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The Elephant Man, a review by Antares

The Elephant Man





Year: 1980
Film Studio: Paramount Pictures, BrooksFilms Productions
Genre: Drama, Classic
Length: 124 Min.

Director
David Lynch (1946)

Writing
Christopher De Vore...Screenplay
Eric Bergren...Screenplay
David Lynch (1946)...Screenplay
Sir Frederick Treves (1853)...Book "The Elephant Man And Other Reminiscences"
Ashley Montagu (1905)...Book "The Elephant Man: A Study In Human Dignity"

Producer
Stuart Cornfeld
Jonathan Sanger

Cinematographer
Freddie Francis (1917)

Music
John Morris (1926)...Composer

Stars
Anthony Hopkins (1937) as Frederick Treves
John Hurt (1940) as John Merrick
Anne Bancroft (1931) as Mrs. Kendal
John Gielgud (1904) as Carr Gomm
Wendy Hiller (1912) as Mothershead
Freddie Jones (1927) as Bytes
Michael Elphick (1946) as Night Porter
Hannah Gordon (1941) as Mrs. Treves

ReviewThe Elephant Man, I knew that the following weekend I would be sitting somewhere in a darkened theater. As the film ended, I along with the other patrons in the movie hall, sat emotionally drained from witnessing the cruelties inflicted upon this man. Mother Nature had dealt a cruel hand to John (Joseph) Merrick, born with a debilitating genetic combination of Proteus syndrome and neurofibromatosis type I, as the most poignant moment in the film. But for me, it is in the scene with Mrs. Kendal (Anne Bancroft) when she comments on the cardboard cathedral he has created, that is the most touching. As he imparts to her that he must rely upon his imagination to finish the structure, as he can only view the spire from his window, a sense of finality comes across his face as he understands that he is a prisoner of his physical appearance and destined to live a separate and sheltered life.

       Many film lovers have debated whether or not this film should have won the Best Picture Oscar for 1980. Up against Raging Bull and , it would eventually lose to Ordinary PeopleThe Elephant ManRatings Criterion
5 Stars - The pinnacle of film perfection and excellence.

(From The Elephant Man (1980) on February 19th, 2010)

The Haunting in Connecticut, a review by RossRoy

WHAT THEY SAY

Based on a chilling true story, The Haunting in Connecticut charts one family's terrifying, real-life encounter with the dark forces of the supernatural. When the Campbell family moves to upstate Connecticut, they soon learn that their charming Victorian home has a disturbing history: not only was the house a transformed funeral parlor where inconceivable acts occurred, but the owner's clairvoyant son Jonah served as a demonic messenger, providing a gateway for spiritual entities to crossover. Now unspeakable terror awaits, when Jonah, the boy who communicated with the powerful dark forces of the supernatural, returns to unleash a new kind of horror on the innocent and unsuspecting family.

MY THOUGHTS

RATING:

(From RossRoy's Random Viewings on January 9th, 2010)

Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Marathon, a review by addicted2dvd

9. Season's Greedings (12/4/94)
God Rest Ye, Greedy Gentlemen. A fired, embittered toy maker devises a sinister toy that turns Metropolis's generous citizens into childish, gasping gift-grubbers just in time for Christmas.

My Thoughts:
Now this is a very good Christmas episode. Not only does it have a fun story... I really laghed at the gang acting like greedy children. But there is a load of familiar faces in it as well. There is Dick Van Patten who runs the orphanage. Denise Richards as a love intrest for Jimmy. And of course Isabelle Sanford and & Sherman Hemsley as the toy maker and his assistant.



10. Metallo (1/1/95)
Scientists turn Lucy Lane's new boyfriend, a loses with a rap sheet, into a cyborg criminal. This looks like a job for Superman - except the cyborg is powered by Kryptonite!

My Thoughts:
Hmmm... what did I think of Metallo? It was good... but not great. While entertaining it really was pretty average. If I am not mistaken... they got a different actress here to play Lios' sister Lucy in this episode.



11. Chi of Steel (1/22/95)
Superman, master of martial arts.A mysterious Chi warrior steals Perry White's life savings, which leads Lois and Clark into a confrontation with a corporation that exploits Chinese immigrants.

My Thoughts:
Another good but not great episode. Pretty standard stuff. It was fun seeing a little martial arts thrown into the mix.




(From Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Marathon on July 22nd, 2009)