The Elephant Man

I recently re-watched David Lynch's 'The Elephant Man' after reading a Time Out review of the Special Edition DVD. Here's an extract that discusses the film's more experimental sequences:

Revisiting the film two decades on, it's extraordinary how extreme, pervasive and bewitching Lynch's approach to the material actually is. From the suggested bestial rape which opens the film to the crippling emotional crescendo of Merrick's death scene, the film consistently utilises oblique and disturbing images and howling, thunderous non-diegetic sound. It's a testament to Lynch's skill that such elements never overpower or distract from the narrative - rather, they enhance it, creating an unpredictable and all encompassing dream landscape for Merrick's tragic journey. It's hard to name another film which marries the experimental and the expected in such a seamless, overwhelming fashion, certainly not one as publicly embraced as 'The Elephant Man'.

Here are the experimental sections of the film in full, the opening & closing montages and the terrifying dream sequence. Easily Lynch's most accessible film, these typically 'Lynchian' inserts are rendered even more powerful by the straightforward narrative that surround them and provide the stylistic link to Lynch's previous feature Eraserhead.

The Elephant Man - clip 1

The Elephant Man - clip 2

The Elephant Man - clip 3