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Making The Elephant Man: A Producer's Memoir
[The true story of John Merrick has captured the imagination of generations of audiences, critics, actors, and filmmakers.
- GenresFilm
208 pages, Paperback
Published October 21, 2016
198 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
November 10, 2016
A Producer’s-Eye-View Into the Making a Classic Film
If you’ve ever wondered how much work goes into making a movie, Jonathan Sanger’s book Making the Elephant Man: a Producer’s Memoir has the answers. But more than a work log, this moving memoir is a detailed account of the era that produced the movie The Elephant Man, and Sanger’s up close and personal working relationships with the likes of Mel Brooks, Sir Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt, and Anne Bancroft, among other greats in film.
Sanger’s memoir starts off with his dream of making it as a producer some day. Recently graduated from the Director’s Guild, with two young children, he has found some success in television with shows such as Eight is Enough and The Blue Knight when his children’s babysitter asks him to read a script her boyfriend wrote. He agrees, then tosses it on his desk and forgets about it for several months as he continues with his busy life. When he remembers it and picks it up to read it, he can’t put it down.
Sanger calls in the scripts unknown writers, Christopher DeVore and Eric Bergren, and thus begins the awesome journey of making The Elephant Man movie. In touching memories, Sanger tells the reader why this story reverberates with him and his own childhood, and makes us feel the deep empathy that this story produces in so many. The Elephant Man was the name given to Joseph Merrick, a terribly deformed man born in 1862, who was first exhibited at a “freak show,” but ended up at the London Hospital, where he developed a close relationship with one of his doctors.
Sanger’s writing is mesmerizing as he takes us deep inside the film industry. We go along for the ride when he first mentions the idea of making this film to Mel Brooks, picks up the young director David Lynch, and travels to London to create the film. The reader feels Sanger’s emotions: his nerves about what could go wrong, his triumphs about what is going right, the delicate dance of working with actors and actresses, and even adapting to the cultural differences of filming in London.
“If I had known then what I know now, I might have abandoned the efforts in its nascent stage,” says Sanger at the end of his book. “But I’ve come to see that the most rewarding experiences of my career have been those where I was moved by my personal belief that a story deserved telling.”
There are many problems along the way, such as figuring out how to do the complex make-up required for the Elephant Man himself. Then the studio advertises for “freaks” as fill-ins, and there’s a societal protest at the use of the word “freaks” and the maligning of individuals, which Sanger did not intend. As it is, he and Lynch travel out to a home to meet some “Siamese Twins” which they expect to be actual people, and instead turn out to be specimens in a jar. And just as filming is going well, an off-Broadway version of the same story becomes a hit. Competition is in the air.
But through it all, finally, the film is made and becomes a winner. Sanger himself gets Best Picture at the BAFTA awards and the successes are many.
This memoir is more than a book about making a film. It’s about the tireless, nitty-gritty work that goes into making a dream a reality, about not giving up even when the going gets tough, and about what it takes, sometimes, to really do the thing you love. Readers will enjoy the many photographs along the way, and “getting to know” the greats in the industry as they read and see the world of filmmaking through the eyes of a professional movie producer. There’s a “where they are now” at the end of the book, and a pictorial storyboard of the movie that I really enjoyed.
Sanger gives us a story of hope and motivation in his memoir, and a detailed making of a movie classic. More than a memoir, this story is a timeless piece of American filmmaking at its best.
If you’ve ever wondered how much work goes into making a movie, Jonathan Sanger’s book Making the Elephant Man: a Producer’s Memoir has the answers. But more than a work log, this moving memoir is a detailed account of the era that produced the movie The Elephant Man, and Sanger’s up close and personal working relationships with the likes of Mel Brooks, Sir Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt, and Anne Bancroft, among other greats in film.
Sanger’s memoir starts off with his dream of making it as a producer some day. Recently graduated from the Director’s Guild, with two young children, he has found some success in television with shows such as Eight is Enough and The Blue Knight when his children’s babysitter asks him to read a script her boyfriend wrote. He agrees, then tosses it on his desk and forgets about it for several months as he continues with his busy life. When he remembers it and picks it up to read it, he can’t put it down.
Sanger calls in the scripts unknown writers, Christopher DeVore and Eric Bergren, and thus begins the awesome journey of making The Elephant Man movie. In touching memories, Sanger tells the reader why this story reverberates with him and his own childhood, and makes us feel the deep empathy that this story produces in so many. The Elephant Man was the name given to Joseph Merrick, a terribly deformed man born in 1862, who was first exhibited at a “freak show,” but ended up at the London Hospital, where he developed a close relationship with one of his doctors.
Sanger’s writing is mesmerizing as he takes us deep inside the film industry. We go along for the ride when he first mentions the idea of making this film to Mel Brooks, picks up the young director David Lynch, and travels to London to create the film. The reader feels Sanger’s emotions: his nerves about what could go wrong, his triumphs about what is going right, the delicate dance of working with actors and actresses, and even adapting to the cultural differences of filming in London.
“If I had known then what I know now, I might have abandoned the efforts in its nascent stage,” says Sanger at the end of his book. “But I’ve come to see that the most rewarding experiences of my career have been those where I was moved by my personal belief that a story deserved telling.”
There are many problems along the way, such as figuring out how to do the complex make-up required for the Elephant Man himself. Then the studio advertises for “freaks” as fill-ins, and there’s a societal protest at the use of the word “freaks” and the maligning of individuals, which Sanger did not intend. As it is, he and Lynch travel out to a home to meet some “Siamese Twins” which they expect to be actual people, and instead turn out to be specimens in a jar. And just as filming is going well, an off-Broadway version of the same story becomes a hit. Competition is in the air.
But through it all, finally, the film is made and becomes a winner. Sanger himself gets Best Picture at the BAFTA awards and the successes are many.
This memoir is more than a book about making a film. It’s about the tireless, nitty-gritty work that goes into making a dream a reality, about not giving up even when the going gets tough, and about what it takes, sometimes, to really do the thing you love. Readers will enjoy the many photographs along the way, and “getting to know” the greats in the industry as they read and see the world of filmmaking through the eyes of a professional movie producer. There’s a “where they are now” at the end of the book, and a pictorial storyboard of the movie that I really enjoyed.
Sanger gives us a story of hope and motivation in his memoir, and a detailed making of a movie classic. More than a memoir, this story is a timeless piece of American filmmaking at its best.
February 4, 2017
Making The Elephant Man - how a man ridiculed in life is transformed into a Box Office legend
Who cannot remember watching the award winning film called The Elephant Man, and, if they are truthful, the horrific fascination, and strong emotions it evoked? This is quite simply an incredible film which chronicles the life and experiences of John (Joseph) Merrick, cruelly labelled ‘The Elephant Man’ because of deformities which started to materialise at about 5 years of age, and which he had to live with throughout his short life.
Written by the producer, Jonathon Sanger, this book tells the story of how this film, the first he ever produced, came to be.
From the moment he first read the script Jonathon immediately felt strongly that it was a story which had to be told on screen. With the backing of Mel Brooks who helped finance the film through his new company Brooksfilms, The Elephant Man got the green light and the search for production staff and actors began.
Jonathon’s enthusiasm for this story was infectious, and with the creative and artistic talents of David Lynch as Director, it is fascinating to discover how the film was shot and how they came to cast so many famous actors, and talented artists.
Anyone who has seen it cannot fail to be moved by it. Unusually, for the time it was filmed in black and white, which dramatically adds to the atmosphere. I can imagine anyone interested in the film industry will be fascinated to reading how, through diligent searching and an eye for detail, Jonathon and David managed to find the cobbled streets, and hospital buildings, needed as sets, and learn how with special clever photography they ensured the perfect ambience needed to recreate Victorian London at that time.
Jonathon has, throughout this book been extremely frank about the relationships between production staff, cast members, actors, and crew, in the making and filming of The Elephant Man which is refreshing, and this honesty gives the reader and any would-be member of the industry a glimpse into what life in this line of work is really like.
The impact of this film continues however, past its premier, in that not only has it received many awards, but it has also affected how people perceive disability, and has helped organisations which work with people suffering from disabilities.
Since this, his first production, Jonathon Sanger has produced and directed many films, and also given other film professionals the chance to direct their own films through the Chanticleer Film company.
The testament to this film, and why this book was written has been summed up by the man himself, as he says in the preface, when asked what his most challenging accomplishment had been as a film producer, “it was my first film as ‘producer, The Elephant Man, that set the bar high enough that I felt I could accomplish anything.” After reading this statement, who could resist such an amazing story?
Who cannot remember watching the award winning film called The Elephant Man, and, if they are truthful, the horrific fascination, and strong emotions it evoked? This is quite simply an incredible film which chronicles the life and experiences of John (Joseph) Merrick, cruelly labelled ‘The Elephant Man’ because of deformities which started to materialise at about 5 years of age, and which he had to live with throughout his short life.
Written by the producer, Jonathon Sanger, this book tells the story of how this film, the first he ever produced, came to be.
From the moment he first read the script Jonathon immediately felt strongly that it was a story which had to be told on screen. With the backing of Mel Brooks who helped finance the film through his new company Brooksfilms, The Elephant Man got the green light and the search for production staff and actors began.
Jonathon’s enthusiasm for this story was infectious, and with the creative and artistic talents of David Lynch as Director, it is fascinating to discover how the film was shot and how they came to cast so many famous actors, and talented artists.
Anyone who has seen it cannot fail to be moved by it. Unusually, for the time it was filmed in black and white, which dramatically adds to the atmosphere. I can imagine anyone interested in the film industry will be fascinated to reading how, through diligent searching and an eye for detail, Jonathon and David managed to find the cobbled streets, and hospital buildings, needed as sets, and learn how with special clever photography they ensured the perfect ambience needed to recreate Victorian London at that time.
Jonathon has, throughout this book been extremely frank about the relationships between production staff, cast members, actors, and crew, in the making and filming of The Elephant Man which is refreshing, and this honesty gives the reader and any would-be member of the industry a glimpse into what life in this line of work is really like.
The impact of this film continues however, past its premier, in that not only has it received many awards, but it has also affected how people perceive disability, and has helped organisations which work with people suffering from disabilities.
Since this, his first production, Jonathon Sanger has produced and directed many films, and also given other film professionals the chance to direct their own films through the Chanticleer Film company.
The testament to this film, and why this book was written has been summed up by the man himself, as he says in the preface, when asked what his most challenging accomplishment had been as a film producer, “it was my first film as ‘producer, The Elephant Man, that set the bar high enough that I felt I could accomplish anything.” After reading this statement, who could resist such an amazing story?
December 31, 2016
I suggest fans of the movie watch it again then read the book. It'll be fresh and top of mind. That's what I did and it was even more enjoyable.
The book is rich with behind the scenes activities. I was fascinated by the details of the financial deals with actors, set designers, the movie distributors, and the producer/author Jonathan Sanger himself. Even the private, behind closed doors meetings regarding the musical score were revealed.
Serendipity played a big role too. The script was handed to Sanger by the babysitter of his children. It was set aside for months before he picked up to read... out of a sense of obligation.
If you are a fan of the movie The Elephant Man or have any interest in film or how movies are made you'll find this book of particular interest. Film schools would be well advised to add this book to their list of 'must reads' for all aspiring film students.
Highly Recommend.
The book is rich with behind the scenes activities. I was fascinated by the details of the financial deals with actors, set designers, the movie distributors, and the producer/author Jonathan Sanger himself. Even the private, behind closed doors meetings regarding the musical score were revealed.
Serendipity played a big role too. The script was handed to Sanger by the babysitter of his children. It was set aside for months before he picked up to read... out of a sense of obligation.
If you are a fan of the movie The Elephant Man or have any interest in film or how movies are made you'll find this book of particular interest. Film schools would be well advised to add this book to their list of 'must reads' for all aspiring film students.
Highly Recommend.
January 7, 2017
Making The Elephant Man, A Producer's Memoir
by Jonathan Sanger
The story of The Elephant Man, John Merrick, is well known, and remains famous long after the film was nominated for eight Oscars in 1980. The Elephant Man was a man found living in a freak show in London in Victorian England. Seriously deformed (primarily by neurofibromatosis, a condition unknown at the time), he was taken under the wing of a doctor who began to realize he was not only a freak, but a man with a beautiful spirit. The story is true.
Jonathan Sanger made the film for love, but each person he involved in the making of it joined in, completely enthralled by the feeling of the script and the story. The script had been discovered by Mr. Sanger two years after a babysitter had left it with him. Written by Eric Bergen and Chris Devore, it instantly drew him to it. Once he had Mel Brooks on board, he choose little known director David Lynch to add to the scrip and to direct.
Although the film was initially brought to life in California, it was shot and wrapped in Great Britain.
Jonathan Sanger lived in London for a year working on The Elephant Man, with his team.
The book discusses the fascinating way that actual Victorian streets were used for some of the shots.
The photographer was able to provide just the sort of atmosphere Mr. Sanger and Lynch wanted. The editor, hand picked by Sanger, made sure the dailies were perfect as well.
Some of the people this great producer discusses in this fascinating memoir include director David Lynch, Mel Brooks (uncredited executive producer), John Hurt as John Merrick, Anthony Hopkins, Anne Bancroft, John Gielgud, and Wendy Hiller.
The trials and the frustrations of making The Elephant Man are addressed frankly (I would love to share the make up story with you but I won't--it's too unbelievable! You must read it for yourself!).
However, more than the hardships are the magnificent heights this memoir of making The Elephant Man rises to. Mr. Sanger, who oversaw all aspects of production from start to finish (including music and costumes) shows the viewer how noble we can be if we choose to be. He teaches the reader why and how looking up at the stars and feeling the magic of the everyday world are something we all should be grateful for.
If you read this book, make sure you go back and buy or rent The Elephant Man. It is one of the most beautiful films ever made. After you read Making The Elephant Man, A Producer's Memoir, by Jonathan Sanger, you will clearly see why.
by Jonathan Sanger
The story of The Elephant Man, John Merrick, is well known, and remains famous long after the film was nominated for eight Oscars in 1980. The Elephant Man was a man found living in a freak show in London in Victorian England. Seriously deformed (primarily by neurofibromatosis, a condition unknown at the time), he was taken under the wing of a doctor who began to realize he was not only a freak, but a man with a beautiful spirit. The story is true.
Jonathan Sanger made the film for love, but each person he involved in the making of it joined in, completely enthralled by the feeling of the script and the story. The script had been discovered by Mr. Sanger two years after a babysitter had left it with him. Written by Eric Bergen and Chris Devore, it instantly drew him to it. Once he had Mel Brooks on board, he choose little known director David Lynch to add to the scrip and to direct.
Although the film was initially brought to life in California, it was shot and wrapped in Great Britain.
Jonathan Sanger lived in London for a year working on The Elephant Man, with his team.
The book discusses the fascinating way that actual Victorian streets were used for some of the shots.
The photographer was able to provide just the sort of atmosphere Mr. Sanger and Lynch wanted. The editor, hand picked by Sanger, made sure the dailies were perfect as well.
Some of the people this great producer discusses in this fascinating memoir include director David Lynch, Mel Brooks (uncredited executive producer), John Hurt as John Merrick, Anthony Hopkins, Anne Bancroft, John Gielgud, and Wendy Hiller.
The trials and the frustrations of making The Elephant Man are addressed frankly (I would love to share the make up story with you but I won't--it's too unbelievable! You must read it for yourself!).
However, more than the hardships are the magnificent heights this memoir of making The Elephant Man rises to. Mr. Sanger, who oversaw all aspects of production from start to finish (including music and costumes) shows the viewer how noble we can be if we choose to be. He teaches the reader why and how looking up at the stars and feeling the magic of the everyday world are something we all should be grateful for.
If you read this book, make sure you go back and buy or rent The Elephant Man. It is one of the most beautiful films ever made. After you read Making The Elephant Man, A Producer's Memoir, by Jonathan Sanger, you will clearly see why.
April 19, 2019
The only reason this got four stars and not five was because the author alluded to living to regret some things and never explaining why he regretted it, or the outcome of why he regretted it wasn’t a big deal after all.
October 3, 2017
Really enjoyed this. Well written and informative.
January 24, 2020
I would truly give this 4.5 stars. This movie is such a classic and I remember when I was little, hearing my Dad talking about it. Loved reading about how it all got started. Interesting read!
January 13, 2021
Making the Elephant Man has so much bang for buck/page, covering three fascinating topics in one go: 1) Joseph Merrick's condition 2) how films were made in late 70s 3) David Lynch's working style. Highly recommended, together with CAA and Lynch bios.
March 3, 2025
A very interesting book dealing with the making of the film.He made a major mistake in allowing Lunch to design the make-up for John Hurt.He nearly caused the filming to have to be out on hold.
July 20, 2025
Very much worth reading, Sanger is a good storyteller, though it’s definitely a first-person, one-perspective type of movie exclusively about his role (which was instrumental).
January 11, 2022
Jonathan Sanger has a sharp memory and I'm glad he took the time to document all this. There's a lot of behind the scenes anecdotes in here I never heard before.
I didn't know that Verity Lambert had suggested John Hurt for the role and gave Sanger a video screener copy of the Naked Civil Servant.
Only drawback - it's too short ! Would love to have read even more and more in-depth tales of the production.
I didn't know that Verity Lambert had suggested John Hurt for the role and gave Sanger a video screener copy of the Naked Civil Servant.
Only drawback - it's too short ! Would love to have read even more and more in-depth tales of the production.
October 17, 2016
There is a dance that all producers learn when your studio executives tell you they are coming to the set.’
New York and Los Angeles author Jonathan Sanger is a man of substance: a man who takes chances, heeding the echo of his heart and mind to face risks and reflect on an important presence in cinema. He is an Academy Award winning producer, film, theater and television producer and director, media advisor, and entertainment financial consultant, and has lead initiatives in every sector of the entertainment industry. His writing has appeared in magazines, newspapers, encyclopedias and filmmaking handbooks, but nowhere is his life’s work better shared than in this important memoir that details the creation and history of the great film THE ELEPHANT MAN.
Few members of a film audience appreciate the intricacies of the myriad aspects of making a film – from encountering a written idea with cinematic potential, to placing the idea in the hands of a gifted director, the role of being a producer, finding funding, a cast of actors, set and costume designers, cinematographer, the excitement coupled with angst as the film is brought to life, the editing, scoring, presentation to the media and ultimately the public. Jonathan Sanger knows and shares this rich adventure in a memoir that reads more like an exciting novel than the detailed journey of making a film.
But Jonathan takes his nidus of an idea - his experience as the producer of THE ELEPHANT MAN – and opens a discussion on the evolution of cinema that is as strong as any professional class on cinema. He states this best at the beginning of the book: ‘This is the story of my first film. It also marked the early stages of some of the most iconic careers in cinema to this present day, as well as the reviving of older careers to new and unexpected heights. It is the story of a project that was on the cusp of the development of the ancillary markets that are the currency of all independent films since. It also marked the growing value of internationalism in motion picture distribution. Another, perhaps less recognized aspect of the story, is the combination of luck, timing, inspiration, and sheer talent that allowed such a small miracle to be produced and, in fact, must occur each and every time a story like this emerges from the page… a case study in the development, funding, and production of this movie as well as a view into the marketing, release and subsequent entry into that small subset of movies that become iconic in the popular culture.’
Jonathan ‘discovered’ a script written by ‘unknown’s Christopher DeVore and Eric Bergren finding ‘it was exactly the kind of story I would want to make, a historical biography about a wretched soul who had nonetheless lived an extraordinary life’ - the true story of 19th century grossly deformed John Merrick, known as the Elephant man working in a sideshow in London who was treated by a kind Dr. Treves. The memoir takes us by elegant prose and many black and white photographs through the presentation to Mel Brooks who helped propel the young Jonathan’s project into the hands of famous director David Lynch, the details of finding the proper crew, the cast (John Hurt, Anthony Hopkins, Sir John Gielgud, Wendy Hiller, Anne Bancroft), the location, the anxieties of meeting deadlines, the technical hurdles of creating a film about such a character, struggling with the fact that a theatrical version surfaced at the same time as a possible competitor for the public’s attention – struggles at every turn. Even the final showing of the completed film to an audience of professionals whose silence terrified Jonathan until he learned the silence was due to the emotional impact of the story – an unspoken Bravo!
The film went on to be a winner of many awards (including Best Picture for Jonathan Sanders at the BAFTA awards), eight Oscar nomination and numerous other international awards. It is a story of a commitment to a significant concept that succeeded and began a successful career for Jonathan Sanger.
A Memoir such as this (closing with an Appendix – A Pictorial Storyboard of The Elephant Man followed by chapter notes) is not only a brilliant documentary of the evolution of a great film by a young producer new to the game of film production, but it is also a powerful story of bonding among those who devote their lives to the arts, willing to ride that psychological rollercoaster such a choice demands. Jonathan Sanger cares enough about our appreciation for the art of cinema to detail his entry into this special world of creativity. It is a major achievement of importance.
New York and Los Angeles author Jonathan Sanger is a man of substance: a man who takes chances, heeding the echo of his heart and mind to face risks and reflect on an important presence in cinema. He is an Academy Award winning producer, film, theater and television producer and director, media advisor, and entertainment financial consultant, and has lead initiatives in every sector of the entertainment industry. His writing has appeared in magazines, newspapers, encyclopedias and filmmaking handbooks, but nowhere is his life’s work better shared than in this important memoir that details the creation and history of the great film THE ELEPHANT MAN.
Few members of a film audience appreciate the intricacies of the myriad aspects of making a film – from encountering a written idea with cinematic potential, to placing the idea in the hands of a gifted director, the role of being a producer, finding funding, a cast of actors, set and costume designers, cinematographer, the excitement coupled with angst as the film is brought to life, the editing, scoring, presentation to the media and ultimately the public. Jonathan Sanger knows and shares this rich adventure in a memoir that reads more like an exciting novel than the detailed journey of making a film.
But Jonathan takes his nidus of an idea - his experience as the producer of THE ELEPHANT MAN – and opens a discussion on the evolution of cinema that is as strong as any professional class on cinema. He states this best at the beginning of the book: ‘This is the story of my first film. It also marked the early stages of some of the most iconic careers in cinema to this present day, as well as the reviving of older careers to new and unexpected heights. It is the story of a project that was on the cusp of the development of the ancillary markets that are the currency of all independent films since. It also marked the growing value of internationalism in motion picture distribution. Another, perhaps less recognized aspect of the story, is the combination of luck, timing, inspiration, and sheer talent that allowed such a small miracle to be produced and, in fact, must occur each and every time a story like this emerges from the page… a case study in the development, funding, and production of this movie as well as a view into the marketing, release and subsequent entry into that small subset of movies that become iconic in the popular culture.’
Jonathan ‘discovered’ a script written by ‘unknown’s Christopher DeVore and Eric Bergren finding ‘it was exactly the kind of story I would want to make, a historical biography about a wretched soul who had nonetheless lived an extraordinary life’ - the true story of 19th century grossly deformed John Merrick, known as the Elephant man working in a sideshow in London who was treated by a kind Dr. Treves. The memoir takes us by elegant prose and many black and white photographs through the presentation to Mel Brooks who helped propel the young Jonathan’s project into the hands of famous director David Lynch, the details of finding the proper crew, the cast (John Hurt, Anthony Hopkins, Sir John Gielgud, Wendy Hiller, Anne Bancroft), the location, the anxieties of meeting deadlines, the technical hurdles of creating a film about such a character, struggling with the fact that a theatrical version surfaced at the same time as a possible competitor for the public’s attention – struggles at every turn. Even the final showing of the completed film to an audience of professionals whose silence terrified Jonathan until he learned the silence was due to the emotional impact of the story – an unspoken Bravo!
The film went on to be a winner of many awards (including Best Picture for Jonathan Sanders at the BAFTA awards), eight Oscar nomination and numerous other international awards. It is a story of a commitment to a significant concept that succeeded and began a successful career for Jonathan Sanger.
A Memoir such as this (closing with an Appendix – A Pictorial Storyboard of The Elephant Man followed by chapter notes) is not only a brilliant documentary of the evolution of a great film by a young producer new to the game of film production, but it is also a powerful story of bonding among those who devote their lives to the arts, willing to ride that psychological rollercoaster such a choice demands. Jonathan Sanger cares enough about our appreciation for the art of cinema to detail his entry into this special world of creativity. It is a major achievement of importance.
November 19, 2016
In 1980 Jonathan Sanger produced The Elephant Man, a film about a severely deformed man who lived in London, England in the late 19th century. The film was directed by David Lynch and starred John Hurt, Anthony Hopkins, Anne Bancroft, John Gielgud, Wendy Hiller, Michael Elphick, Hannah Gordon and Freddie Jones.
The script was brought to Sanger's attention via his babysitter who had asked him as a favor if he would be willing to read her boyfriend's script. Apparently, her boyfriend and his friend had been working on their first screenplay and they would appreciate some feedback. Sanger at the time was involved in various projects and had forgotten all about the it until three months later when he noticed it on his desk. Embarrassed that he never had read the script, he decided it was better late than never and straightaway began its reading.
The story engaged him and he was even surprised at the fluency of its writing by rookie writers who had just graduated from film school. After some research, he discovered that the script had been based on an original book authored by a physician, Frederick Treves in London, England who had a patient named John Merrick, known as the Elephant Man and who was afflicted with a horrendous disease.
After reading the script, Sanger immediately contacted his babysitter, who had since moved on, and requested a meeting with her boyfriend and his friend to discuss the script. At the time, Sanger was an assistant director and a production manager and he was very interested in producing the script into a movie, although he had no experience as a producer.
Although, he had the script under option, he didn't have the slightest idea what to do with it, however, he was employed by Mel Brooks in putting together a team to make the film Fatso. When Brooks read the script of The Elephant Man, he contacted Sanger and agreed to come on board to make the picture in London. It would be financed by his company Brooksfilms, a company owned by Brooks, and as the old expression goes, the rest is history.
The film went on to become a critical and commercial success with eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Actor. After receiving widespread criticism for failing to honor the film's make-up effects, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was prompted to create the Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling the following year. The film also won the BAFTA Awards for Best Film, Best Actor and Best Production Design and was nominated for Golden Globe awards. It also won a French Cesar Award for Best Foreign Film.
In Making the Elephant Man: A Producer's Memoir Sanger provides a rich case study of his initial exploration into the world of film and more particularly into the world of independent film making. And as he states: “It is independently financed, non-studio beauties that make up the world of real film storytelling today.”
The real value of the memoir is its extensive and detailed documented revelations concerning the development, funding, and production of a film as well as a study concerning the marketing, release and subsequent entry into the small subset of movies that become iconic in popular culture. If you want to read about the “nitty gritty” of putting together a film, this book is a must read. It is not only a story about Sanger's first film, but it also marked the early stages of some of the most celebrated careers in cinema as well as a revival of older careers to new and unexpected heights.
And what makes it even more fascinating, and as Sanger points out in the Preface, that during the process of putting together the movie he had kept a detailed journal of the process and many of the incidents as well as conversations among the various participants which are included verbatim.
As an added bonus, the book contains in its Appendix: A Pictorial Storyboard of The Elephant Man containing several photos of important scenes and there is also a very comprehensive list of chapter notes relating to every chapter as well as a brief bibliography.
Follow Here goo.gl/QCeTz3 To Read Norm's Interesting Interview with Jonathan Sanger
The script was brought to Sanger's attention via his babysitter who had asked him as a favor if he would be willing to read her boyfriend's script. Apparently, her boyfriend and his friend had been working on their first screenplay and they would appreciate some feedback. Sanger at the time was involved in various projects and had forgotten all about the it until three months later when he noticed it on his desk. Embarrassed that he never had read the script, he decided it was better late than never and straightaway began its reading.
The story engaged him and he was even surprised at the fluency of its writing by rookie writers who had just graduated from film school. After some research, he discovered that the script had been based on an original book authored by a physician, Frederick Treves in London, England who had a patient named John Merrick, known as the Elephant Man and who was afflicted with a horrendous disease.
After reading the script, Sanger immediately contacted his babysitter, who had since moved on, and requested a meeting with her boyfriend and his friend to discuss the script. At the time, Sanger was an assistant director and a production manager and he was very interested in producing the script into a movie, although he had no experience as a producer.
Although, he had the script under option, he didn't have the slightest idea what to do with it, however, he was employed by Mel Brooks in putting together a team to make the film Fatso. When Brooks read the script of The Elephant Man, he contacted Sanger and agreed to come on board to make the picture in London. It would be financed by his company Brooksfilms, a company owned by Brooks, and as the old expression goes, the rest is history.
The film went on to become a critical and commercial success with eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Actor. After receiving widespread criticism for failing to honor the film's make-up effects, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was prompted to create the Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling the following year. The film also won the BAFTA Awards for Best Film, Best Actor and Best Production Design and was nominated for Golden Globe awards. It also won a French Cesar Award for Best Foreign Film.
In Making the Elephant Man: A Producer's Memoir Sanger provides a rich case study of his initial exploration into the world of film and more particularly into the world of independent film making. And as he states: “It is independently financed, non-studio beauties that make up the world of real film storytelling today.”
The real value of the memoir is its extensive and detailed documented revelations concerning the development, funding, and production of a film as well as a study concerning the marketing, release and subsequent entry into the small subset of movies that become iconic in popular culture. If you want to read about the “nitty gritty” of putting together a film, this book is a must read. It is not only a story about Sanger's first film, but it also marked the early stages of some of the most celebrated careers in cinema as well as a revival of older careers to new and unexpected heights.
And what makes it even more fascinating, and as Sanger points out in the Preface, that during the process of putting together the movie he had kept a detailed journal of the process and many of the incidents as well as conversations among the various participants which are included verbatim.
As an added bonus, the book contains in its Appendix: A Pictorial Storyboard of The Elephant Man containing several photos of important scenes and there is also a very comprehensive list of chapter notes relating to every chapter as well as a brief bibliography.
Follow Here goo.gl/QCeTz3 To Read Norm's Interesting Interview with Jonathan Sanger
January 9, 2017
I will not be informing you of the technical details that this book covers.For me it was a very informative and emotional surprise.
I was expecting a bit of dry reading but found myself fascinated. Sanger knows how to write a story, this book is the story of how he produced a movie. I did not know it when I first started this book but discovered to my delight that part of the movie was shot in Portobello road. I was born and lived for the first six years of my life in the early 60's on the corner of Faraday and Portobello road. The Portobello road market was a regular in our family's life, so the story brought back memories for me. I was also pleasantly surprised when a secondary school friend of mine was one of the only bit players to be mentioned in the book. Pauline Quirk who went on to make quite a name for herself as a British actress was a good friend of mine during the early 70's at Islington Green school in east London and was 16 years old when she played her part in the Elephant man movie, again a surprise mention in the story that I was not expecting.
Getting to know the actors and the characters that they played in the movie was a real treat. Learning how Jonathan dealt with each challenge, the differing personalities and the physical/material problems of location and sets was quite an eye opener. I don't think many people spend much time wondering how movies are actually made nor about how much work and time are actually spent before a movie can be released.
Reading this book motivated me to watch the movie and I saw it with very open eyes. I caught myself paying far closer attention to the location, music, individual characters etc than I would normally do. Somehow it all seems different when you know how it was made, who the actors are as working people not just as actors and what they all had to go through and deal with to make the movie.
Jonathan manages to pull all of the details of producing a movie into a very interesting and informative story.
For me, there was a little more emotional pull in this book than for most but it is a very compelling story that makes you want to continue reading it and makes you root for Jonathan to be able to succeed in his endeavor to produce his first movie.
Well done Mr Sanger for a very interesting highly detailed story of the making of a great movie.
I was expecting a bit of dry reading but found myself fascinated. Sanger knows how to write a story, this book is the story of how he produced a movie. I did not know it when I first started this book but discovered to my delight that part of the movie was shot in Portobello road. I was born and lived for the first six years of my life in the early 60's on the corner of Faraday and Portobello road. The Portobello road market was a regular in our family's life, so the story brought back memories for me. I was also pleasantly surprised when a secondary school friend of mine was one of the only bit players to be mentioned in the book. Pauline Quirk who went on to make quite a name for herself as a British actress was a good friend of mine during the early 70's at Islington Green school in east London and was 16 years old when she played her part in the Elephant man movie, again a surprise mention in the story that I was not expecting.
Getting to know the actors and the characters that they played in the movie was a real treat. Learning how Jonathan dealt with each challenge, the differing personalities and the physical/material problems of location and sets was quite an eye opener. I don't think many people spend much time wondering how movies are actually made nor about how much work and time are actually spent before a movie can be released.
Reading this book motivated me to watch the movie and I saw it with very open eyes. I caught myself paying far closer attention to the location, music, individual characters etc than I would normally do. Somehow it all seems different when you know how it was made, who the actors are as working people not just as actors and what they all had to go through and deal with to make the movie.
Jonathan manages to pull all of the details of producing a movie into a very interesting and informative story.
For me, there was a little more emotional pull in this book than for most but it is a very compelling story that makes you want to continue reading it and makes you root for Jonathan to be able to succeed in his endeavor to produce his first movie.
Well done Mr Sanger for a very interesting highly detailed story of the making of a great movie.
January 2, 2017
Sanger was the first recipient of the screenplay of what was to become “The Elephant Man” from two unknown writers and proceeded to shop it around until it was sold and made into the critically acclaimed movie. Sanger also worked as a producer on the film and this is his first-person account of those events. Since there have been many “The Making of . . . “ style memoirs, this story is both unique as well as repetitious.
It is unique in the sense that it is about how a specific movie was created, yet it has many features in common with similar chronicles. The search for interest from people that could green light and finance the project, selecting the director, choosing other production people and determining the cast are part of the making of every movie. In the telling of these features there is nothing revelatory in the sense that it snaps the reader to attention.
The most interesting parts are those describing the life of John Merrick, commonly known as the Elephant Man due to his extremely disfigured body. His was a life of suffering until he encountered a kindly doctor and other medical personnel that recognized that Merrick was not an imbecile. Often treated as a circus freak, Merrick generally lived a joyless life and his story is one that will quicken your heart with the strings of sympathy.
If you have seen the movie or are interested in behind-the-scenes Hollywood action, then you will likely find this book interesting. The story is told in what is very much a systematic repeating of the events will little embellishment. There are no temper tantrums or other wild and crazy action so often attributed to entertainment personalities, just the basic autobiography of a fascinating movie.
It is unique in the sense that it is about how a specific movie was created, yet it has many features in common with similar chronicles. The search for interest from people that could green light and finance the project, selecting the director, choosing other production people and determining the cast are part of the making of every movie. In the telling of these features there is nothing revelatory in the sense that it snaps the reader to attention.
The most interesting parts are those describing the life of John Merrick, commonly known as the Elephant Man due to his extremely disfigured body. His was a life of suffering until he encountered a kindly doctor and other medical personnel that recognized that Merrick was not an imbecile. Often treated as a circus freak, Merrick generally lived a joyless life and his story is one that will quicken your heart with the strings of sympathy.
If you have seen the movie or are interested in behind-the-scenes Hollywood action, then you will likely find this book interesting. The story is told in what is very much a systematic repeating of the events will little embellishment. There are no temper tantrums or other wild and crazy action so often attributed to entertainment personalities, just the basic autobiography of a fascinating movie.
February 5, 2017
Luck plays its part when the author of a script is friends with the producer’s babysitter. Skill plays its part when the written page captivates and enthralls the man who will bring it to the screen. Knowing the right people helps a lot—choosing the right people, giving the right people freedom to make their own choices… making friends, being ready to forgive and try again, staying loyal, being kind… together all these skills combine to make a wonderful movie and an intriguing book. In Jonathan Sanger’s memoir, these skills come together to inform, inspire and entertain the reader in a tale that’s enjoyably readable and accompanied by well-chosen photos from the movie and from behind the scenes.
Making the Elephant Man invites readers into and behind the film set, telling the story from concept to completion, and including a wealth of fascinating facts, vignettes of well-known characters, information about filming method, the tasks of producers and directors, the making of masks, and even the choice of which scene should be filmed how and when. I really enjoyed the insight into a world I shall never know. But I also enjoyed the sense that these lessons could be applied elsewhere in any creative endeavor. As an English American, I loved the contrasts between our countries too. Now I want to watch the film again!
Disclosure: I was given a copy by a marketing company and I offer my honest review.
Making the Elephant Man invites readers into and behind the film set, telling the story from concept to completion, and including a wealth of fascinating facts, vignettes of well-known characters, information about filming method, the tasks of producers and directors, the making of masks, and even the choice of which scene should be filmed how and when. I really enjoyed the insight into a world I shall never know. But I also enjoyed the sense that these lessons could be applied elsewhere in any creative endeavor. As an English American, I loved the contrasts between our countries too. Now I want to watch the film again!
Disclosure: I was given a copy by a marketing company and I offer my honest review.
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