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DISCOVERY DISAPPOINTMENT

• Message 1.Β 

  Posted by Grasshopper (U3605803) on Thursday, 24th March 2011

  OK, I know this is about a Discovery Channel programme & not a Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ one, but it DOES concern a historical subject, so bear with me.
  
  Last week I was watching the Discovery Channel when I saw a trailer for a programme titled 'Meet The Elephant Man'. Being interested in him ( I have a copy of 'The True History Of The Elephant Man', which is by Michael Howell & Peter Ford, and which is a fascinating read), and having cried over THAT film with the superb John Hurt in the lead, I was looking forward to this. According to the blurb, a team of experts were going to re-create how he walked, spoke, & what might have happened when he died.
  
  Having watched the programme last night, I find myself disappointed.
  
  NIGGLE#1: It was too long (it lasted 90 mins, including ads) Trimming the length by a third wouldn't IMHO have damaged the integrity of the programme.
  
  NIGGLE#2: When the re-created Merrick's voice (with the help of an actor & prosthetics around his mouth), what the recreated was what he may have sounded like at the end of his life. When he was in the Leicester Workhouse, he went for a operation to remove a lump of flesh from his jaw which was causing him problems with speech and eating. Although he would never be able to speak perfectly clearly, when he was in the care of the London Hospital, his speech improved, and it wasn't until the lump on his jaw started to grow again that his speech became more difficult to understand.
  
  NIGGLE#3 My main problem with the programme, however, was the re-creation of Merrick's walk. It appears to me that the experts hadn't read much literature about him, esp. Treves' own memoir, in which he states:
  
  </quote>To add a further burden to his trouble the wretched man, when a boy, developed hip disease, which had left him permanently lame, so thet HE COULD ONLY WALK WITH A STICK. (my emphasis).</quote>
  
  There was NO mention of this in the programme. Instead, they had the virtual Merrick walking with a severe limp & dragging is left leg as he walked.
  
  Did anyone else see the programme? Or has anyone anything to add to this? I would be interested to read any thoughts.
  
  
  KOTR

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Grasshopper (U3605803) on Thursday, 24th March 2011

  Oops - quote went pear-shaped!
  
  
  
  
  KOTR

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• Message 3

  , in reply to message 2.

  Posted by Grasshopper (U3605803) on Saturday, 26th March 2011

  Repeated tonight at 11PM................................................
  
  that is, if ANYONE's interested *sigh*
  
  
  
  KOTR

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• Message 4

  , in reply to message 3.

  Posted by Silver Jenny (U12795676) on Sunday, 27th March 2011

  Perhaps they are like me and don't have Sky.

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• Message 5

  , in reply to message 4.

  Posted by islanddawn (U7379884) on Sunday, 27th March 2011

  I wouldn't worry SilverJenny, Discovery Channel is almost always a disappointment anyway.

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