A richly textured and moving period piece given depth by the tempered
vision of David Lynch. The luscious black and white camerawork
perfectly frames the achingly sensitive portrayals of Anthony
Hopkins and John Hurt as doctor and patient respectively. Hurt as John
Merrick - the elephant man of the title - is a revelation, never stymied
by the layers of latex that cover his face. Lynch allows just enough of
his poetic imagery to infuse a mystical quality to the character's
framing, but also reveals a sensitivity to character and emotion. A
truly moving examination of human alienation.
