The opening of this film shows Henry (John Nance) in a mid-shot, horizontal across the screen; first at the bottom, with half of his face concealed. Centre screen is an asteroid, over which Henry’s head will float in subsequent scenes, with both being visible at once. The decision to show such surreal scenes from the outset only serves as a catalyst for audience curiosity, and indeed, the film in its entirety is a cohesive blend of disturbing imagery, challenging metaphors and conceptual surrealism. After the introduction previously mentioned, the viewer is invited to roam across the surface of this asteroid; it is almost as if we are in a sort of craft, travelling in a straight line, looking downwards at its undulating, inhospitable, rocky terrain, bef

Lynch is quoted as saying this film is a “dream of dark and troubling things”¹; Henry is a dark and troubled character, who we have the chance to investigate closely, and who, like the film may lack initial perspicuity. However, Lynch, first an artist, ensures the viewer is kept involved by the use of chiaroscuro, teamed with a mise-en-scène of consistent visual curiosity.

In most of this film, the lighting pays homage to the style of chiaroscuro. This is shown to excellent effect when Henry visits his girlfriend Mary’s house, but the use of the camera is equally interesting. The first shot of Mrs. X gives a very ominous feel; she sits with a steely glare fixed on Henry, the lighting is greatly contrasted, embodying the rules of chiaroscuro. There is a certain unity and balance to the shots in Mr. And Mrs. X’s house, as if everything has been perfectly arranged to somehow look ‘normal’, that is difficult to find in most shots in Henry’s room. The house has been shown to be slightly contradictory in the sense that the untidiness of the kitchen, with the presence of the immobile old woman, can be contrasted to the atypical verisimilitude of the lounge and dining area which seem quite customary; if these were captured in a single frame, one could be forgiven for being ignorant to the family’s curious strangeness.

When we meet Henry for the first time, it is implied that he has been watching all of this introduction, because his gaze travels above and past the camera in a way that would suggest he has just viewed something surreal; his gaze is one of mystification, and he rushes off quickly, the camera static. With Henry walking away from the camera, the viewer is able to look at the surroundings, and at Henry within these, thus contextualising his presence. The flat surroundings presented to the viewer are slightly unexciting at this early stage after the introduction, but the opening of the tunnel that occupies the centre of the shot and the dark, diagonal shadow, maintains the visual presence of the film.

Some topics in this essay:
John Nance, Lynch Henry, Likewise Mary, David Lynch, , shots radiator, visual presence, chipmunk lady, conversation henry, previously mentioned, looking downwards, henry enters, seated figure, portion screen, henry walking,