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Eraserhead 1978

In the bleak industrial setting of Eraserhead, Henry's solitary existence is upended by an unexpected pregnancy. His former lover, Mary, arrives, and he finds himself facing the daunting prospect of parenthood. A bizarre and unsettling infant further complicates matters, and as Henry struggles to care for it, he encounters the strange and unsettling residents of his apartment building. Reality and sanity become increasingly difficult to distinguish within this unsettling and dreamlike world.

In the bleak industrial setting of Eraserhead, Henry's solitary existence is upended by an unexpected pregnancy. His former lover, Mary, arrives, and he finds himself facing the daunting prospect of parenthood. A bizarre and unsettling infant further complicates matters, and as Henry struggles to care for it, he encounters the strange and unsettling residents of his apartment building. Reality and sanity become increasingly difficult to distinguish within this unsettling and dreamlike world.

Does Eraserhead have end credit scenes?

No!

Eraserhead does not have end credit scenes. You can leave when the credits roll.

Meet the Full Cast and Actors of Eraserhead

Explore the complete cast of Eraserhead, including both lead and supporting actors. Learn who plays each character, discover their past roles and achievements, and find out what makes this ensemble cast stand out in the world of film and television.


Ratings and Reviews for Eraserhead

See how Eraserhead is rated across major platforms like IMDb, Metacritic, and TMDb. Compare audience scores and critic reviews to understand where Eraserhead stands among top-rated movies in its genre.


Metacritic

87

Metascore

7.3

User Score

Rotten Tomatoes
review

87%

TOMATOMETER

review

82%

User Score

TMDB

74

%

User Score

Take the Ultimate Eraserhead Movie Quiz

Challenge your knowledge of Eraserhead with this fun and interactive movie quiz. Test yourself on key plot points, iconic characters, hidden details, and memorable moments to see how well you really know the film.


Eraserhead Quiz: Test your knowledge on the surreal and unsettling world of David Lynch's 'Eraserhead'.

Who is the main character of 'Eraserhead'?

Full Plot Summary and Ending Explained for Eraserhead

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Read the complete plot summary of Eraserhead, including all major events, twists, and the full ending explained in detail. Explore key characters, themes, hidden meanings, and everything you need to understand the story from beginning to end.


The film begins with Henry Spencer (Jack Nance) floating aimlessly in space, with a surreal depiction of his brain represented by a rocky planet visible through his head. This rocky landscape houses a peculiar structure featuring a significant hole in its roof. Within this haunting building, the Man in the Planet (Jack Fisk) diligently operates levers that symbolize Henry’s central nervous system. This unusual opening sequence serves as a metaphor for Henry’s intimate encounter with Mary X (Charlotte Stewart), culminating in a bizarre imagery of a spermatozoon emerging and diving into a watery abyss, indicative of Mary’s anatomy. Time lapses and from the depths of darkness, a creature emerges.

Next, we see Henry as he walks through a desolate industrial landscape, carrying a small brown paper bag, his journey marked by eerie carnival music contrasting the silent, machinery-laden environment. Conveying a sense of isolation, there is a prominent lack of life around him, accompanied by the distant sounds of whistles and ship horns cutting through the heavy machinery’s roars. Upon arrival at his dilapidated apartment lobby, he checks his mailbox, finding it empty. Ascending to Room 26, he encounters the Beautiful Girl Across the Hall (Judith Roberts), living in Room 27, who informs him that Mary has invited him for dinner.

Inside his dimly lit apartment, Henry sets down his groceries, flicks on some light jazz from his record player, and momentarily engages with the hissing radiator, a symbol reflecting his dark thoughts, and glances longingly at a bleak view of a wall through his only window—the claustrophobic confines echoing the oppressive weight of his solitary existence. The atmosphere suggests a post-apocalyptic scenario, especially emphasized by an ominous mushroom cloud imagery. After a superstitious act involving a stone thrown into water, Henry examines a torn picture of Mary, hinting at underlying troubles.

That evening, under the cover of darkness, Henry traverses through the grim landscape to dine with Mary’s family. This encounter reveals the strained dynamics between Henry and Mary, complicated by the revelations of their past. During dinner at the X household, which features an uncomfortable interaction with Mrs. X (Jeanne Bates) and Mary’s father (Allen Joseph), we observe Henry’s awkwardness in this tense environment marked by artificial food that horrifies him. Following dinner, questions about their sexual history culminate in an ultimatum that compels them to marry immediately.

After their wedding, the couple brings home a deformed baby, the product of their union, that intensifies Henry’s existential dread. The sinister nature of their home life deepens when he discovers a small worm hidden in a sleek black box, prompting his thoughts of despair to resurface. As nights pass, the couple faces the torment of a continuously crying baby while they are surrounded by the cacophony of a storm, factories, and trains, leading to Mary’s decision to leave Henry to handle their child alone, deepening his isolation.

The plot thickens as the Beautiful Girl Across the Hall returns home after a night that implies her own struggles, providing an unsettling parallel to Henry’s crumbling reality. As days progress, the baby’s health deteriorates, casting a grim shadow over Henry, who eventually succumbs to temptation with the Beautiful Girl, leading to a scandalous encounter.

The narrative takes a surreal turn when the lady in the radiator ([Laurel Near]) performs on stage, exuding an eerie calm as she sings, “In Heaven, everything is fine.” Amidst the chaos, Henry finds himself in a nightmarish vision involving his severed head, which is cruelly repurposed at an eraser factory. This grotesque transformation underscores the bizarre essence of his existence.

Upon waking, Henry’s dark journey continues as he grapples with his monstrous reality, ultimately culminating in a shocking act against the baby, followed by fleeting visions of electrical chaos and the baby’s grotesque form. In the final scenes, the man in the planet pulls a lever, facing a shocking end, while Henry finds solace in what appears to be a transcendent afterlife, resolved to embrace the lady in the radiator amidst the surreal backdrop of his tragic existence.

In an alternative interpretation, the film alludes to a devastated America post-atomic war, surviving in a state of regression where technology has stagnated, and the population has diminished drastically. The societal implications suggest deep-rooted mental illnesses among the remaining inhabitants, heightened by the horrors of radiation. Henry’s interactions and experiences encapsulate the struggles of a traumatized individual grappling with personal demons, ultimately leading to his tragic demise in a world riddled with despair and hallucination.

Uncover the Details: Timeline, Characters, Themes, and Beyond!

Watch Trailers, Clips & Behind-the-Scenes for Eraserhead

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Watch official trailers, exclusive clips, cast interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage from Eraserhead. Dive deeper into the making of the film, its standout moments, and key production insights.


Eraserhead - Trailer

Movie Themes and Keywords

Discover the central themes, ideas, and keywords that define the movie’s story, tone, and message. Analyze the film’s deeper meanings, genre influences, and recurring concepts.


surrealismnightmareexperimental filmradiatoravant gardecult filmbabydream sequencemidnight moviemetamorphosisseizuredadaismlonelinessapartmentlow budget filmpencil eraserfeature film directorial debutsynthetic meatsurprise endingmutationsevered headpencilwormdissectionmysterious mannational film registryone word titleelevatorsingingsingeralienationplanetouter spaceunplanned pregnancygrocery shoppingdisabilitymotifdancingabsurdismdisturbed personnihilismvery little dialoguescissorsart horrorfatherhoodsleeplessnesschicken meatsicknessnosebleedlive action and animation

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