i do not know why i have not posted a comment on this film before now. anyway better late than never. i have seen the elephant man over a dozen times and each time i see and feel more. john hurt and anthony hopkins are not my favourite actors, and to be honest hopkins was always brilliant till he got an oscar for one of his worst performances in the very bad silence of the lambs, here however he is perfect, as is the rest of the cast. the mood the music the look, all perfect. this film should be shown in schools all the time so that kids can grow up knowing what compassion, courage and true love are. we would be a much better society and it would be a much better world if we could live with even a fraction of the spirituality and love that is in this film