Eraserhead **** (1977, Jack Nance, Charlotte Stewart, Allen Joseph) – Movie Review 2528

Writer-designer-producer-director David Lynch’s bizarre, pace-setting 1977 feature film debut, produced by the American Film Institute, was an instant cult hit, propelling him on his brilliant career, though Eraserhead’s dark unpleasantness can be quite alienating.

This is highly imaginative, if properly horrible, cult art-house horror film surrealism from Lynch, in which hapless factory worker Henry Spencer (Jack Nance) has nightmares as he tries to tries to cope with his industrial environment and his angry girlfriend as he tries to come to terms with his newly born mutant child and its unbearable screams.

The experimental film runs only on the logic of a nightmare, so Lynch’s weird ideas and cinematographers Frederick Elmes and Herbert Cardwell’s disturbing black-and-white visuals replace regulation storytelling.

Lynch’s young daughter Jennifer Chambers Lynch, later a director herself, appeared in the film, though her part is eliminated in the current release version. Jack Nance, who appeared in all but one of Lynch’s films till his death, was billed as John.

Mel Brooks saw it and said, ‘He’s mad, hire him!’ to direct The Elephant Man, Lynch’s next film in 1980.

Nance never knew nor cared exactly what Eraserhead meant. He said: ‘You guys get way too deep over this business. I don’t take it all that seriously. It’s only a movie.’

The budget was only $20,000 for this career-establishing event, worth every penny to Lynch. In mono sound on its original release, but in Dolby stereo for its spruced-up re-release after it had established itself as a cult favourite.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 2528

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