Rotten Tomatoes
Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Eraserhead

Play trailer 0:46 Poster for Eraserhead 1977 1h 29m Horror Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
87% Tomatometer 84 Reviews 82% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
Henry (John Nance) resides alone in a bleak apartment surrounded by industrial gloom. When he discovers that an earlier fling with Mary X (Charlotte Stewart) left her pregnant, he marries the expectant mother and has her move in with him. Things take a decidedly strange turn when the couple's baby turns out to be a bizarre lizard-like creature that won't stop wailing. Other characters, including a disfigured lady who lives inside a radiator, inhabit the building and add to Henry's troubles.
Watch on Fandango at Home Stream Now

Where to Watch

Eraserhead

Eraserhead

What to Know

Critics Consensus

David Lynch's surreal Eraserhead uses detailed visuals and a creepy score to create a bizarre and disturbing look into a man's fear of parenthood.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View More
J. Hoberman Village Voice 01/23/2025
Eraserhead's not a movie I'd drop acid for, although I would consider it a revolutionary act if someone dropped a reel of it into the middle of Star Wars. Go to Full Review
Linda Gross Los Angeles Times 01/23/2025
Monster babies, like concentration camps, are bad subjects for jokes. Although Lynch's taste is objectionable, his directorial talent is unquestionable. Go to Full Review
Steve Morse Boston Globe 01/23/2025
I guess you can sell some people on anything as long as you tell them it's avant-garde. Go to Full Review
Max Allen Horror Movie Talk Dec 4
7/10
Time moves awkwardly slow, a low hum and sharp static hang over most of the scenes, and even the mere movements of the characters feel so off. Go to Full Review
Pat Padua Washington City Paper Apr 30
...took several years to complete but unspools like a single, unforgettable fever dream. Go to Full Review
Brian Bisesi Horror Movie Club Podcast 01/29/2025
4/5
Eraserhead is unsettling on nearly every level. The film is so surreal as to be profoundly disorienting, but still maintains enough structure to give emotional weight to its themes. Go to Full Review
Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
tommy 02/01/2025 The ugliness of the universe is pulling the levers to release the baby (spirit) into the world dropped in to the water (wet planet earth) hairy hole gurney dirty industrial area the dirtiness of man the torn photo is how he feels about her he’s torn she is attached to her mother like the puppies to theirs In American culture family is everything keep grandma involved a slight toward the poultry industry man made chicken has her in a trance the divine comedy she’s crying bill is smiling Americans getting married due to tradition they don’t want to be together a child out of lust may not be as nurtured as one out of love she is a prisoner of her own thoughts she’s packed her bag and made up her mind the light in the furnace everything in heaven is fine go to the light his wife is the parasite in his life she’s causing nightmares the woman in the furnace is the woman of his dreams his worm in the box is his dirty little secret you can experience the light and things you want but Henry is attached to his earthly wants the ugliness of the universe shows it’s face if you stay of you give up on your dreams you will become another object to be used someone will come along and steal your thoughts and get paid for it lust not fulfilled baby laughs kill what keeps you attached and you will obtain heaven See more Michael T @Michael3333 4h The pacing of the movie was to slow and just didn't turn out to be interesting. See more Elias M @Elias_miguel_502 1d now this movie was quite the hard watch. i had quite a difficult time understanding the whole premise of the plot. Although i wouldn't recommend it to others, the hypnotic and absurd storyline was still quite unique and interesting if this is your kind of movie. -elias miguel See more valeria S @valeriasalgado 2d For someone that like scary and horror film this movie was something I didn't like and thought it was hard digest if im being honest it was a little disturbing. See more isa C @isacruz 2d Not extremely engaging, the dream like sequences were my favorite part and reminded me of a fever dream nightmare. I like that it explores the aftermath of bringing a child into the world wanted or unwanted and shows more of the males side. Felt really slow and confusing at many times. See more Kevin P 2d A very unique and bizarre experimental arthouse movie that combines body horror with abstract surrealism. The movie is very dreamlike and hypnotic. It feels like you're on the verge of being awake and asleep. The movie is bizarre surrealist and disorienting. It has very unique cinematography and terrific unsettling sound design. The lighting is also fantastic. The world Henry lives in feels alien and subtly threatening. You have so many questions that you eventually just accept the distorted reality. The deformed baby is disturbing to look and listen to. On one hand, the movie is very abstract and disjointed with seemingly random images pulled from David Lynch's subconscious. On the other hand, it clearly tells a story exploring the fears of parenthood and marriage. How Henry feels trapped in his new life and impending responsibilities. The movie operates on dream logic. It's not for everyone. But I still greatly appreciate the artistry of this movie. See more Read all reviews
Eraserhead

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW
Audrey Rose 57% 43% Audrey Rose Watchlist Burnt Offerings 50% 43% Burnt Offerings Watchlist The Tenant 85% 87% The Tenant Watchlist The Sentinel 48% 45% The Sentinel Watchlist TRAILER for The Sentinel The Island of Dr. Moreau 54% 40% The Island of Dr. Moreau Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis Henry (John Nance) resides alone in a bleak apartment surrounded by industrial gloom. When he discovers that an earlier fling with Mary X (Charlotte Stewart) left her pregnant, he marries the expectant mother and has her move in with him. Things take a decidedly strange turn when the couple's baby turns out to be a bizarre lizard-like creature that won't stop wailing. Other characters, including a disfigured lady who lives inside a radiator, inhabit the building and add to Henry's troubles.
Director
David Lynch
Producer
David Lynch
Screenwriter
David Lynch
Production Co
American Film Institute
Genre
Horror
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 17, 1977, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 25, 2015
Runtime
1h 29m
Sound Mix
Surround
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
Most Popular at Home Now