David Lynch followed the surrealist oddness of Eraserhead with something unexpected: a stately biopic. That film was 1980’s The Elephant Man, based on the life of Englishman Joseph Merrick, a severely deformed man who was displayed in a sideshow act in 19th century London before coming under the care of a kindly but ambitious surgeon.

Merrick becomes a high society sensation, even socializing with members of the royal family, but continues to face ridicule and abuse.

Lynch directed the film (and reworked the script) after earning the praise of Mel Brooks, who owned the rights. Brooks, a big fan of Eraserhead, withheld his name from the production credits so the film wouldn’t be confused for a comedy.

While The Elephant Man seems more like Oscar bait than an art film, it’s not hard to guess what drew Lynch to the material. He is fascinated by the bizarre, by the things that leave most people uncomfortable. He’s a perfect fit for a movie about a beautiful monster.

The film does have surrealist touches, such as bookend visions of Merrick’s mother amid a herd of elephants, but it is also remarkably restrained. We don’t fully see Merrick until nearly halfway through the movie. Before that, he is hidden behind a curtain or obscured by shadows. John Hurt (buried beneath groundbreaking prosthetics) brings quiet dignity to his performance as Merrick, and Anthony Hopkins is typically refined as the surgeon.

The film’s gorgeous black and white photography and poignant orchestral score give it an art film sheen that proved irresistible to critics and awards bodies.

The Elephant Man was nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Hurt), and Lynch’s first nod for Best Director. Outcry over the lack of recognition for the makeup work led the Academy to create a Best Makeup Oscar the following year.

Two movies into his career, Lynch went from a celebrated cult figure to an Oscar-nominated prestige filmmaker. His next film would take him in another direction entirely.