What representations of disability are offered in "The Elephant Man" (1980)?
"The Elephant Man" is set in 1980, in the Victorian era where circus shows containing circus 'freaks' were common. The text begins with a montage of disturbing and provocative images, coupled with pounding and eerie music creating an unnerving atmosphere connoting the horror and thriller genres. The soundtrack is mainly non-diagetic, with exceptions of Merrick's diagetic breathing to show his nervousness, further creating a sinister image of the film in the minds of the audience. Adding …
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…to as "It" and as a 'creature', but as the film progresses the perspective of Merrick changes to a respectful and empathetic response.
I feel that camera angles are not used in this film to belittle Merrick, but to show him dealing with people, and how they respond and deal with him. When in shot, he is at the front of the shot, generally always in the foreground, showing him as a normal human being.
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