February Edition︱Writing
David Lynch, Eraserhead, and the Death of Cinema | By Jack H.
On January 15th, 2025, imaginative director David Keith Lynch passed away after a five year battle with emphysema. The outpour of sorrow and nostalgia from fans surprised me, as I’d never heard much of this man until then. But then I looked up his filmography, and found out that he was behind Twin Peaks, Mulholland Drive, Blue Velvet, Dune (1984), The Fabelmans, and Eraserhead. I had heard of all of these renowned movies, but only ever seen The Fabelmans, which he acted in, but didn’t direct. So, I can’t say I’m a David Lynch aficionado, but based on the old interviews I’ve seen these past few days, Hollywood has lost a star. Lynch appears to be a rare man, completely enveloped in his art and the process of creating it. He has great perspective, and seems to deeply understand human nature, and humanity’s relationship with storytelling. In one interview I watched, he says, “People love the unknown. They love going into a new world, having a new experience. Film is a great way to have a new experience. Just one ticket and it’s something brand new.” Clearly, he was a passionate and intelligent man. And he was also rather eccentric. Apparently he ate the same things for lunch and dinner everyday, just because he likes daily routine. Eccentricity, passion, and perspective aside, you can only know a director so much if you don’t know his movies. So, on Saturday, I watched Eraserhead.
I didn’t know what I was getting into with Eraserhead, after all, I’d never seen a David Lynch movie before. Not only that but the 1977 horror movie was mostly silent, save for an eerie soundtrack and a couple lines of dialogue, and it was shot entirely in black-and-white. Yet I watched it, full of trepidation, but also with a sense of pride for honoring Lynch in some way. Eraserhead left me stunned.
The film follows Henry, a printer, who unexpectedly becomes a father after one of his exes turns out to be pregnant. He quickly marries the mother, lets her move in with him, and she has the baby. But the baby turns out to be a horribly deformed creature, not even human. It spends the rest of the film crying and freaking the audience out. At the end of the movie, I just didn’t know what to think. It was so weird. I’d never seen anything grosser or harder to understand. I soon realized that Lynch wanted audiences to feel confused. He gave us a bunch of horrifying metaphors, and left us to choose the meanings and piece everything together. The movie supposedly represents his fear of becoming a father, and who can really make sense of that feeling?
Filmwise, the movie is beautifully shot, maintaining a very dark tone to put viewers on edge. But I think the sound is really the best part. There is an otherworldly hum throughout the movie, combined with plenty of squelches and eerie music. The sound is incredibly jarring, and automatically introduces us to a world much darker than our own. All in all, the freaky film just added to my belief that Lynch is quite the intelligent fellow.
After the movie, I got to thinking. Not only about Eraserhead, but also about today’s directors. Lynch was 78 when he died, and the “old guard” of directors is now quite… old. Spielberg is 78, Scorsese is 82, Francis Ford Coppola is 85, James Cameron is 70, and Ridley Scott is 87, just to name a few. Granted, there are some great directors still going strong. Christopher Nolan is only 54, Denis Villeneuve is 57, and David Fincher is 62. But where are all the young-young directors? Where is the next generation? Sure, you have Robert Eggers, Damien Chazelle, Greta Gerwig, and Jordan Peele. But is it enough? James Cameron directed Terminator, his break-through movie, when he was 29, and Spielberg directed Jaws when he was 26. Maybe it’s just me, but these other directors haven’t made movies as big, and have made less. And most of them are already in their 40s. I feel like, back in the 80s, there was more hope for cinema’s future, since there were more young directors. Now, I’m concerned that there hasn’t been enough effort put towards creating a strong next generation of directors. In 20 years, this problem could grow, and slowly become the death of cinema. But hey, that’s a problem for later. For now, let’s just celebrate David Lynch. May he rest in peace!
February Is Filled With Feelings | By Kelly B.
February, a time of warmer winds
Also a time of heart shaped tins
Love is celebrated, platonic or not
Candy fills the stores that make your teeth rot
Pink, white and red fill the month for the years and tears to come
But not only is it a month of celebration but also appreciation
African Americans are celebrated for their contributions and spirit
And it’s here for all to hear it.
Subway Surfing and Such | By Isabella H.
In recent years, lots of accidents, deaths, and other injuries have been on the rise. Subway surfing has caused deaths. What is subway surfing you may ask? It’s when a person (usually a teenager according to statistics) goes onto a moving train, and sits on the top. If you trip, fall, or make a small miscalculation with your body, your life's on the line. According to Official Website of the City of New York, the average age for a subway surfer is 14 years old. As the MTA says, “Ride inside, stay alive.” No one should die because of this, please don’t attempt subway surfing. If you were to suddenly pass, others would have to grieve, the ones whom you don’t know very well, and people you’re close with. Nonetheless, most people are allegedly peer pressured into this. Another factor to look out for is knowing whether or not the crowd your with is the best one for you. Now, some people are naturally on the more dangerous or troublesome side, which is okay when it's causing no real harm. But when they actually make fun of you, or tell you that something specific has to be done to you, and it's not a good thing, chances are they’re not either. Recently, a horrible crime was committed. A woman was burned to death by another, and no one helped. Many people let themselves talk to people who just don’t seem like friendly people, don’t talk to people you don’t know.
New York City is always thought of as a bustling, chaotic, and fun place. Lots of people have issues navigating the massive concrete jungle of streets, alleys, roads, and drives. The subway is one of the easiest ways to get to your favorite restaurant, school, college, or your house; the subway goes all around the city. One of the defining traits of the subway is, without a doubt, the people. Just like anywhere else, the behavior of others affects everyone — whether it’s a rude or kind gesture.
Whether you’re a tourist or native New Yorker, here are some rules and tips to follow:
• When walking up and down the stairs, please always walk to your right. When everyone goes to their right, it creates a smooth pathway of traffic.
• If you need to make a stop in your step, do not block the flow of traffic.
• Be kind to employees.
• When sitting in the station, please stay away from the tracks and do not block the stairways. Don’t take up seating space with your belongings–put them somewhere where you can see them, whether on your lap or on the floor.
• Please don’t share any personal information about yourself, or where you’re going.
• Don’t engage with any illegal activity; do not litter the train tracks.
• Avoid causing disturbances and confrontations.
• Wait for people to get off the train before entering the train.
Whether or not it’s night, day, or morning, follow rules of common decency or at least retain shame. The age group for the offenders is quite young, and according to the New York Times, the youngest being “9 years old”, which is quite young for a person to go unsupervised to a train station, and attempt subway surfing.
Take care of yourself and others. As the MTA promotes, “if you see something, say something.” If you see someone in actual pain or witness dangerous behavior, call for help. Whether or not a man or woman who doesn’t know you asks about something that’s just a bit personal, brush it off and continue your day.