Film: Eraserhead (28/250)
Critics Poll: 183rd
Directors Poll: 224th
First Time/Rewatch: First Time
I'll admit it, my relationship with the films of David Lynch isn't the greatest. I saw and enjoyed Blue Velvet when I was a young adult, and that was the extent of my foray into his filmography until recently. I've seen parts of The Elephant Man and The Straight Story, and Craig tried to have me watch Mulholland Drive but I was in a bad mood and refused to watch (so charming of me). I somehow completely missed the boat on "Twin Peaks" and then the plot got spoiled for me, so in a fit of crankiness and insecurity about missing out, I've never watched that either. As a result, around all my Lynch-loving friends, I felt very much out of the loop. Maybe I'm not film-literate or cool enough to "get it" or really appreciate his work. I don't know. All I know is that when the subject of David Lynch and his films comes up, I feel a little surge of discouragement.
The nice thing about this Sight & Sound challenge is that it forces me out of my comfort zone, and with three Lynch films on the list, I'd have to confront my weird mental block on this guy. So in a rare moment of cinematic open-mindedness, I gave this a go. And what a trip! Parenthood as a nightmare, tense and uneasy, the darkness and noise setting my teeth on edge. You can't say Lynch can't create a mood. I left this film confused and a little nauseous, but who says every movie has to be comfortable and make sense? It may not be my cup of tea at the end of the day, but if I can just turn off my expectations and insecurities, and just take it in, I might get a little something out of it.
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