Eraserhead

This is a VERY strange film, even for David Lynch standards, but it’s still a masterpiece. The black and white visuals are really beautiful to look at. The lighting is great as well. Whether it’s the small stage, the radiator, or just the spotlight on the “baby”, this film is gorgeous. The effects for the “baby” are incredible. It’s a phenomenal look for a creature that is grotesque but also weirdly precious. The effects on it are super gooey looking and it gives it a gross look, while the sounds it makes will evoke sympathy. The sound as a whole in this film is great. It’s pretty quiet for most of the runtime, and focuses less on music and more just dialogue and what is going on in the scene. Thematically, I have no clue. I got hints of the idea of a “bastard child” and how the grotesque appearance of the “baby” relates to how SOME religious people view children out of wedlock, but after the last 20 minutes or so, I’m kinda lost. There was some imagery about Henry’s head becoming an eraser on a pencil, hence the title, but I can’t fully wrap my head around everything. Possibly about the effects of parenthood, but I’m not sure. That’s okay though. It works. The surreal and dreamlike imagery paired with the odd plot make this a movie that could probably only be made by David Lynch and still work.