The story of a gentle deformed or disfigured misunderstood hero is not unique (think Quasimodo, the dude from Mask, the Phantom of the Opera, Carrot Top) but few films capture the tragedy better than The Elephant Man.
David Lynch's classic film shows tonight at the Bryn Mawr Film Institute and is thankfully a movie from the '80s that doesn't feel dated. The grainy, black-and-white film is at its best on a large screen, seen by a theater full of appreciative movie buffs. Throughout the film, Lynch makes great, Hitchcockian use of light and shadows, and shows a restrained and thoughtful side of a director who nowadays is known more for being over-the-top weird than subtle. Mulholland Drive this is not (did anyone get that movie?), so no need to take a pen and paper into the theater with you to keep track of what's happening and who's who.
The show starts at 7:30 and is free for students. This one's definitely worth the trip out to the 'burbs!
