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Looking for people who've seen Eraserhead in theaters '77-80

Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 8:23 pm
by vlucca
Hi,

I am a grad student at NYU writing a historical essay about the original exhibition/advertising/reception of Eraserhead. Ironically enough, if I do a good enough job, the essay could end up on the National Film Archive. What I would really, really, really appreciate is being able to (briefly) interview someone who has seen it in a theater sometime between 1977 and 1980. It's due on December 13th, so if you could PM me or let me know of someone who has, I would be incredibly grateful...

Thanks,

Violet

Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 9:19 pm
by Annie
Hey, Violet, that's really cool! You're going to have to find some of our special celebrities for that. I suggest you try pm'ing John Neff, who I can bet saw Eraserhead during those years. I didn't see it until my brother had a copy on video and they showed it to his weird med-school classmates!

Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 9:25 pm
by Annie
Since you haven't officially introduced yourself, I would suggest you go do that in the intro thread under David Lynch. Read down the list; most people identify what movie got them started and about when; maybe you'll stumble across somebody who can help you.

Have you seen that interview called "The Directors," on Bravo or AMC (I think) where they interview Lynch and John Waters? Both give credit to each other for their respective midnight movies gaining an audience for each other. John Waters' breakthrough movie was "Pink Flamingos." I love him, too, but in a TOTALLY different way than David. He's not an artist.

Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 4:42 pm
by moviemaker
vlucca,

I have a film professor who used to teach at AFI and now teaches at Art Center College of Design.

He was on the jury for some film selection committee that saw the first screening of Eraserhead in 1977 before it was screened for an audience. He was on the committe of ten people and was only 1 of 2 people who gave it a thumbs up. Everyone else hated it or didn't understand it.

He loved it so much he called up his buddy who reviewed films for the LA Times (he still reviews films now-forgot his name--want to say Jack Matthews or something) and that fella gave Eraserhead such a glowing review that it got Eraserhead picked up for distribution by Ben Barenholtz (coincidently the same guy who picked up the Coen Bros. Blood Simple when everyone else had rejected it).

Anyway I'll PM you his contact info.