The Elephant Man
“A true story of courage and human dignity.”
Synopsis
A Victorian surgeon rescues a heavily disfigured man being mistreated by his "owner" as a side-show freak. Behind his monstrous façade, there is revealed a person of great intelligence and sensitivity.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Official 40th Anniversary Restoration TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2020-01-22
Top Cast
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Anthony Hopkins
Frederick Treves
John Hurt
John Merrick
Anne Bancroft
Mrs Kendal
John Gielgud
Carr Gomm
Wendy Hiller
Mothershead
Freddie Jones
Bytes
Michael Elphick
Night Porter
Hannah Gordon
Mrs Treves
Helen Ryan
Princess Alex
John Standing
Fox
Dexter Fletcher
Bytes' Boy
Lesley Dunlop
Nora
Phoebe Nicholls
Merrick's Mother
Pat Gorman
Fairground Bobby
Claire Davenport
Fat Lady
Orla Pederson
Skeleton Man
Patsy Smart
Distraught Woman
Frederick Treves
Alderman
Release History & Theatrical Window
Beijing International Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
October 10, 1980
Wide Cinema Exhibition
September 29, 2020
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$5M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$26M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
5.2x
+$21M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- David Lynch
- Screenplay & Story
- David Lynch, Christopher De Vore, Eric Bergren
- Original Score
- John Morris
- Original Title
- The Elephant Man
- Country of Origin
- United States of America, United Kingdom
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 4m
- Production Budget
- $5M
- Worldwide Gross
- $26M
- Production Studios
- Brooksfilms, EMI Films
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
David Lynch
David Lynch, Christopher De Vore, Eric Bergren, Ashley Montagu, Frederick Treves
John Morris
Freddie Francis
Anne V. Coates
Jonathan Sanger, Stuart Cornfeld
Department Leadership Roster
David Lynch
Director
David Lynch
Screenplay
John Morris
Original Music Composer
Freddie Francis
Director of Photography
Anne V. Coates
Editor
Stuart Craig
Production Design
Patricia Norris
Costume Design
Jonathan Sanger
Producer
Christopher De Vore
Screenplay
Eric Bergren
Screenplay
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG: Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
International Certification Matrix
Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
12 Accompanied — Under 12s must be accompanied by an adult.
Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Elephant Man.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Elephant Man.
North American Cinema
Auto-generated by festival-lists — do not edit by hand.
Movie Collection
FILMS
英国电影学院奖最佳影片
BAFTA Award for Best Film 英国电影学院奖（BAFTA）历届最佳影片。 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:43:09 UTC+8)*
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1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (All editions 2003-2024). A cumulative list including films subsequently removed in later editions. Totaling 1,260 films as of Nov 2024. 《1001部死前必看的电影》（2003-2024 全版本累积版）： 包含自2003年首版至2024年11月德语版修订的所有影片。即使在后期版本中被剔除的电影也予以保留。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#019] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#418] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:40:36 UTC+8)*
Letterboxd's Top 500 Films
Letterboxd's Top 500 Films. Ranks narrative feature films by average member rating (minimum 25,000 ratings). Excludes documentaries, shorts, and TV series. Letterboxd 官方 Top 500 电影榜单： 根据用户平均评分排名的剧情长片（最低2.5万评价门槛）。已排除纪录片、短片及剧集。 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:35:27 UTC+8)*
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Elephant Man
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Elephant Man about?
A Victorian surgeon rescues a heavily disfigured man being mistreated by his "owner" as a side-show freak. Behind his monstrous façade, there is revealed a person of great intelligence and sensitivity.
Who directed The Elephant Man?
The Elephant Man was directed by David Lynch.
Who stars in The Elephant Man?
The principal cast of The Elephant Man includes Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt, Anne Bancroft, John Gielgud, Wendy Hiller.
When was The Elephant Man released and how long is it?
The Elephant Man was released in 1980 with a total runtime of 2h 4m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Elephant Man?
The Elephant Man had a reported production budget of $5M and grossed $26M at the worldwide box office (5.2 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for The Elephant Man?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Elephant Man was composed by John Morris.
Is The Elephant Man based on a book or true story?
The Elephant Man is adapted from the following source material: Book: "Ashley Montagu", Book: "Frederick Treves".
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Elephant Man?
The Elephant Man holds official age classifications: AU: M (Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.); CA: 14A; DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); FR: TP; GB: 12A (12 Accompanied — Under 12s must be accompanied by an adult.); US: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.).