film his movie, Lynch stumbled upon an empty hospital in East London. The location felt ideal for the project. In Lynch's film, there is a deliberate absence of color. Color is known to influence mood and psychology. Hospitals, for instance, often utilize softer hues like pale blues and greens to alleviate patient anxiety.

Despite Technicolor introducing a new color film system in the early 1930s, David Lynch chose to steer clear of it for his 1980 film, Elephant Man. The movie's depressive storyline is amplified by its use of dream-like images and black and white cinematography, creating an incredibly dark atmosphere. While color films were available during the time, they often came at an additional cost and were only used for specific genres like fantasy films (e.g. Robin Hood, Wizard of Oz) where they complemented the story. From the very beginning scene of Elephant Man – the fade-in of the dream scene and the darkness

of the stomping elephants – the movie establishes a sense of darkness that carries throughout. The lighting is also used effectively to convey the mood and guide the audience's attention - such as when Anthony Hopkins approaches "The Terrible Elephant Man" in his cell, where the key light illuminates him against the dull and dark background.

Through the use of shadows, David Lynch generates suspense and conceals the face of The Elephant Man from the audience in a scene where we only witness Dr Frederick's reaction. The doctor is visibly shocked, and tears well up in his eyes. This moment is captured under lighting that originates from below, distorting Dr Frederick's appearance, a common technique in horror and film noir. As the movie is in black and white, there is a stark contrast between areas of light and dark, achieved by employing only key and backlights to produce chiaroscuro effects.

Focusing light produces a feeling of intensity or harshness, and this film belongs to the Film Noir genre, which comes from the French word for black. This type is usually linked with somber and rough tales that take place in major cities with themes of crime and mystery, and was prevalent during the late 1940s and 1950s. Lastly, sound acts as an additional feature that enhances the total cinematic experience.

In The Elephant Man, a variety of sounds are present, including the natural roars of elephants at the beginning and raucous circus music during the freak show. However, compared to Lynch's use of diegetic sounds that only involved sounds from objects or characters on screen, modern cinema features a synchronized digital soundtrack combining dialogue, music and

SFX. The absence of non-diegetic sounds, such as voiceover and background music, highlights the sound of characters on screen. One poignant scene showcases the cruel irony of The Elephant Man being portrayed as a 'creature'.

Here we witness the stark contrast between the behavior of Mr. Bytes, who is eating his supper in a very uncivilized manner, belching loudly and cooking sausages over the stove absentmindedly while obviously intoxicated, and the Elephant Man, who is quietly trying to eat a bowl of potatoes with his left hand due to his physical condition, and has to slurp on his water as he cannot drink properly. When Mr. Bytes gets up and jabs the Elephant Man with his crop after hearing a sound, Lynch highlights the difference between those who act like animals with no regard for social norms and those who suffer from deformities or illnesses despite their good nature.

During the making of this film, Lynch expressed his preference for distorted human conditions, as they make the undistorted ones stand out. This trend of featuring distorted characters is evident in popular films like Shrek (2001), where the hero is a huge, ugly ogre instead of the traditional charming prince. Even children's cartoons are challenging fairy tale stereotypes and promoting kindness and humbleness.