Blue Velvet is a 1986 American mystery film, written and directed by David Lynch, that exhibits elements of both film noir and surrealism. The film features Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rossellini, Dennis Hopper and Laura Dern. The title Blue Velvet is taken from the 1963 Bobby Vinton song of the same name. The film was strongly acclaimed by critics, although initially detested by some, if not all mainstream American film critics. It earned Lynch his second Academy Award nomination for Best Director. As an example of a director casting against the norm, Blue Velvet is also noted for re-launching Dennis Hopper's career, initiating the adult career of Laura Dern, and providing Isabella Rossellini a dramatic outlet that defied her role as a fashion model and cosmetics spokeswoman.

After the commercial and critical failure of Lynch's Dune (1984), he made attempts at developing a more "personal story", somewhat characteristic of his surreal style he displayed in his debut 1977 film Eraserhead. The screenplay of Blue Velvet had been passed around multiple times in the late 1970s and early 1980s, with many major studios declining it because of its strong sexual and violent content, most of which was considered taboo in Hollywood motion pictures prior to its release. The independent studio De Laurentiis Entertainment Group, which was owned at the time by Italian film producer Dino De Laurentiis, agreed to finance and produce the film. Production on Blue Velvet began in January of 1985, and it was released the following year.