Review of Eraserhead (1977) by Edgar A — 30 Mar 2010
It must be twenty-five years since I first watched this film. I knew it was filled with strange and disturbing images. As I experienced it a second time, I was struck by Lynch's out and out brazenness in going for his vision.
My other impression was that this film is the other side of Pink Flamingos. Both films feed off of the clean-cut, Eisenhower version of American life. Both films utterly mistrust that existence. I have no idea how Lynch and Waters regard the other's work, but I feel they are both responding (albeit in unique ways) to similar impulses.
This time around, I found Eraserhead to be much more funny than in my first viewing. Water's humor is easily identified. Lynch's is much more cynical and dark. Waters doesn't seem to care, and perhaps Lynch cares too much.
Lynch has a vision and when I just went with it and realized that his provocative work definitely generated a range of reactions in me. I'm still thinking about what I've seen, and I suspect that means I've been changed somehow.
This review of Eraserhead (1977) was written by Edgar A on 30 Mar 2010.
Eraserhead has generally received very positive reviews.
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