First shown at Filmex 1977, the movie was not widely seen until 1978, when it came to the attention of entrepreneur Ben Barenholtz. Despite mixed to unfavorable reviews, it ran for years as a midnight attraction at Greenwich Village's Waverly Theatre. The movie's weirdness developed a cult following in other cities as well. “I wasn't thinking of a midnight audience when I made it,” Lynch said, “It was a student film.” Eventually, Eraserhead became one of the most successful American avant-garde films, establishing a precedent for other eccentric indies.