The Elephant Man (film) Hurt) and Best Production Design, and was nominated for four others: Direction, Screenplay, Cinematography and Editing. The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists: There have been many releases of the film on VHS, Betamax, CED, LaserDisc, and DVD. The version released as part of the David Lynch "Lime Green Box" includes several interviews with John Hurt and David Lynch and a Joseph Merrick documentary. This material is also available on the exclusive treatment on the European market as part of Optimum Releasing’s "StudioCanal Collection". The film has only been released on Blu-ray Disc in the UK;
One Lucky Elephant Elephant" as, "simple enough to delight a child and complex enough to baffle a philosopher," then poignantly and perceptively notes, "A larger question coils beneath the surface of the film. What happens to an elephant that is "trained"? Are the chains, ropes, prods and other training tools kind to the creature? Should any wild animal be trained in such a way?" Sherri Linden of the Hollywood reporter said, "Bottom Line: A timely, emotionally engaging look at interspecies bonds;" while John Anderson of Variety call the film, "A parable of pachydermish proportions, ""One Lucky Elephant"" is a bittersweet story of man,