The Elephant Man (1980)

by David Lynch.

In the 80s, the screen world became dazzling with color movies, but David Lynch bucked that trend with The Elephant Man. One of the reasons for filming in black and white was their hope of alleviating some of the audience's shock when John Merrick's physical form was revealed. But the light and dark elements in the film actually have more effect.

The Elephant Man first appeared in a poorly lit basement built of bricks. It is his residence as well as his stage. There was no actual place to sleep in there other than a chair because, according to the circus owner, John could not sleep lying down due to the tumor in his head and deformities in his back. However, John's hospital room is also his home later, the bed appears very clearly. If he will die if he lies down, why is there such a big bed needed in the room? In the last scene of the movie, the trope was revealed.