
Eraserhead
1977, Horror, 1h 30m
61 Reviews 50,000+ RatingsWhat to know
critics consensus
David Lynch's surreal Eraserhead uses detailed visuals and a creepy score to create a bizarre and disturbing look into a man's fear of parenthood. Read critic reviews
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Movie Info
Cast & Crew
Henry Spencer
Mary X
Mr. X
Mrs. X
Beautiful Girl Across the Hall
Lady in the Radiator
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Critic Reviews for Eraserhead
All Critics (61) | Top Critics (15) | Fresh (55) | Rotten (6)
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It's beautiful and strange, with its profoundly disturbing ambient sound design of industrial groaning, as if filmed inside some collapsing factory or gigantic dying organism.
October 14, 2014 | Rating: 5/5 | Full Review… -
What makes Eraserhead great -- and still, perhaps the best of all Lynch's films? Intensity. Nightmare clarity. And perhaps also it's the single-mindedness of its vision.
October 14, 2014 | Rating: 4/4 | Full Review… -
A murkily pretentious shocker.
October 14, 2014 | Full Review… -
David Lynch's remarkable first film, made in 1976, still looks like a minor masterpiece, mixing Gothic horror, surrealism and darkly expressionist mise-en-scne.
September 12, 2008 | Rating: 4/5 -
David Lynch has "cleaned up" his freaky feature debut, but don't worry - it's still an amazing industrial nightmare.
September 12, 2008 | Rating: 5/5 | Full Review… -
David Lynch's 1977 feature debut Eraserhead is one of those rare films that really deserves its cult status - a nightmarish, heavily symbolic story set in a postapocalyptic future.
September 12, 2008 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…
Audience Reviews for Eraserhead
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Feb 21, 201922/02/2019Peter B Super Reviewer
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Jul 28, 2017You have to admire director David Lynch's creativity and for the focus he had in putting his vision on film. In 'Eraserhead', he creates a dehumanizing and nightmarish world, hyperbolically amplifying the awkwardness and isolation many feel in real life. He uses black and white film, light and shadow, long, drawn out takes, and ghoulish, haunting sounds in addition to 'creepy', outrageous moments to play this up. The result is absurdity along the lines of Franz Kafka's 'The Metamorphosis', and if you like Kafka or highly unconventional movies with a dark take on life, you'll probably love this one. For my taste, though, while it held my interest and I appreciated what Lynch was going for, it's just a little too dark.Antonius B Super Reviewer
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Jun 03, 2016Accurately surmises my feelings on child rearing. Weird for weird's sake doesn't phase me, in fact it's kind of my wheelhouse. What I do have trouble abiding in Eraserhead is how long Lynch will linger on each part of the film. He stays on each frame longer than seems humanly reasonable. It's like a comedian telling a joke that barely hits the first time, then retelling it three or four more times, then starring at his audience with his eyes and mouth open wide in anticipation. We had it the first time, just move on. I understand it's an intentional stylistic choice, but it doesn't mesh with me at all.Gimly M Super Reviewer
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Oct 21, 2015This if understood is actually a scary movie. Understand that this about the reproduction of the human body and it has its own themes like the plants and how certain characters are and the music in the scenes. David Lynch is very creative. I just don't care for this as much as his other films because it is very close to being pointless despite all of its creativity. It is also very disturbing to say the least. I do respect its creativity though.Ian I Super Reviewer
Eraserhead Quotes
Lady In Radiator: | "In Heaven, everthing is fine. In Heaven, everything is fine. You've got your good things. And I've got mine." |
Lady In Radiator: | In Heaven, everthing is fine. In Heaven, everything is fine. You've got your good things. And I've got mine. |
Lady In Radiator: | In Heaven, everything is fine. In Heaven, everything is fine. You've got your good things. And I've got mine. |
Mrs. X: | So Henry, what do you do...? |
Mrs. X: | So Henry, what do you do? |
Henry Spencer: | Oh....I'm on vacation. |
Henry Spencer: | Oh, I'm on vacation. |
Mary X: | You wouldn't mind marrying me, would you Henry? |
Henry Spencer: | Well... No. |
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