Even if John Hurt has never made another film he would still have proven himself one of the greatest actors ever seen on the big screen. Nobody could ever better his performance. I've seen the film several times and cried like a baby every single time. His performance is so delicate and just truly heartbreaking. I doubt I could ever watch it again. It just breaks my heart. RIP John and Joseph. Two truly unforgettable human beings.
my mother cried watching it. really sobbing almost. I was 13 when I walked in on her watching it on tv in 1982. I was already a Lynch fan and had seen it twice. She apologized for crying in front of me. I said, it’s ok, it’s a good movie, I understand .
To everyone upset our late John was unable to win an oscar for this role- John ended up winning a BAFTA, which is basically a british oscar. John being british.. it probably meant more to him.
David Lynch, who directed Hurt in this movie, said of him, " simply the greatest actor in the world. " I've been a fan of his for years, from A Man for All Seasons, 10 Rillington Place, I, Claudius and of course, Alien. A mellifluous voice and a consummate actor, much admired by his peers.
One of the most phenomenal performances ever.....I can't believe John never received a Bafta or an Oscar.... just breathtaking. I wept bucketloads. God bless John Hurt and Joseph Merrick 💔
It doesn't matter who wins an Oscar. The status of an actor isn't defined by whether he earns an award or not. Orson Welles, Richard Burton, Peter O'toole, Kirk Douglas, Cary Grant etc, never won one.
Dude I love him so much. The part where he says there’s a dignity to him…. There’s a specific dignity to every role he’s ever portrayed. This dude was immense.
It’s a true classic. A haunting and heartbreaking film that will Mark you forever after one viewing. When the world ends they will save this film as a document of mans humanity and how the arts made our world a better place.
John will be missed always, outstanding actor, he played the part amazingly well as all the roles he had been given. Oscar or no oscar, it will always be one of my favourite films and he will always be one of my favourite actors :))
He deserved an Oscar for his performance as well as De Niro did...but there were quite a few excellent performances that year (ex Peter O'Toole in "Stunt Man"). But either this film or "Raging Bull" could/should have won for best cinematography, regardless of the their being in B&W!
Oscar means nothing - Let us not forget Halle Berry (don't laugh) beat the legend that is Sissy Spacek.... yes, Halle Berry beat Sissy Spacek... thats how meaningful the Oscars are.
Great film. So sad at the end tho... And John Hurt is brilliant in it. I first saw him in "Midnight Express" and I made a point to remember his name. Genius.
IT HAD TO BE A CHALLENGE FOR THE PHYSICIANS treating Joseph Merrick because no one had his type of disease before. I feel so bad for Merrick. What he had to put up with people treating g him like an animal.
his character was really the key to the movie. How many people live lives that almost purely sado-masochistic… how difficult it would be to emerge from that dynamic into something healthy at all
Great interview with a great man, but what on earth was that non-stop motor noise going on behind him? I'm listening on headphones and it's very distracting!
This should've won Best Picture. Freddie Jones' performance was better than both Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep (who won for Best Actor and Actress) combined
Actually it was Robert De Niro and Sissy Spacek that won Best Actor and Actress that year. It was the year before that Dustin Hoffman won Best Actor and Meryl Streep won Best Supporting Actress
His was a supporting role...they were ALL deserving of any acting honors, so nobody was robbed. This is exactly why Hoffman mentioned why he was not a fan of the Oscars & that he believed acting is not a competition when he won. He doesn't believe he was "better" than any of the nominees
It's all been said but as one of John's "biggest fans" - HE SHOULD HAVE HAD A DAMNED OSCAR, BAFTA- I've heard twits say, "it's just a costume, a disguise as John says. B.S. I have been a movie extra, ended up on the cutting room floor thankfully, 4 bad films- well one was a "blockbuster" one of the superhero "epics" which bore me! It's VERY HARD, EVEN RUNNING DOWN THE STREET, SCREAMING, with a CAMERA in your face! Or wearing winter clothes in 90 degree heat, treading around the fake snow, self consciously trying to be "normal"- I gained EVEN MORE RESPECT FOR ACTORS- try it - I recommend to any young people, if there's a small, local film company go see as they say- Tim Roth another terrific actor got his start as a "passerby"- the rest is history...I must give more than a nod to the great David Lynch too- Jimmy Stewart from Mars!!!! How I miss John....I had a doctor who looked a bit like him, my physical problem, migraines got worse! Lacked that voice though- I love John's voice...Namaste
Commissioner James Gordon from Batman? Yeah. The comic version was inspired by Teddy Roosevelt who was once the Commissioner of Police in New York (whose nicknames include Gotham).
Watching John's portrayal of the Elephant man tears my heart out. I vowed I would never watch that movie again due to its profound sadness. It's the ultimate bullying movie that makes the movie Carrie seem gentle spirited by comparison. A haunting and magnificent performance by John Hurt.
