Eraserhead (1977)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

David Lynch

Writer:

David Lynch (writer)

Release Date:

7 September 1979 (West Germany)

Genre:

Fantasy | Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

In Heaven Everything Is Fine.

Plot:

Henry Spencer tries to survive his industrial environment, his angry girlfriend, and the unbearable screams of his newly born mutant child.

Plot Keywords:

Factory | Radiator | Apartment | Imagery | Mutant Baby

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Jack Nance	...	Henry Spencer (as John Nance)
Charlotte Stewart	...	Mary X
Allen Joseph	...	Mr. X
Jeanne Bates	...	Mrs. X
Judith Roberts	...	Beautiful Girl Across the Hall (as Judith Anna Roberts)
Laurel Near	...	Lady in the Radiator
V. Phipps-Wilson	...	Landlady (long version)
Jack Fisk	...	Man in the Planet
Jean Lange	...	Grandmother
Thomas Coulson	...	The Boy
John Monez	...	Bum
Darwin Joston	...	Paul
T. Max Graham	...	The Boss (as Neil Moran)
Hal Landon Jr.	...	Pencil Machine Operator
Jennifer Chambers Lynch	...	Little Girl (as Jennifer Lynch)

Also Known As:

Eraserhead 2000 (USA) (DVD box title)
Gardenback (USA) (original script title)

Runtime:

89 min | USA:108 min (approx.) (premiere version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby (re-release) | Mono (original release)

Certification:

Canada:R (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Iceland:16 | Spain:13 | Singapore:PG | France:-16 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 | Denmark:7 | UK:15 (re-rating) (2008) | Portugal:M/16 | Chile:14 | UK:18 (video rating: 1986) | UK:X (original rating) | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-14 | Ireland:18 | South Korea:15 | Sweden:15 | USA:Unrated | West Germany:18 | Canada:13+ (Québec)

Filming Locations:

Beverly Hills, California, USA

Company:

American Film Institute (AFI)

Trivia:

To date David Lynch has refused to say a word about the film in any kind of public forum, preferring that viewers make up their own minds about what it all means. The only comment he’s made is on the 2000 DVD release of the film. He states that no one has come close to the true meaning of the film.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Camera shadow visible as it tracks in to the light towards the end of the film.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Beautiful Girl Across the Hall: Are you Henry?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Pas de repos pour Billy Brakko (1984)

Soundtrack:

In Heaven

Amazing masterpiece of filmmaking!

You have to dissect it, watch it more than once, eat, breathe it and live it before you can get it. There are lots of explanations for all of the things that "make no sense"... it's art in it's purest form - you take away from it what you want! You can see Henry struggling with suddenly being thrust into the role of father and husband, his sin, his temptation, his life, his death, his dreams... too much symbolism to even get into here... anyone who dismisses this film as "junk that makes no sense" will never get it, and that's OK. But for the rest of us, it's on our "Top Ten Films of All Time" list. Brilliant and beautiful and horrifying! Makes you think for weeks... YEARS. I love it. Highly recommended to those who are open-minded! AMAZING FILM!!