Maybe it's different elsewhere, but here in the UK Eraserhead is very well known. I was aware of it from a pretty young age, before I developed a proper interest in cinema. Of the films you listed I'd probably say I'd heard of it before Close Encounters, The Deer Hunter and Apocalypse Now. I'm actually surprised that despite it's very artsy nature it's as well known as it is. From what I remember I think the film is about fear of responsibility and fatherhood. The way Lynch films the radiator is so atmospheric and unsettling.

@JustinJackFlash said:

Maybe it's different elsewhere, but here in the UK Eraserhead is very well known.

This vividly illustrates the value of diversity to conversation and understanding. I'm in Canada, you're in the UK, we're talking about a movie made by an American, and its reception domestically vs. abroad. One vantage is insufficient to capture the broader scope of reception to this movie.

I was aware of it from a pretty young age, before I developed a proper interest in cinema. Of the films you listed I'd probably say I'd heard of it before Close Encounters, The Deer Hunter and Apocalypse Now.

That blows me away! These three particularly are huge on "this side of the pond."

I'm actually surprised that despite it's very artsy nature it's as well known as it is.

It's well documented that American film is decidedly less "artsy", introspective, philosophical, abstract, while y'all over there on "the continent" are more sophisticated, refined. Apparently, we over here just have a shorter attention span, and are more interested in shallow fantastic escapism than deeper introspection (generally speaking). Even something as trite as TV commercials are typically "30 second spots" here while commercials in Europe can extend well beyond that. I worked for a car company some years ago, and they had several long commercials in Europe that were really popular, but they'd never try to run them over here because they were "just too long."

From what I remember I think the film is about fear of responsibility and fatherhood. The way Lynch films the radiator is so atmospheric and unsettling.

Again, it takes some intellect and sophistication to appreciate these nuances.

Sadly, for too many, our 14-year old "Mad Max had a cool car and wrecked it" synopsis is as deep as people want to go. For too many, everything should be obvious, right on the surface, no deeper analysis required or desired, no symbol, no abstract, no art.

There are several films that have layers, and when I attempt to peel back some of those layers, using just the material provided within the movies themselves, or insights by the movie makers about their stories, too many are quick to dismiss the musings, they just do not want to see anything beyond what I believed were symbols representing bigger ideas. Which can make it tough for story-tellers, movie makers and actors to be artists and contribute provocatively to the public discourse.

@DRDMovieMusings said:

Why so obscure?

Back when House Party was a big deal, I never believed that the very young, black, moviegoing public (part of its intended audience) knew that much about Eraserhead - even though the character Kid's hair is used as a reference point to it in the film.

It's just a thought I had.

@CelluloidFan said:

@DRDMovieMusings said:

Why so obscure?

Back when House Party was a big deal, I never believed that the very young, black, moviegoing public (part of its intended audience) knew that much about Eraserhead - even though the character Kid's hair is used as a reference point to it in the film.

It's just a thought I had.

Interesting! I've never seen House Party - are there any additional references to Eraserhead in the movie, or is the hair a connection you saw but wasn't really intended by the movie itself?

The latter speaks more to your scope of knowledge in making a connection to Eraserhead, than to the movie itself. And, yes, I agree, its audience most likely would not have caught any such reference - although, I must hasten to add, while I have not seen either movie, just based on all we're discussing here, I'm of the tentative opinion that no part of _House Party'_s audience, black or otherwise, would have caught said reference.

But, I could be wrong, and that might be absolutely reasonable. Do you think non-Black members of the audience were more aware of Eraserhead than the Black members of the audience?

IIRC, a couple of characters mention the film by name in regard to how Kid's hair sits up high, like Henry Spencer's does in the film under discussion.

I always thought Reggie Hudlin was reaching a little too far with that... I mean, I knew about Eraserhead, but it's a cult film and I didn't see my generation as being particularly into those back then. I liked David Lynch's cinema since seeing Blue Velvet back in the days.

@CelluloidFan said:

IIRC, a couple of characters mention the film by name in regard to how Kid's hair sits up high, like Henry Spencer's does in the film under discussion.

I always thought Reggie Hudlin was reaching a little too far with that... I mean, I knew about Eraserhead, but it's a cult film and I didn't see my generation as being particularly into those back then. I liked David Lynch's cinema since seeing Blue Velvet back in the days.

Cool that that was in House Party! Either it was a challenge to the audience to discover/explore Eraserhead, or there are more people like you among the audience than might first have been thought - you may not be alone!

@DRDMovieMusings said:

That blows me away! These three particularly are huge on "this side of the pond."

They're probably pretty huge everywhere. It's just that I always saw Eraserhead as being huge too. I'd see all four of those consistently pop up in classic films lists.

It's well documented that American film is decidedly less "artsy", introspective, philosophical, abstract, while y'all over there on "the continent" are more sophisticated, refined. Apparently, we over here just have a shorter attention span, and are more interested in shallow fantastic escapism than deeper introspection (generally speaking). Even something as trite as TV commercials are typically "30 second spots" here while commercials in Europe can extend well beyond that. I worked for a car company some years ago, and they had several long commercials in Europe that were really popular, but they'd never try to run them over here because they were "just too long."

They probably are more sophisticated in the rest of Europe, but here in the UK people seem similar to America. The artsy people I come across are few and far between. But I have noticed the difference in tv style though. I found it strange how US reality tv seems to consist mainly of just cutaway interviews of the people just describing what happened instead of it actually being shown unfolding which UK reality tv tends to do more. That strikes me as being very hard to watch. Just a series of vacuous interviews. Not that I find reality tv easy to watch anyway. So, yeah, there is definitely a difference in conveying information.