Eraserhead

1977 "Where your nightmares end..."
7.3| 1h29m| NR| en| More Info
Released: 19 March 1977 Released
Producted By: American Film Institute (AFI)
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Info

First time father Henry Spencer tries to survive his industrial environment, his angry girlfriend, and the unbearable screams of his newly born mutant child. David Lynch arrived on the scene in 1977, almost like a mystical UFO gracing the landscape of LA with its enigmatic radiance. His inaugural work, "Eraserhead" (1977), stood out as a cinematic anomaly, painting a surreal narrative of a young man navigating a dystopian, industrialized America, grappling not only with his tumultuous home life but also contending with an irate girlfriend and a mutant child.

Genre

Horror

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Director

David Lynch

Production Companies

American Film Institute (AFI)

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Eraserhead Audience Reviews

Greenes Please don't spend money on this.
Rijndri Load of rubbish!!
Lumsdal Good , But It Is Overrated By Some
Glimmerubro It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.
grahamvandyke I went to go study film in the University of Miami and attended their Film Club for a short period. They wanted the club to choose a movie to be played for the next meeting. I remember writing down "Empire of the Sun", as it not only was a classic war epic made by the great Steven Spielberg, but featured Christian Bale in his first ever starring role as a 13 year old kid when Christopher Nolan's Batman had recently been released. It seemed appropriate. The club chose Eraserhead. I watched in complete horror for what felt like 5 hours of just complete nonsensical story telling and randomly inserted clips that reeked of "deeper meaning" that just wasn't there. I remember looking over at the other members watching it with fascination and wondering if they were just faking it to gain approval with their enlightened kin-folk, because only a lowly commoner like me could not appreciate watching torture for an hour and a half. It wasn't out of the realm of possibility, as I had done the same thing as a teenager when attending functions for my high school's drama class. I know now my hypothesis has been proven. With the introduction of modern art, there have been hilarious examples of "art" that is so bad it has been sat on, thrown away by janitors and in numerous hilarious examples people leaving behind mundane objects on purpose, only to have people appreciating them as art. People want to be special. What better way to be special than to pretend to "get" something that no-one else can, except a select, privileged few? That is the entire essence of Eraserhead.
Dylan Dunmyer I would say that Eraserhead is a very well made movie. The wide, open shots are very nice, the use of lighting is good, the soundtrack is wonderfully chosen, it is overall a very well made movie.However, that does not mean that i consider this to be a good, or enjoyable movie. This film to me feels like someone got lost in the Twilight zone and i didn't have Rod Serling there to tell me why he was there, what was happening to him, or what the theme of the episode was suppose to be. This movie does not have any kind of plot or structure, it's more like an art house project that is suppose to be taking a look at what absurd means. But it fails to me as a film because it is trying so hard to be a absurd piece of art that it forgets to be a movie that one can really sit down and enjoy.I understand why this movie has its fans. As a piece of art, it could be considered to be genius, but to me, as a movie, it utterly fails.
bowmanblue Horror movies have become pretty formulaic these days. They consist of either zombies, a masked killer, or a spooky entity terrorising a family. Even the better ones that subverted those sub-genres were still instantly recognisable as what they were and any that were hailed as 'original' were most likely remakes from Japanese films. However, back before CGI blood had become the norm and a group of five American teens could go on a road trip to the middle of nowhere without being picked off by pitchfork-wielding locals, came David Lynch's horror masterpiece, 'Eraserhead.' I guess it could be described as a bit of a 'passion project' as it took him years to make, due to him filming it while he studied/worked other jobs and generally did his best to get this movie financed. Now, you can probably tell that I'm a fan, however I will admit that no matter how much it appeals to me, it's definitely not for everyone. You could almost call it an 'art film' as it's filmed entirely in black and white and has little to no dialogue. The story – or at least what we can tell is a story – centres around a young, downtrodden man called Henry (played by long term friend and actor of David Lynch, Jack Nance) as he shuffles back and forth to and from his job to his flat in what looks like some sort of post apocalyptic industrial landscape. It's a bleak and meaningless existence for a man in a bleak and meaningless environment. I think the black and white adds to the overall mood of the tale. Whatever is really happening in Henry's world, he is merely a small cog in a much larger machine. However, just because his life is bleak doesn't seem to make it dull. He does seem to have a girlfriend. I use the word 'seem' as their relationship is never made truly clear. And, upon meeting her parents for the first time, discovers that there's a baby at the hospital and he's going to have to help look after it.Now, this may not sound like the most sinister and horrific story ever told. However, I may have slightly overlooked some of the other things that occur. For example… the 'mini chickens' Henry eats at his potential inlaws' house appears to be alive. The baby is a deformed freakish-looking thing that may or may not even be human. It whines continuously and there's a lady living in his radiator with bizarre cheeks who crushes slithering worm-like creatures underfoot. Yes, it's weird. But then this comes from the mind of David Lynch – the man who eventually went on to give us Twin Peaks, Lost Highway, Mullholland Drive and almost every other twisted, surreal modern nightmare ever put down on film.Now, as I say, it's not for everyone. It's hardly a 'date movie' and most people will probably be either bored or confused (or both). It's very slow. It doesn't make as much sense as most films with their classic Hollywood narratives and overall many will find it just too damn weird to be watchable. However, if you're in the mood for something a little different (and when I say 'different' I mean horrifically different!) then 'Eraserhead' is certainly a film that has to be watched to be experienced. Whether you end up loving it or hating it, it will definitely stick in your mind for many years to come.
ben hibburd Eraserhead is David lynch's directorial debut. It follows a man named Henry played by jack Nance. Henry is a shy loner, holding down a job at a local printer factory. The film starts by following Henry go about his mundane life. After an awkward dinner at his girlfriends house he's informed that he has a baby. This sounds like a fairly simple story, but that's where the normality ends.Upon learning this news he soon finds out that his baby is a mutant. When you first witness the mutated baby it's something to behold. It's both surreal and incredibly disturbing. Especially in a scene towards the end of the film where you see it fully. The practical effects used, make what I can only describe as a cross between a worm a chicken and E.T. The film is shot on an extremely low budget and what lynch is able to achieve on screen is nothing short of remarkable.This maybe Lynch's debut, but it's definitely a film from his wheelhouse. It is filled to the brink with all his usual motifs. The film opens with a deformed man in a room pulling levers, what's he doing? why Is he doing it? It's up to the viewer to interpret. Watching Eraserhead feels like being stuck in a nihilistic lucid dream. Just when you think you've got a hold of the film, something new comes into play and throws you off.Eraserhead is Lynch at his most surreal, however it's still an accessible film to viewers who aren't familiar with Lynch's films. The film can be taken at face value. It doesn't ask the viewer to answer any questions or decipher it's deeper meanings. Rather it's to viewed as a cinematic experience, one that everybody should at-least try once. It's a beautifully shot film, one that washes over you with it's intoxicating atmosphere. It's a film that can be appreciated on just its visuals alone.However should the viewer decide to delve deeper, into it's meaning and subtext. There are themes of fear, guilt, sin, good and evil, and the contemplation of life, that is an even more rewarding experience to be had. Eraserhead is a film that requires multiple viewings like all of Lynch's films to be truly appreciated. It's a film that is both engaging and rewarding on many different levels.