Day 230: Eraserhead

Eraserhead

Crazy is as crazy does

There's weird, there's crazy, and then there is David Lynch. As the creator of such mind-melting media as Twin Peaks and Lost Highway, Lynch has been able to forge an entire career based on being insanely weird, yet amazingly compelling. Nothing is ever quite what it seems when it comes to his work. I knew all of this prior to watching today's review and this prior knowledge did absolutely nothing for me. I was ready to stare into the abyss, but not ready to see something staring back at me.

Eraserhead is a 1977 surrealist movie, which can be interpreted as horror, starring Jack Nance (Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet) as Henry Spencer. Henry lives in an urban wasteland, currently on vacation from his job as a printer. A deformed man inside a planet pulls levers and we see something float out of Henry's mouth. Henry goes to his girlfriend Mary X's (Charlotte Stewart, Twin Peaks, Tremors) house to have dinner with her strange family. Mary's mother corners Henry and asks him if he has had sexual relations with Mary. Henry is incredibly uncomfortable especially when she tries to kiss him. She reveals that Mary has given birth extremely prematurely and that Henry must marry her. Mary and the baby, which is extremely deformed and almost lizard-like, move into Henry's tiny one-room apartment. The baby cries incessantly, causing Mary to flee, leaving Henry to care for it. The baby becomes sick and Henry begins to have strange and inexplicable experiences. He sees the “Lady In The Radiator,” a woman with an abnormally puffed-out face dancing on a stage and singing, “In Heaven, everything is fine.” He also sees the Man In The Planet and dreams that his head falls off, replaced by the head of his deformed baby. While Mary is gone, Henry has a brief affair with a woman from across the hall. Later, is crushed when he sees the woman with another man and the visions continue. What does this all mean?

I wish this hairstyle caught on instead of that swoopy, emo Zelda haircut

I did my best to explain what happens in Eraserhead, but honestly, there are some things that can't be described and do not make sense unless you see them for yourself. David Lynch has never revealed exactly what the movie is about or what certain scenes are supposed to mean. I am hesitant to interpret them, not for fear of being wrong, but there are just so many surreal scenes that it's hard to pinpoint exactly what is happening. Is Henry's story all a dream or a nightmare? Is he dead and this is some sort of limbo? Is the Man In The Planet a god or a devil? While it's not a traditional horror movie, it is scary on a cerebral level. The movie is incredibly unsettling and disturbing. Nothing ever really makes sense, making everything far more creepier than it appears.

Despite the movie being incredibly weird, Eraserhead is still an important film, showcasing David Lynch's earliest work and earning a place in the National Film Registry. The black and white aesthetic appeals to the off-the-wall nature of the movie. Sound is an important part of the movie as the audience is constantly bombarded with countless noises. Howling wind is a big constant throughout, along with the whining cry of the baby and the hissing of the radiator. While our sight is assailed with bizarre and often times baffling imagery, the noises attack our hearing, leading to a full auditory assault. All of this makes for a difficult viewing experience, forcing some people to take a break from viewing. The acting is good for what it is, although I have no idea if bad acting would actually hurt the film. 

In Heaven, everything is AAAAAAHHHH!!!!

Eraserhead is a mesmerizing and mysterious film that can shock, scare, and baffle people. I'm not totally sure if I enjoyed the movie, but I felt compelled to watch it. Eraserhead is an experience unto itself with crazy visuals, interesting sounds, and a story that goes nowhere and everywhere at the same time. You will leave with more questions than answers and unsure of what you've just seen. Film school students will enjoy this as well as fans of horror. It shows how something can be scary without having monsters or violence. Eraserhead is a unique experience worth your time, but it does take a considerable amount of effort to get through and absorb. I have no idea what I just watched, but I'm OK with that.

7/10

Day 200: The Exorcist

The Exorcist

That tanning light is set to "Jersey Shore"

Banned in certain countries. Fainting in the audience. Injuries. Death threats to actors. It takes an incredibly powerful movie to achieve such a response. Nowadays, just about anything can make it to theaters or be sold in stores, no matter how depraved or ridiculous (I'm looking at you, Human Centipede). Back in 1973, a horror movie was released that some believe had the Devil imprinted on the film. Not a demon or some sort of evil power, the Devil himself. It's hard to imagine such a response in today's desensitized and jaded world, but there is still one movie that capable of scaring people into hysterics. Of course, I am talking about The Exorcist.

The Exorcist is a 1973 horror movie starring Linda Blair (Repossessed, Hell Night) as Regan MacNeil and Jason Miller (That Championship Season, Toy Soldiers) as Father Damien Karras. It is adapted from the novel of the same name by William Peter Blatty. At an archaeological dig in Iraq, Father Lankester Merrin (Max von Sydow, The Seventh Seal, Flash Gordon) discovers a silver Catholic medallion along with a small stone amulet of a creature. In Washington D.C., actress Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn, Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, Requiem For A Dream) begins to notice strange changes in her 12 year old daughter Regan's behavior. She brings Regan to the doctor for a series of tests. The doctors believe that Regan has a simple condition that is treatable through medication. Her condition worsens as she now has violent outbursts and mood swings. Doctors perform invasive tests, believing that she has a lesion in her brain. The results yield no answers and a visit from a psychologist ends violently. Paranormal occurrences begin with strange noises, unexplained movements, and Regan's bed shaking. With no medical answers, the doctor's recommend an exorcism. Burke Dennings, film director and a friend of Chris, visits Regan and dies falling down a long flight of stairs under mysterious circumstances. Chris reaches out to Father Karras to perform the exorcism. Karras is going through a crisis of faith due to the recent death of his mother, but he agrees to see Regan. Karras observes Regan who now speaks in a raspy voice, has facial lesions, and refers to herself as the Devil. He sees the words “Help Me” on Regan's stomach and decides to ask the Church to allow the exorcism. The Church reaches out to Father Merrin who conducted an exorcism years ago in Africa, though it almost killed him. Will Father Merrin and Father Karras be able to exorcise the demon and save Regan?

"The power of rice compels...wait, that's not right"

The Exorcist has been named “The Scariest Movie of All Time” for good reason because the movie is legitimately scary. What makes it so scary isn't the jump-at-you moments that so many horror movies rely on, though it does have plenty of those. The movie is incredibly unsettling in it's content and execution. This is achieved through superb special effects and sound effects. Iconic scenes like Regan crawling down the stairs backwards (Spiderwalking if you prefer) and her head rotating and so unnerving in their unnaturalness that is strikes a nerve deep within the audience. I don't think I've seen another movie where sound has been so essential to make scenes work as in The Exorcist. Regan's possessed voice was provided by actress Mercedes McCambridge is so gravelly and rough that, mentally, it doesn't sit well with the audience when seen coming out the mouth of a 12 year old Linda Blair. There are split-second flashes of a demonic-looking face throughout the movie which may be the most terrifying thing in the entire movie because it the image stays with you long after the movie is over. I am actually surprised more movies don't try this subtle, yet effective trick.

The movie succeeds thanks to a combination of the solid acting, believable characters, and believable, if not wholly known, content. Linda Blair is great in her role, despite her young age and Mercedes McCambridge makes the demonic role work. Jason Miller plays Father Karras well and is probably the most identifiable with the audience as he is questioning his faith and is not sure what to believe. Director William Friedkin gets the most out of his actors through Kubrickian filmmaking. When both Fathers enter the Regan's room and steam can be seen from their breath, it's due to multiple air conditioners cranking out below freezing temperatures. When Ellen Burstyn screams out in pain after being struck by a possessed Regan, she is in actual pain due to breaking her coccyx. You can say there was a method to Fiedkin's madness because he gets great performances out of his actors and is able to capture some amazing shots on camera.

Oh, hi!

It is not often that a horror movie can scare, and while I may not have shrieked in terror, I was unsettled by The Exorcist. You know a movie is good when it stays with you long after the credits have rolled and The Exorcist is able to do that. Any exorcism movie that has come out since The Exorcist has been compared to the movie and while some receive praise, they cannot reach it's greatness. The great special and sound effects, the superb acting, and great direction all lead to an enjoyable, if unnerving, watch. It is a classic for a reason and deserves all the praise it receives. A perfect horror movie for my 200th review.

10/10