Kinoteka: Človek slon

Slovenski opis filma:

Cikel filmov Davida Lyncha Srce parajoči drugi celovečerni film kultnega ameriškega režiserja je postavljen v čas viktorijanske Anglije. Govori o življenjski poti mladeniča Josepha Merricka, ki od otroštva naprej trpi za vrsto obolenj in deformacij. Zaradi iznakaženega videza najde službo v gledališču za revne sloje, ki na atrakcijo s ponižujočim vzdevkom Človek slon gledajo z mešanico studa in sočutja. Lastnik ga pretepa in obravnava kot žival. Iz tragičnih okoliščin ga povleče zdravnik dr. Frederic Treves. Merrick je za dr. Trevesa najprej zanimiv zaradi svoje nenavadne anatomije. Zdravnik pa kmalu odkrije, da je njegov pacient v resnici občutljiv, omikan in ustvarjalen človek. Merrick postane priljubljen gost v londonski visoki družbi, toda duhovi preteklosti mu ne dajo miru. Film je posnet po resnični zgodbi Angleža Josepha Merricka, ki se je v drugi polovici 19. stoletja preživljal kot cirkuška atrakcija, nato je nekaj let prebil kot pacient v londonski bolnici, kjer so ga pogosto obiskovali pripadniki visoke družbe. Umrl je pri 27 letih. Kritiška in komercialna uspešnica režiserja Davida Lyncha je prejela osem oskarjevskih nominacij, tri nagrade bafta za najboljši film, najboljšega igralca in najboljšo scenografijo ter cezarja za najboljši tuji film. Izvirni naslov: THE ELEPHANT MAN / Britansko-ameriški film, 1980 / Režija: David Lynch / Scenarij: Christopher De Vore, Eric Bergren, David Lynch / Igrajo: Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt, Anne Bancroft

Originalni opis filma:

In Victorian London, Dr. Frederick Treves with the London Hospital comes across a circus sideshow attraction run by a man named Bytes called "The Elephant Man". In actuality, the creature on display is indeed a man, twenty-one-year-old Joseph "John" Merrick, who has several physical deformities, including an oversized and disfigured skull, and an oversized and disfigured right shoulder. Brutish Bytes, his "owner", only wants whatever he can get economically by presenting Merrick as a freak. Treves manages to bring Merrick under his care at the hospital, not without several of its own obstacles, including being questioned by those in authority since Merrick cannot be cured. Treves initially believes Bytes' assertion that mute Merrick is an imbecile, but ultimately learns that Merrick can speak and is a well-read and articulate man. As news of Merrick hits the London newspapers, he becomes a celebrated curiosity amongst London's upper class, including with Mrs. Kendal, a famed actress. Despite treated much more humanely, the question becomes whether Treves' actions are a further exploitation of Merrick. And as Merrick becomes more famous, others try to get their two-cents worth from who still remains a curiosity and a freak to most, including to Bytes, who has since lost his meal ticket.