Eraserhead (1977)

 

Talk about coming in all guns blazing in a world of weird: how's this for a debut feature? A movie that to this day continues to baffle audiences and will either leave you with a warped mind or an overbearing sense of "What the actual fudge did I just watch?"

But a response will be elicited, oh my. 

Shot on a shoestring budget and in glorious black and white, the little narrative there is to this tale is quite simple: Henry is a worker who is currently on vacation (quite possibly permanent) and who is coerced into marrying his reluctant girlfriend, as she apparently has also given birth to their child. Said child turns out to be a weird mutant, animal, icky thing that needs constant care and makes their lives miserable through its incessant bleating and crying. It doesn't take too long for Mary (Henry's wife) to leave him. Henry tries to pick his life up somehow, but he is foiled by his own baby when he tries to strike up a romance of sorts with the woman across the hall, all the while seeing people in the radiator and other such views that only serve to further discombobulate everyone.

So there is a narrative of sorts, but it doesn't really matter all that much, as we move from disturbing scene to disturbing scene where things happen for no apparent rhyme or reason, yet they have the power to keep you fascinated. 

Also horrified at times. Because make no mistake: this can be a disturbing movie. The scene where Henry is summarily decapitated and turned into his own child? That part where his brain is drilled out and used for erasers? The lady in the radiator squashing what seems to be giant oversized spermatozoa? That horrendous baby that is the stuff of nightmares?

One thing is for sure: you won't forget this one easily.

That being said, this most likely won't appeal to everyone. David Lynch at his most Lynchian is pretty tough to swallow, no matter how you slice it and the lack of coherent narrative can be quite jarring. But as dark and twisted art, this ticks all the right boxes. If you haven't seen it yet, but have an interest in the weird and macabre, then this might be right up your alley. If not, give it a try and either become entranced or repulsed.