31 Days of Fright, Day 2: Eraserhead

Welcome to day 2 of 31 Days of Fright here at Road To The Movies! In today's episode, Jonathan delves into the mystery of the David Lynch classic, Eraserhead.


ERASERHEAD
1977
Not Rated

With all these sequels, remakes, and adaptations it's easy to forget that movies used to be considered a very intriguing art form. We're constantly bombarded with unoriginal ideas and storylines we've seen a billion times but with different characters. It's when I feel overwhelmed by this fact that I go back to the films that I truly feel are their own piece of unique art. Eraserhead is one of those movies.

There are so many hidden themes in this movie, and that's done very purposely. There are millions of interpretations of what it's about. From the dangers of recreational sex vs. re-creational sex, to the sweet allure of suicide, to a straight-out-of-the-bible message of consequence for one's sin, people are constantly trying to figure this movie out. David Lynch himself (despite years of prying from reporters and movie-goers) has never offered an explanation of the meaning of the film, but has said there is only one right interpretation. I feel this is what maintains the film's integrity as a work of art. It can never be recreated or re-imagined because no one knows what it's about. It is one man's vision put on film exactly the way he wants it. It will always be picked apart, studied, and obsessed over, and as long as we have cinema, this movie will remain a mysterious classic. A uniquely horrifying piece of art.


Now, Eraserhead isn't considered a horror movie by a large group of people, but a deep psychological drama. I, however, have always been severely creeped out by this movie. The tone throughout is so quietly eerie that almost every scene gives me goosebumps. While the symbolism is very vague and confusing at times, one simply cannot shake the feeling that it's hinting toward something sinister and depressing. The feelings of loneliness and despair that permeate the whole film are made much more powerful by the fact that David Lynch chose to present it entirely in black-and-white. But the one thing (in my opinion) that makes this movie so scary is that David Lynch lets the emotion of the characters tell the story. The viewer is forced to feel what these unfortunate people feel, because there's hardly any talking at all. If you were to take all the dialogue in this movie and put it together, it would equal less than ten minutes. It's a long story, told almost completely through action. And that, my friends, is my type of horror movie.


Forever studied, never repeated, Eraserhead is the type of classic that will chill you to the bone and leave you struggling to find just what, exactly, is going on. One will never know if they've found the correct interpretation, because every interpretation is as unique as the film itself, and every time you watch it, something new will expose itself, causing a whirlwind of fresh thoughts and ideas. And, much like a brilliant painting or sculpture, the interpretation you find will be inescapably personal...solely based on your own experiences in relation the characters' experiences. And it will remain, forever, the beautifully elusive piece of work it was in 1977. If you've never seen this movie, I highly recommend it...and get ready to ponder your ass off.

10/10


-JONATHAN


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