By: KEVIN JOLLY
Staff Writer
With Halloween just on the horizon, I thought I’d review my favorite horror film, Eraserhead. It was directed by David Lynch in 1977 as his debut theatrical film. It’s an experimental film, and if you’re familiar with any of Lynch’s work, then you should know to expect it’s a strange film. But Eraserhead is probably his weirdest film ever, and often relies on pure metaphorical analogies of different concepts than a recognizable story or plot of any kind. Eraserhead doesn’t feel like a horror film that goes out of its way just to scare you, but instead just presents highly disturbing imagery and scenarios which I think makes it a more upsetting film than most. With it being so outlandish and confusing, it’s understandable that Eraserhead just may not be to some people’s liking, but it’s only 90 minutes, so if you don’t like the film, it’s over pretty quick.
I love this film for its alien atmosphere and grotesque imagery. All the outdoor areas of the film look like it was shot in a long abandoned industrial wasteland, and some settings just look like an HR Giger painting. The indoor scenes all feel like a nightmare or a hazy fever dream. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s a body horror film, but still, there’s a vast amount of upsetting depictions of everything to do with people.
The plot is of a Henry who visits an old friend at her family’s home. Henry discovers that she had a baby, of which he is the father. He agrees to take care of it alongside her, but the baby doesn’t look anything like a human, but a hideous and decrepit monster that shrieks instead of crying. Eventually, it gets too straining on the two, and Henry is left alone to care for the baby when he begins to hallucinate. From this point, the story gets too lost to discern, but we see with every scene more and more bizarre and freakish acts.
As I said, this is my favorite horror film, and I think it’s the perfect movie for Halloween. Its non-traditionality may offer something unique and interesting for anyone looking for a new kind of horror experience. But again, its abnormal themes aren’t for everyone, so some may not like any of it. Still, I believe you should still give Eraserhead a chance for this Halloween season.