MovieChat Forums > The Elephant Man (1980) Discussion > this movie terrified me as a child

this movie terrified me as a child

posted 10 years ago by LeWildPlatypus
2 replies | jump to latest

I know it sounds insensitive to say that, but as a kid (I must've been around 6 or 7) I viewed this as a horror movie, I guess I couldn't understand the context, Joseph Merrick was a nice man despite his disfigured appearance. But everytime I watched it, I hid behind the pillows, the bag he wears on his head used to terrify me too. Particularly the VHS cover artwork, with his hand reaching out *shudder*. They marketed it as a horror flick!

To this very day I still find it hard to watch the movie even though I know I think it's an exceptional movie.

Something about 70's/80's make-up that disturbs me, same goes for Sloth in the Goonies and The Witches.

"im beautiful your not" - me
"you're* [angry]" - you

[–] tthomaslew76-234-269609 9 years ago

No one will admit it, because it isn't politically correct but this movie terrified the hell out of a lotta children! Myself included, but now it's just a dark brilliant film to me.

[–] UCFKnightInKC 9 years ago

It scared me as an 8 year old. At 8 I couldn't stand to look at him. Now, as a 44 year old man it doesn't bother me at all, as a matter of fact I feel sorry for the character, because he was just trying to be a normal human being, and people just wouldn't let it happen.