Happy Halloween, dear Readers! The month of spooks and horrors has arrived, and with it comes a new (old?) genre of utterly disturbing terror. For this issue, I have been assigned to review the 1970s horror/drama Eraserhead, directed by David Lynch. While horror has never been one of my specialties, I am determined to give you a fairly good idea of what exactly this retro movie is about.
The movie starts off with a somewhat deformed, skeleton-like man sitting in a planet, controlling several levers. He launches a creepy sperm-like mutant into a pool of water. This sets the stage for the rest of the movie, defining the psychological plight of our hero, Henry. *Read on if you dare*
We are then introduced to Henry and the devastated, industrial landscape in which he lives. Shot in black and white, this movie appears to be set in post apocalyptic times. The cinematography gives the viewer a creepy sense of fear and loneliness. Every camera shot is well planned out, focusing more on the setting than the actual characters. The empty landscape mirrors the psychological state of the characters and their dreary, existentialist lives. The background music also adds to this air of utter desolation. The sound is often so quiet that it seems to just tickle the ears, engulfing the listener in the creepy, unknown and empty universe in which Henry resides.
Soon we find out that Henry is now a father. Unfortunately, this is no typical baby. Once again, we have an astronomical feat of special effects rarely found in 70s films: This baby is more repulsive and disgusting-looking than words could possibly describe. It is in fact a technological device—certainly not your twenty-first century CGI!
Later in the film, we are transported to the inside of Henry’s radiator (yes, he spends an infinite amount of time looking at it and no it’s not very interesting) where a strange puffy-cheeked lady is dancing and singing ‘Everything is fine in Heaven’. This lady actually lives in the radiator but don’t be disappointed if you don’t find her in yours. She reappears multiple times throughout the film. The sets of these particular scenes in the film resemble a small, empty theatre showing a bad play. The black and white print and the music again add to this effect.
By this point, poor Henry probably thinks he’s lost his mind. It certainly looks as though he’s lost a lot of these past couple of minutes- or would that be days? Lynch does not explain much, as the viewer is meant to make his or her own interpretations. This movie explores the effects of fear on the human mind. It thoroughly describes (perhaps in somewhat overly troubling detail) Henry’s fear of marriage and fatherhood, and is likely intended to reflect these fears in the people of today’s society. Of course, the storyline is completely fictional, but the imagery and sound effects speak to our subconscious in a way that most movies simply do not.
If you are one of the select few that is comfortable with gruesome body horror and has a very open mind, then definitely give this one a try. Eraserhead, however, did become a pivotal piece in the horror genre, particularly considering when it was made. Lynch chose to shoot in black and white when he could have shot in colour. He also chose to limit the amount of dialogue, leaving the viewer to ‘fill in the blanks’ and have their own experience. It also laid the foundation for later popular horror flicks and was chosen for preservation in National Film Registry by the US Congress, likely for its cultural and aesthetic significance.
The bottom line is: unless you are a truly dedicated horror junkie, this one is probably a thumbs-down. The cinematography and soundtrack are original and well executed, but in the end these elements are simply not enough to make Eraserhead enjoyable for everyone. This concludes this week’s review. Have a spook-tastic Halloween! Just don’t spend it staring at your radiator…
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