The Elephant Man (1980)
In one of the greatest Oscar travesties, there was no category honoring outstanding makeup until the year after the incredible makeup used on John Hurt in The Elephant Man. They couldn’t have added the category in time, could they? I’ve always found it grossly unfair, a pattern repeated from when they added the category of Special Effects the year after The Good Earth and The Hurricane were released.
This incredibly heavy drama was nominated for eight Oscars and didn’t take home any gold. When you watch it, you’ll scratch your head wondering how that’s possible. John Hurt’s heartbreaking performance, his dedicated and sensitive doctor, Anthony Hopkins, the beautiful period costumes and thoughtful black-and-white art direction, couldn’t have been better. Even Anne Bancroft is wonderful, and she’s only onscreen for ten minutes or so. But perhaps it wasn’t the right time. Perhaps audiences leaving ten years of the wild 1970s craved a bit of angst before they settled into a historical drama. If you think you can handle this, go out and rent it. You’ll be rewarded, but you need to go into it knowing it’s upsetting.
Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to adult content, I wouldn’t let my kids watch it.
More Anne Bancroft movies here!
This incredibly heavy drama was nominated for eight Oscars and didn’t take home any gold. When you watch it, you’ll scratch your head wondering how that’s possible. John Hurt’s heartbreaking performance, his dedicated and sensitive doctor, Anthony Hopkins, the beautiful period costumes and thoughtful black-and-white art direction, couldn’t have been better. Even Anne Bancroft is wonderful, and she’s only onscreen for ten minutes or so. But perhaps it wasn’t the right time. Perhaps audiences leaving ten years of the wild 1970s craved a bit of angst before they settled into a historical drama. If you think you can handle this, go out and rent it. You’ll be rewarded, but you need to go into it knowing it’s upsetting.
Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to adult content, I wouldn’t let my kids watch it.
More Anne Bancroft movies here!