THE ELEPHANT MAN

In Victorian London, Dr. Frederick Treves with the London Hospital comes across a circus sideshow attraction run by a man named Bytes called "The Elephant Man". In actuality, the creature on display is indeed a man, 21-year-old Joseph "John" Merrick, who has several physical deformities, including an oversized and disfigured skull, and an oversized, disfigured right shoulder. Brutish Bytes, his "owner", only wants whatever he can get economically by presenting Merrick as a freak. Treves manages to bring Merrick under his care at the hospital, not without several of its own obstacles, including being questioned by those in authority since Merrick cannot be cured. Treves initially believes Bytes' assertion that mute Merrick is an imbecile, but ultimately learns that Merrick can speak and is a well-read and articulate man. As news of Merrick hits the London newspapers, he becomes a celebrated curiosity among London's upper class, including famed actress Mrs. Kendal. Merrick is being treated much more humanely, but are Treves' actions a further exploitation of him? And as he becomes more famous, others try to get their two-cents'-worth from him; he remains a curiosity and a freak to most, including Bytes, who has since lost his meal ticket.



The version we are screening is the fully restored 4K edition, originally released as part of the film's 40th Anniversary Collector's Edition.

You may also like the following events from Hawaii Theatre Center:

• Next Thursday, 29th May, 07:00 pm, MISS HAWAII 2025 in Honolulu
• Next month, 3rd June, 08:00 pm, An Evening with Tommy Emmanuel in Honolulu
• Next month, 10th June, 06:00 pm, Movie Premiere: Out In Paradise in Honolulu

Also check out other Nonprofit events in Honolulu, Workshops in Honolulu, Arts events in Honolulu.