Barbary Coast celebrations for David Lynch’s landmark classic Blue Velvet are beginning. Twenty-five years ago, on Sept. 19, 1986, a made-in-Wilmington feature, “Blue Velvet,” opened in movie houses across the U.S.A.

The DeLaurentiis Entertainment Group production was a box office flop, grossing just $7.2 million in first-run ticket sales against estimated production costs of $6 million. Spy magazine estimated that DEG, which owned what is now EUE Screen Gems Studios, lost more than $4 million on the project.

Nevertheless, “Blue Velvet” – an often-puzzling concoction of small-town values mixed with a severed ear, kinky sex, drug use and Pabst Blue Ribbon beer – was a critical success (see sidebar). Its writer-director, David Lynch, went on to launch the controversial TV series “Twin Peaks” and to create a series of increasingly complex films such as “Lost Highway,” “Mulholland Dr.” and “Inland Empire.”

“Blue Velvet” became a cult favorite. Port City is ready to embrace the film once again, with celebrations of the film beginning at 7pm at the Barbary Coast, the legendary downtown bar that served as one of the films most memorable locations. 

Fox said “Blue Velvet” could potentially serve as a focus for film-related tourism in the area, drawing fans from around the globe. The film will also be re-released in a special re-mastered Blu-Ray edition on November 8, featuring 50 minutes worth of deleted scenes and outakes.