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IMDbPro

Eraserhead

  • 19771977
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 29m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
119K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,016
347
Jack Nance in Eraserhead (1977)
Watch Official Trailer
Play trailer0:47
1 Video
99+ Photos
FantasyHorror
Henry Spencer tries to survive his industrial environment, his angry girlfriend, and the unbearable screams of his newly born mutant child.Henry Spencer tries to survive his industrial environment, his angry girlfriend, and the unbearable screams of his newly born mutant child.Henry Spencer tries to survive his industrial environment, his angry girlfriend, and the unbearable screams of his newly born mutant child.
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
119K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,016
347
    • David Lynch
    • David Lynch
  • Stars
    • Jack Nance
    • Charlotte Stewart
    • Allen Joseph
    • David Lynch
    • David Lynch
  • Stars
    • Jack Nance
    • Charlotte Stewart
    • Allen Joseph
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 705User reviews
    • 168Critic reviews
    • 87Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 0:47
    Watch Official Trailer

    Photos113

    Jack Nance in Eraserhead (1977)
    Jack Fisk in Eraserhead (1977)
    Laurel Near in Eraserhead (1977)
    Jack Nance in Eraserhead (1977)
    Jack Nance in Eraserhead (1977)
    Jack Nance in Eraserhead (1977)
    Eraserhead (1977)
    Eraserhead (1977)
    Jack Nance in Eraserhead (1977)
    Jack Nance in Eraserhead (1977)
    Allen Joseph, Jack Nance, and Charlotte Stewart in Eraserhead (1977)
    Jack Nance in Eraserhead (1977)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jack Nance
    Jack Nance
    • Henry Spencer
    • (as John Nance)
    Charlotte Stewart
    Charlotte Stewart
    • Mary X
    Allen Joseph
    Allen Joseph
    • Mr. X
    Jeanne Bates
    Jeanne Bates
    • Mrs. X
    Judith Roberts
    Judith Roberts
    • Beautiful Girl Across the Hall
    • (as Judith Anna Roberts)
    Laurel Near
    Laurel Near
    • Lady in the Radiator
    V. Phipps-Wilson
    • Landlady (long version)
    Jack Fisk
    Jack Fisk
    • Man in the Planet
    Jean Lange
    • Grandmother
    Thomas Coulson
    • The Boy
    John Monez
    • Bum
    Darwin Joston
    Darwin Joston
    • Paul
    T. Max Graham
    • The Boss
    • (as Neil Moran)
    Hal Landon Jr.
    Hal Landon Jr.
    • Pencil Machine Operator
    Jennifer Lynch
    Jennifer Lynch
    • Little Girl
    Brad Keeler
    • Little Boy
    Peggy Lynch
    • Person Digging in the Alley (long version)
    Doddie Keeler
    • Person Digging in the Alley (long version)
      • David Lynch
      • David Lynch
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Though only released at first as a "midnight movie," a number of Hollywood A-list directors saw the film and were impressed by it. John Waters, whose Pink Flamingos (1972) and Female Trouble (1974) played the same venue, often mentioned Eraserhead as a favorite film, urging viewers to see it. Stanley Kubrick reportedly said the same; this was one of the films he made the cast and crew of The Shining (1980) watch to get in the right frame of mind. Mel Brooks saw it and offered Lynch the chance to direct The Elephant Man (1980); Lynch accepted. George Lucas asked Lynch to direct Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983); Lynch turned it down.
    • Goofs
      Henry takes off the wrong shoe/sock to dry off.
    • Quotes

      Lady in the Radiator: [singing] In Heaven, everything is fine. In Heaven, everything is fine. In Heaven, everything is fine. You've got your good things. And I've got mine. In Heaven, everything is fine. In Heaven, everything is fine. In Heaven, everything is fine. You've got your good things. And you've got mine. In Heaven, everything is fine.

    • Crazy credits
      There are no opening credits, just a long, tilted close-up of the face of Jack Nance.
    • Alternate versions
      First DVD edition was printed in open matte format (1:1.33)
    • Connections
      Edited into The History of the Hands (2016)
    • Soundtracks
      In Heaven
      (uncredited)

      Music by Peter Ivers

      Lyrics by David Lynch

    User reviews705

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10
    The twisted world of David Lynch
    I'm always a bit worried when I'm about to express my love towards this movie by the genius director David Lynch... I figure it's the perfect indicator for psychiatrists to claim that you're completely nuts :)

    But what the heck, they're a lot of nutballs on this website, so I can speak my mind freely. Indeed, I love this movie...although 'love' may be a wrong term to describe my feelings towards it. This movie 'fascinates' me is a much better saying. Usually, a movie is something in which you can live yourself in...in order to escape the stress of real life. Eraserhead is the exact opposite of that ! When watching this film, you can only hope that you'll never awake in the wold like Lynch shows it here. The horrible noises, the colorless and tasteless locations and the insensible characters...you all hate to love it. Eraserhead takes a walk with your emotions, you don't know whether to be disgusted or intrigued by it. So you'll feel uncomfortable when watching it and that's a wonderful experience for a cinema freak !

    Eraserhead is the ultimate cult film in my opinion and a must see for every fan of this delicious genre. In fact, I would go so far to say you can't call yourself a cult-freak if you haven't seen it yet.

    David Lynch begins his highly impressive career with this one and it still lives on. Eraserhead isn't his best film at all ( certainly not when it comes to storyline ) but it's his most deep and personal tale. 25 years old and still the "weirdest" film ever. That's an achievement, certainly with all this artistic filmmakers lately...or, at least, they try to be...)

    I want to encourage as much people as possible to see this one, but it's for the best that some groups of people avoid it. Surely not recommended if you're depressed or suicidal...The image of Jack Nance and the rest of the cast could even put you more down, I think. The tagline of this movie - "In heaven, everything looks fine" - could become a stimulus, I'm afraid. Pregnant women and young couples in love should beware as well !! This film is the ultimate nightmare for that what should be the greatest miracle of life...The hideous but yet harmless "baby" ( I really don't know how I should call it, actually )is the purest form of horror that ever occurred on the screen.

    You must have respect for director David Lynch. If you imagine how hard it must have been to create and finance this production. But it worked...hell, even comedy legend Mel Brooks was deeply impressed. Based on this film, he decided to let Lynch direct "The Elephant Man" a few years later. By that, David's career was launched and of course he made a masterpiece out of it. For me personally, his highlights were the 80's with terrific movies like "Blue Velvet", "Dune" ( very underrated, in my opinion) and "Wild at Heart" at the end of the decade. And let's not forget the best TV-series ever made: "Twin Peaks".

    Please, watch this movie !! Three times in a row if possible. I know a lot of people who just stopped watching it after half and hour ( or less ) and yelled "What the f*** is this ???". Real shame, if you ask me. It's an insight to a great mind and a unique event. If you really don't see the magic of it, at least try to admire the very stylish haircut of the main character. I'm thinking of doing the same thing with mine...
    helpful•181
    90
    • Coventry
    • Sep 4, 2003

    FAQ4

    • Who is the Man in the Planet?
    • What is David Lynch's interpretation of this film?
    • What are the "Glen or Glenda" references?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 3, 1978 (United States)
      • United States
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Center for Advanced Film Studies, American Film Institute - 2021 N. Western Avenue, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • American Film Institute (AFI)
      • Libra Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 1 hour 29 minutes
      • Black and White
      • Mono(original release)

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