David Lynch
The Elephant Man

Nowadays, perhaps more than ever, horror movies are all the rage. The audience is in search of strong emotions, a way to test themselves, to see if they have "guts." Every new horror movie wants to go beyond its predecessor (I remember when the revolution "The Grudge" was announced, followed by all the "More terrifying than The Grudge" sequels...). The average viewer seeks gore, wants to see human entrails spill out, craves the most realistic terror possible.

But then, why are so many people afraid to face "The Elephant Man"? Why do many who have seen it wander the streets talking about the distress of this work, and its absolute unmanageability? I'll tell you why. Because there is nothing more terrifying than raw reality.

The story of John Merrick is truly unique: born with severe deformities of the skull and spine due to a rare disease. He was the victim of many misfortunes, including being showcased in a circus freak show, where he was said to be the son of a woman crushed by a large elephant. His owner mistreated him until surgeon Frederick Treves took him in to examine him and assigned him a hospital room.

Lynch also accepted this challenge. After crafting a carefully detailed plastic mask, his team brought to life a very similar replica of the subject in question, whose role was then given to John Hurt, whose performance is noteworthy. The role of the surgeon was entrusted to Anthony Hopkins, who was perfectly suited to the part. He immerses himself perfectly in the role of Treves, which is evident from the scene where his face is shown in astonishment at the first sight of Merrick (the way his tears fall is more real than reality itself). Moreover, he has the challenging task of portraying the only person who truly cares for John, almost like a father, which he achieves fully.

But undoubtedly, beyond the story, the most astonishing aspect of the film is the direction. Every meticulous choice Lynch made contributes to making "The Elephant Man" a true masterpiece. Starting with the choice of the crisp "black and white", which is exceptionally fitting for this drama; I greatly admired the way the scenes transitioned, with fade-outs to black and corresponding openings on the next scene; another brilliant choice was the gradual approach to John Merrick's figure, first showing only an indistinct shadow, gradually bringing him more and more into the light until seeing the protagonist in full light becomes more than normal; music is almost absent, except in some key scenes where a soundtrack is necessary (for example, the assault of the paying curious in John's room, where the drama reaches an extremely high level). Every other scene makes a strong impact on the viewer's soul, every sweet detail brings you closer to tears, up to the last two scenes: the moment when the theater applauds Merrick is touching to say the least, but in the scene where he decides to die, sleeping like any other person (as he was actually unable to lie supine without suffocating), it's impossible to hold back tears. Even during my second viewing, I couldn't. Anyone who doesn't feel these emotions in front of the finale is not human.

"People are afraid of what they don't understand": perhaps this phrase, spoken by the protagonist, could summarize the entire film, which aims to reverse roles, asserting that the real animal is the one who cannot find in Merrick a sensitive and very brave man. His heart-wrenching cry at the station truly unforgettable: "I am not an animal, I am a human being!"

"The Elephant Man" is the story of a man afflicted by much pain, but who, with Treves' help, died in peace; he told the surgeon that every minute of his life was happy because he knew he was loved. In death, he reunited with the memory of his deceased (and beautiful) mother, whose eyes open and close the film. Absolutely unmissable, essential to forget about yourself for a moment and reflect a bit also on those who truly suffer.