The Elephant Man

Certainly went out on a depressing note.

But poetic nevertheless as this was my introductory David Lynch film, and I can even pinpoint to when I saw it last. 9th grade theater class, typical substitute with an interesting twist as he himself played John Merrick for a stage play so we had a good talk about character and the film. Set amidst the dark steam filled streets of London a surgeon Frederick Treves stumbles upon a medical marvel in the sordid freakshow of a circus before integrating him in society, as the movie more or less boils down to a war of attrition between those who would see John Merrick in comfort and peace for the remainder of his days and those suffering worst from the human condition who want him back as an attraction. This probably is the least stereotypical David Lynch movie and yet undoubtedly is the most David of them all, showcasing incredible compassion, love, and respect for what many would deem weird or odd. If you're not even a slight emotional mess by end credits it's time to return your heart and get a new one, even with not really super sad scenes I was bawling, it strikes so many nerves near my heart. I attribute that a tremendous deal to the actors with of course ample appreciation for the script. Anthony Hopkins I know this role may not have seemed all that interesting to you but you deserve a lot of love for your performance, Frederick Treves is a stalwart humanitarian here with a deep sense of care that I feel is sorely lacking in this day and age, and the fact he's flat out willing to fight for John's safety is something truly special. I hold a firm hand when saying this movie would be not much special without John Hurt as Merrick, for a performance buried under rather remarkable and heavily extensive prosthetics my God the man can still do so much maybe even more than the rest of the actors, with intelligence, sterling manners, and a true appreciation for a new lease on life is a wonderful thing to see. Ample love also going to Anne Bancroft, Freddie Jones, and John Gielgud who only raise the acting ability of those around them. The pristine black & white cinematography is a work of art in and of itself, undoubtedly echoing a lot of early monster movies and I don't feel that was unintentional. John Merrick is teased slowly with buildup to the blunt and lack of fanfare reveal like the Universal Monsters, an interesting dichotomy to film a character as monstrous when he is anything but. This also extends to the opposing sides surrounding John as well, with unfathomable heart present alongside the cruellest and lowliest hate. It's a film about as mainstream as David got with a whopping 8 Academy Award nominations, but winning none. An unsung hero to all who aren't familiar with the production, Mel Brooks himself produced the film and wasn't even credited to not diminish the film as a comedy. A human story to the very last, with love, appreciation of art, and an outer shell holding hidden depths undoubtedly makes this a David Lynch film. 4 stars, 9/10, I hate endings more and more with each passing day.

The Graduate

I got a movie to sober you up real quick after Valentine's Day.

This is one of the most interesting movies ever made, and I honestly can't tell if you can categorize it as a romance movie. Oh, you can without a doubt call it a drama. It is well worthy of that title. And wait until you delve into the ending! So what's the story? Benjamin, a college graduate played by Dustin Hoffman finds himself stuck and not quite sure what to do with his life now. He soon starts an affair with his neighbor Mrs. Robinson but falls in love with her daughter. They soon start a relationship, and that is sadly where I must stop with the plot. This is a movie where you absolutely cannot spoil anything, because the story is that great. This is one of the most fascinating and realistic films about a relationship, and the acting is fantastic. It is what drives this movie into a category of one of the best films ever made. A clever use of music is used, specifically the song, Sound Of Silence by Simon & Garfunkle which might give a bit of the plot away but it has to be brought up. It's not one of those happily ever after stories but really that is one of the strongest endings in film history. Like, if you want a movie to smash the preconception that all romance films are happy go lucky, and end with the couple living happily ever after, this is the movie for you. And I really cannot stress that this is one of the most important films you ever need to watch because of it's stance on relationships. Like, The Graduate and Her are the only relationship movies you ever have to watch in your life, even if you hate romance movies like that, it is necessary to watch them. Just hear me out and watch it.

Oh, also one of my reviewers did a video focusing on the ending of The Graduate and here is the link to that: https://youtu.be/sSS7Wyi6gb8