10 Movie Secrets They Didn't Want You To Know
9. What The Baby Was Made From - Eraserhead
David Lynch's Eraserhead is one hell of a trip, and also contains arguably the surrealist filmmaker's single best-kept secret.
In the film, protagonist Harry (Jack Nance) attempts to care for his grotesque mutant child, whose distinct physical appearance immediately left fans wondering precisely where it came from.
Lynch has kept mum about confirming the prop's origins, and was reportedly so determined to keep the lid on the matter that he even had the projectionist blindfolded while cueing up the film's dailies during post-production. Others have claimed that Lynch even staged a burial for the prop after shooting was finished.
The best we've had from Lynch himself on the matter is uneasy, vague comments like "it was born nearby" or "maybe it was found," while some have theorised the baby - nicknamed "Spike" on set by star Jack Nance - may have been made from a skinned rabbit or lamb fetus.
This might be possible if Lynch had the animal carcass embalmed before shooting, given that he spent a total of five years to complete Eraserhead's production, and even Lynch surely would've balked at using real decomposing remains.
Given that we're almost a half-century removed from Eraserhead's release without a clear answer, it seems unlikely we're ever going to know the truth.