Eraserhead

So here's a scene from David Lynch's Eraserhead. I am intrigued by how there are multiple aspects of it that work together to create an unnerving whole. If we were to isolate the elements and look at them, we'd say, eh, they're not that weird. Tumorous cheeks - ok, abnormal, but not so bad. The little shuffle she does is strange. Her expression is a bit psychotic - what can possibly be the reason for the emotion behind that insane grin? Why are sperm falling from the ceiling? Why does it fill her with such joy to step on them? The music is pretty innocuous on its own, but it gives an ominous tone in the way carousel music makes a kid scared to get on one of the plastic ponies, like its haunted. That being said, I'll now say that the cheeks are worse because of the grin, the grin is more horrifying because of the cheeks, the dance is creepier because of the woman and the music gnaws at you because she dances to it. Perhaps if she was disheveled and in a hospital gown, it wouldn't all be so bad, but she's in her Sunday best fresh from a visit to the hairdresser, so we can forget about that. I think the malicious joy she gets from crushing sperm adds to the scene as well. Really, there isn't an established category for whats going on in front of us. Like Modigliani's figures, her abandoned demeanor and confidence despite the viewer's potential discomfort adds to our alarm. In all, I think this is some good work on Lynch's part.


~Al