Eraserhead
1977 · Directed by David Lynch
Do not start here. Earn this one. Lynch's first feature is a black-and-white industrial nightmare about fatherhood, anxiety, and a baby that defies description.
Why It's Cult
Eraserhead is cinema as dream logic. Lynch spent five years making it, lived on the set, ate the same tuna sandwich every day. What came out is a film that you either find transformative or unwatchable, with no in-between. The Lady in the Radiator singing "In Heaven" is one of those scenes you'll either love forever or actively avoid thinking about for the rest of your life.
The Plot, Officially
A film that defies conventional logic and storytelling, fueled by its dark nightmarish atmosphere and compellingly disturbing visuals. Henry Spencer is a hapless factory worker on his vacation when he finds out he's the father of a hideously deformed baby. Now living with his unhappy, malcontent girlfriend, the child cries day and night, driving Henry and his girlfriend to near insanity.
Gateway Scenes
Act 2
The Lady in the Radiator singing "In Heaven."
If this scene lands, you're a Lynch person forever. If not, stop the movie, no judgment.
Starring
Jack Nance, Charlotte Stewart, Allen Joseph
Where to Watch
via JustWatch →
