Common Sense Media Review
By Alistair Lawrence
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Unsettling cult horror has gore and trauma.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Eraserhead
What's the Story?
ERASERHEAD follows eccentric loner Henry Spencer (Jack Nance) through becoming a new parent to a child that doesn't appear to be entirely human.
Is It Any Good?
This feature-length debut from filmmaker David Lynch is a surreal, black-humored treat for fans of horror and the weird and wonderful. Eraserhead still has the ability to shock and surprise years after its 1977 release. It has many of the motifs that mark Lynch's most famous works -- most notably the TV series Twin Peaks -- from a disjointed plot to characters prone to strange and erratic behavior. Budget constraints meant the movie's stop-start production took several years to complete. But on final viewing Nance remains a constant as leading man Henry. Reticent and rattled, he seems to stumble through life from one bizarre situation to the next. The anxiety of caring for his other-worldly "child" is the movie at its most relatable. The rest is gory, visceral, and inventive. It might be too light on dialogue and nightmarish for some, but Eraserhead inarguably showcases Lynch's wild imagination and raised the curtain for his remarkable career in the arts.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the world in which Eraserhead takes place. In what ways was it strange? How did this add to the story? Did you find it scary or unsettling?
Discuss the film's violence and gore. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? Does exposure to violent media desensitize kids to violence?
The film is considered a cult classic. What makes a film a cult movie? What other cult movies have you seen?
Movie Details
- In theaters : February 3, 1978
- On DVD or streaming : June 7, 2005
- Cast : Jack Nance , Charlotte Stewart , Allen Joseph
- Director : David Lynch
- Studio : Libra Films
- Genre : Horror
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic )
- Run time : 89 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate