Awards
Biographical drama
The Elephant Man (1980): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
The Elephant Man is a 1980 biographical drama directed by David Lynch, starring John Hurt, Anthony Hopkins and John Gielgud. It runs 2 hours 4 minutes and earned $26 million worldwide. It won 3 awards from 20 nominations, among them 8 Oscar nominations. Critics gave it 78 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.1/10.
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- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 4m (124 min)
- Director
- David Lynch
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Paramount Pictures
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
The story
What Is The Elephant Man About?
The premise of The Elephant Man without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
John Merrick endures a life of isolation due to severe physical deformities. Exploited and mistreated, he finds an unexpected advocate in surgeon Frederick Treves, who sees beyond Merrick’s appearance and recognizes his inherent dignity. Treves attempts to provide Merrick with a more humane existence, but struggles against the pervasive cruelty and prejudice of Victorian society. The story explores themes of compassion, acceptance, and the definition of humanity itself, challenging viewers to confront their own biases.
The Elephant Man Themes & Keywords
· 27 tags- joseph merrick
- psychotronic film
- filmed play
- disease
- male female relationship
- surgery
- social injustice
- doctor patient relationship
- human exploitation
- sideshow
- neurofibromatosis
- misfit
+15 more Show fewer
- medical profession
- freak
- disfigurement
- dignity
- compassion
- 1800s
- doctor
- prejudice
- 1880s
- princess
- london england
- actress
- hospital
- based on play
- remake
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Cast & crew
The Elephant Man Cast
John Hurt leads the cast, with Anthony Hopkins and John Gielgud. Directed by David Lynch; 10 actors are credited in all.
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Director David Lynch
Also Starring in The Elephant Man
· 6 more Ratings
The Elephant Man Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave The Elephant Man 78 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.1/10.
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IMDb 7.1 /10
See on IMDb -
Metacritic 78 Metascore
User score 8.7
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 80% User score
See on TMDB
Plot
The Elephant Man Plot Summary
What happens in The Elephant Man from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
The cinematic odyssey begins on a remote African island, where a tragic meeting between wild elephants and John Merrick’s mother sets in motion a profoundly moving story of isolation and redemption. As Merrick’s mother meets her untimely end, the cries of baby John resonate through the air, inadvertently summoning a ghostly parade of lifeless elephants.
Fast forward to Victorian-era London, where Frederick Treves, a kindhearted surgeon at the renowned London Hospital, discovers Merrick, a captivating yet tormented soul trapped in a grim freak show located in the East End. The malevolent ringmaster, Mr. Bytes, treats Merrick barbarically, exploiting his physical deformities and cognitive challenges for his own profit. Moved by Merrick’s dire situation, Treves negotiates with Bytes, securing Merrick’s liberation and bringing him to the hospital for a detailed examination.
Full summary
The whole story of The Elephant Man, scene by scene
Box office
The Elephant Man Box Office
The Elephant Man grossed $26 million worldwide. $26 million came from the US and Canada and $14,189 (0%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$26M
- US & Canada
- $26M
- International
- $14.2K
US & Canada 100%
Rest of the world 0%
Awards
The Elephant Man Awards & Nominations
The Elephant Man won 3 awards from 20 nominations, among them 8 Oscar nominations. Its biggest night was the BAFTA 1981, with 3 wins from 7 nominations.
3 wins20 nominations4 ceremonies
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BAFTA 1981 3 wins · 7 nominations- Won Best Actor in a Leading Role – John Hurt
- Won Best Film – Jonathan Sanger
- Won Best Production Design
- Nominated Best Cinematography
- Nominated Best Direction – David Lynch
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Oscars 1981 8 nominations- Nominated Actor in a Leading Role – John Hurt
- Nominated Art Direction
- Nominated Best Picture
- Nominated Costume Design
- Nominated Directing – David Lynch
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Golden Globes 1981 4 nominations- Nominated Best Director – David Lynch
- Nominated Best Motion Picture – Drama
- Nominated Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Drama (Actor) – John Hurt
- Nominated Best Screenplay
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DGA Awards 1981 1 nomination- Nominated Feature Film – David Lynch
Videos
The Elephant Man Trailers & Videos
10 videos: 2 trailers, 4 clips and 4 featurettes.
- Trailer Official 40th Anniversary Restoration Trailer
- Clip First 10 Minutes [4K Remastered]
- Clip Reveal
- Clip Clip
Quiz
How Well Do You Know The Elephant Man?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What tragic event sets the story in motion for John Merrick?
Details
The Elephant Man Also Known As
27 alternative titles, including “L'homme éléphant” and “Sloní muz”.
- Also known as
-
- L'homme éléphant
- Sloní muz
- 엘리펀트 맨
- Elefantmannen
- El hombre elefante
- Փիղ Մարդը
- Der Elefantenmensch
- O Homem Elefante
- Человек-слон
- 象人
- エレファント・マン
- Sloní muž
+15 more Show fewer
- Człowiek słoń
- Ο Άνθρωπος Ελέφαντας
- Az elefántember
- Fil Adam
- Elefantmanden
- Omul elefant
- איש הפיל
- Людина-слон
- Човекът-слон
- Elefanttimies
- L’home elefant, ადამიანი-სპილო
- Drambliažmogis
- مرد فیلنما
- มนุษย์ช้าง
- Elevantmees
Seen The Elephant Man?
More like this
Movies Like The Elephant Man
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Being Different, Water for Elephants and Elephant Walk.
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Being Different 1981 -
Water for Elephants 2011 -
Elephant Walk 1954 -
The Elephant Whisperers 2022 -
Attenborough and the Giant Elephant 2017 -
One Lucky Elephant 2011 -
I’m an Elephant, Madame 1969 -
The Elephant Queen 2019 -
The Physician 2014 -
The Elephant in the Living Room 2011 -
Ecco 1963 -
The Beast in the Jungle 2019
From the blog
Articles About The Elephant Man
2 articles about The Elephant Man. The latest: “Exploring Documentary Films: The Power of Real-Life Storytelling”.
FAQ
The Elephant Man FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of The Elephant Man, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Elephant Man?
The Elephant Man runs 2 hours 4 minutes (124 minutes).
When was The Elephant Man released?
The Elephant Man was released on October 10, 1980.
Who directed The Elephant Man?
The Elephant Man was directed by David Lynch.
More films by David Lynch Who is in the cast of The Elephant Man?
The Elephant Man stars John Hurt, Anthony Hopkins and John Gielgud, among 10 credited actors.
How much did The Elephant Man make at the box office?
The Elephant Man grossed $26 million worldwide ($26 million domestic, $14,189 international).
How is The Elephant Man rated?
The Elephant Man has 7.1/10 on IMDb, 78 on Metacritic and 80% on TMDB.
What awards did The Elephant Man win?
The Elephant Man won 3 awards from 20 nominations, including Best Actor in a Leading Role at the BAFTA 1981.
Does The Elephant Man have a post-credit scene?
No. The Elephant Man has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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