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“I don't know how much movies should entertain. To me I'm always interested in movies that scar. The thing I love about Jaws is the fact that I've never gone swimming in the ocean again.” --- David Fincher ::::::::::::: MY CRITERIA FOR DISCUSSION ENCOMPASSES THE HORROR GENRE AND BEYOND, SO I USE THE TERM "NIGHTMARE MOVIES". SPOILERS CAN OCCUR WITH OR WITHOUT WARNING. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Eraserhead

August 27th 2009 23:40
Eraserhead movie poster
“A dream of dark and troubling things.”

From the tenebrous realm of Lynchland where a squelch and stickiness throbs and flows between the psychological and the physiological, an ephemeral, inner cosmic debris that is Eraserhead (1977) emerged. Its original title was Gardenback. In Serbia it is called Chapter for the Removal, in Italy it is The Mind That Erases, and in France it became known as Labyrinth Man. To David Lynch, its auteur, it is whatever you make of it, for he is not prepared to offer anything more than the quotation above. Let Eraserhead be Eraserhead is Eraserhead was Eraserhead will be …
Eraserhead Jack Nance
Jack Nance as Henry Spencer
I first saw this inexplicable study of weirdness late at night on British television with my father when I was barely sixteen (that classically provocative age). It was a small screen in a small room which only exacerbated the movie’s claustrophobic atmosphere. Every so often we would turn to look at each other as if to say, “Huh? Okaaaaay, riiiiiight …”, then turn back to the flickering drone of the film none the wiser. Of course the movie lingered in my mind like a dank mold, but one with curious spores. It became a morbid fascination; the mood and tone, the sounds and imagery, and The Man in the Planet (Jack Fisk); I loved those huge gears, that ominous window, his horribly diseased face, his enigmatic role in the giant stormy scheme of things … and of course, Henry’s baby. That hideous thing gave me the pleasure of nightmares.
Eraserhead Jack Fisk
Jack Fisk as The Man in the Planet
Eraserhead Laurel Near
Laurel Near as The Lady in the Radiator
Henry Spencer (Jack Nance) lives in an industrial wasteland. He seems perpetually depressed, suicidal even. He lusts after The Beautiful Girl Across the Hall (Judith Roberts), who tells him he’s been invited to dinner with Mary X (Charlotte Stewart) and her parents, Mr. X (Allen Joseph) and Mrs. X (Jeanne Bates). This is the woman he had sex with. Or was that in his tortured mind? At dinner Mary’s parents serve up miniature artificial chickens in the midst of awkward conversation. Henry is chastised by Mary’s folks. Back at his own cramped apartment Henry and Mary deliberate over responsibility over their newborn mutant baby that cries incessantly. Henry would prefer to visit the Lady in the Radiator (Laurel Near) rather than feed his ghastly offspring. Mary leaves him, and he dreams of his head being drilled for use on the end of pencils. He sees The Beautiful Girl Across the Hall being intimate with Mr. Roundheels (Jack Walsh). The baby cackles at Henry, seemingly laughing at his utter, abject pathetic existence, and this is the straw that broke the camel’s back …
Eraserhead Jack Nance
Henry home again
Eraserhead baby
Henry and Mary's mutant baby
David Lynch made Eraserhead in the same way Peter Jackson made Bad Taste (1986); over a period of four or so years. Like Jackson, Lynch handled many of the instrumental roles (writing/directing/co-produci ng/production design/art direction/editing/original music). It is a wildly existential movie that tackles metaphysics with abstract thought, wrestles sexuality with introversion, wrangling loneliness and despair with the deep-rooted freak of control. There are very few films that capture the elusiveness of oneirodynia with such a distinct and wholly original style; a mise-en-scene that threatens to consume itself, a narrative arc that coils and threshes with ferocity and tranquility in equal measure. Lynch describes Eraserhead as his “most spiritual movie” (I’m sure with a sly smirk). It was after viewing the movie during its initial “midnight movie” circuit that Mel Brooks offered Lynch The Elephant Man (1980) to direct, and George Lucas offered him Return of the Jedi to direct, while Stanley Kubrick and John Waters were two of the movie’s earliest high profile die-hard fans.
Eraserhead babyhead
Eraserhead has a fascination with orifices; the camera is forever entering and exiting holes, like some kind of descent into a sexual phantasmagoria. Some of these entrances and exits are metaphors, while others are purely narrative tunnels. The menacing monochromatic cinematography, courtesy of original lensman Herb Cardwell and his replacement Frederick Elmes, is brilliant, as is the sound design, courtesy of Alan R. Splet (and Lynch). But not to forget the special effect that is the mutant baby. To this day Lynch refuses to explain how he animated it, although rumours persist that it was an embalmed calf! The infantile creation is a truly astonishing, and utterly disturbing, manifestation of everything alien, yet domestic and familial. With Eraserhead Lynch tapped into the oiliest reserves of his inner phreak and created a magnificent monster … but not to worry, because in Heaven everything will be fine.

Here's the teaser trailer:


Dinnertime:

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Posted By: Bryn - Category: movie reviews
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10 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Natalina

August 28th 2009 03:14


My Life My Muse
Beta Girl Blog
I've been waiting for you to review this Bryn. Eraserhead is one of my favorites.

The first time I saw it, I was also a teenager, and I didn't know what to make of it. Only that I couldn't get rid of it long after it had ended. I didn't watch it again for a few years. I finally watched it again as an adult and I've been mesmerized ever since.

Can't say much more about it that you haven't said. This was a tremendous review Bryn. One of your best!

Comment by Bryn

August 28th 2009 04:26


Horrorphile
Took awhile, but worth the wait

Comment by Christopher Waldeck

August 28th 2009 17:08


Dunk Films
Honestly I don't know what 90's acting is opposed to 80's acting or 70's all I know is that the performances seemed so bad it felt dated.


I'm surprised you've just reviewed Eraserhead

Comment by JohnDoe

August 28th 2009 17:15


Film & TV on DVD
Hi Bryn,

You did this one justice with your great review.

The words "weird" and "original" are thrown around very loosely when describing cinema but they are certainly apt with Eraserhead.

I love this film for its discomforting and enigmatic qualities, everytime I watch it I seem to come to a different conclusion about its purpose....the imagery imprints on the mind forcing me to revisit it every couple of years.

Love that Lynch will never throw us a bone on this one.

Comment by Bryn

August 29th 2009 02:49


Horrorphile
Chris, yes, I surprised even myself that I'd taken three years to get around to this seminal film! Now I've finally reviewed my top 20 all time favourites.

JD, yes, Lynch is smart in maintaining the mystique, although, my God, can you imagine if he did decide to do an audio commentary!!!

Comment by Tracy

August 29th 2009 06:57


Movies and Life
What a fine review. I'm ashamed to say I haven't seen this one...

Comment by Bryn

August 30th 2009 01:42


Horrorphile
Hey Tracy ... I would probably advise not watching this until after the patter of tiny feet has arrived ...

Comment by Amy Wang

August 30th 2009 14:09


Films, Films And More FIlms
Ditto with what everyone else says about your review Bryn!

Phenomenal sound used in this film. Such an interesting first film by such an interesting director.

Comment by Tracy

September 2nd 2009 21:37


Movies and Life
The tiny feet have arrived, Bryn. Thanks for the intriguing advice...

Byee

Comment by Bryn

September 6th 2009 02:29


Horrorphile
Tracy, congrats ... perhaps one day in the future you might be able to get a babysitter and come to an Orble drinks??

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