Film Review: Eraserhead

When it comes to cinema as an art form, very few films, if any, are as abstract and bizarre as David Lynch's first-ever feature-length film: Eraserhead. Like any piece of art, some people will embrace it, others will shun it. Most are content to give it a shot and never see it again.

It truly is an experience unlike any other. The film takes place in its own little world: a dark, grungy, industrial nightmare laden with stark patterns, shadows, and odd details. Characters don't have much to say, leaving their odd actions and reactions to tell most of the story. There are numerous expressionist images that will truly challenge one's understanding of what's going on: I seriously can't say why this film has a scene with a man on another planet, or why there's an ugly lady dancing inside a radiator, or why there are worm-like things everywhere. The film has its share of grotesqueness, from the crying of a strange mutant baby to the bizarre nightmare where the guy loses his head and it literally becomes a pencil eraser...the film packs in so much weirdness, but it runs evenly and hypnotically, to the point where it's all effortless and natural for the strange world Lynch has created.

The film's content doesn't really follow a standard narrative, so interpreting its plot will depend entirely on the viewer and what he or she makes of the images. The most obvious thing is that this is about some dude having to put up with the horrors and fears of parenthood. You could probably watch the film and extrapolate psychological and sexual subtexts as well. Characters don't have much to them, but it's easy to relate to the protagonist through all his surreal visions, no matter how harrowing they become.

The film uses some very strong, vivid, and stark imagery, all shot with fantastic black-and-white photography. Editing is really precise and good. All of the actors fulfill their parts well. Dialogue tends to be pretty short, blunt, and weird. This was never really an expensive or elaborate production, so considering the film's limitations, it really made the most of what it had. Sound design is very punchy, while the music is extremely airy and surreal, giving the film the perfect atmosphere.

Eraserhead is a strange, surreal, gaudy piece of work that may not make much sense to a casual viewer. As a work of art, it is phenomenal, and all mature audiences should give it a try at least once.

5/5 (Experience: Extreme | Content: Extreme | Film: Perfect)