Eraserhead

Eraserhead (1977)

Timing: 1:29 (89 min)

7.3/10
2671

7.285/10
42474

7.2/10
143000

All about film

Video 7

Photo 110

Actors and characters

Release date

1977-09-28

Country

United States

Production

American Film Institute (AFI)

Genre

Horror, Fantasy, Science Fiction

Budget

$10 000

Revenue

$7 006 798

Website

Director

David Lynch

Actors

Jack Nance, Charlotte Stewart, Allen Joseph, Jeanne Bates, Judith Roberts, Laurel Near, Jack Fisk, Jean Lange, Thomas Coulson, John Monez
All actors and roles (10)

Scenario

Producer

David Lynch, Fred Baker

Operator

Frederick Elmes

Composer

David Lynch

Artist

Audition

Editing

David Lynch
All team (8)

• During the first year of work on the film (out of five), David Lynch's wife left him. Considering that their daughter had been born shortly before, many believe that David Lynch drew on personal experience when filming.
• To film "Eraserhead", the director had to find money in a variety of ways – even delivering newspapers.
• In 2004, the film was deemed culturally significant by the Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.
• The original screenplay was titled “Gardenback” and was only 20 pages long, which was one of the reasons for funding problems.
• Since the film was shot in segments over five years, the same sets had to be assembled several times. The filming was generally very fragmented in terms of timing. For example, the scene where Henry enters his apartment was filmed a year and a half after the scene where Henry opens the door.
• The film's original cinematographer, Herbert Cardwell, died in his sleep at the age of 38 two years after filming began.
• Jack Nance, who played Henry, wore his character's distinctive hairstyle for all five years of filming.
• The black and white zigzag pattern on the floor in Henry’s house is identical to the pattern on the floor in the poet’s house in Jean Cocteau’s film “Orpheus” (1950). Lynch later transferred this same pattern to the floor of the Black Lodge from his series “Twin Peaks” (1990-1991).
• The role of the child-mutant was “played” by an embalmed calf fetus, but Lynch never revealed the secret of how he managed to make it move in such a way. After filming, the director personally buried it.
• The film’s soundtrack was dedicated “to The Man In The Planet’s Sister.” Jack Fisk played the character of The Man In The Planet in the film, and his sister Mary soon became Lynch’s second wife. Jack Fisk later married Sissy Spacek, who also occasionally attended the filming.
• "Eraserhead" was one of Stanley Kubrick and John Waters’ favorite films.
• In his interviews, David Lynch calls “Eraserhead” his most subtle film and fundamentally refuses to comment on its plot, stating that viewers should form their own opinion and comprehend its meaning independently.
• Premiere magazine named this film one of the 25 "most dangerous films".
• At the time, "Eraserhead" made such a strong impression on directors Mel Brooks and George Lucas that the former offered Lynch the opportunity to direct "The Elephant Man" (1980), and the latter – "Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi" (1983). Lynch accepted the first offer, which became his debut in mainstream cinema, and declined the second.
• The initial version of the film had a runtime of 108 minutes.
• Stanley Kubrick expressed regret that he did not direct this film.
• At the beginning of the film, Henry Spencer steps into a puddle with his right foot, but when he gets home, he dries the sock from his left foot.
• "Eraserhead" was one of Stanley Kubrick and John Waters' favorite films.
• In his interviews, David Lynch calls "Eraserhead" his most subtle film and fundamentally refuses to comment on its plot, stating that viewers should form their own opinion and comprehend its meaning.
• "Eraserhead" made such a strong impression on directors Mel Brooks and George Lucas that the former offered Lynch to direct "The Elephant Man" (1980), and the latter – "Star Wars: Episode 6 – Return of the Jedi" (1983). Lynch accepted the first offer, which became his debut in "major" cinema, and declined the second.