Eraserhead

A young father discovers the abject horrors of parenthood in David Lynch's cult debut feature born from the American underground.

After receiving an invitation out of the blue, Henry (Jack Nance) meets his girlfriend’s family over a chicken dinner. There, Henry is accosted and discovers that he has become a father. He finds his life immediately changed as he must adjust to parenthood with his horrifically inhuman infant.

Curator's note

Born from the American underground and largely inspired from David Lynch’s time living and studying fine art in Philadelphia, Eraserhead is the director’s assured feature film debut.

Aside from Lynch’s short films made before and during the film’s production, Eraserhead is the filmic genesis of the director’s pervasive obsessions with industrial cityscapes, smoky billows and mid-century aesthetics which echoed through his entire career.

With surreal visuals and nightmarish horrors that aren’t easily forgotten, the film also features an industrial soundscape by Lynch and Alan Splet that creeps in and doesn't let go.

– Reece Goodwin, Curator (Film & TV)