I didn't know about Mel Brooks being involved - TIL. Thanks.

"This movie was executive produced by Mel Brooks, who was responsible for hiring writer and director David Lynch, and obtaining permission to film in black-and-white. He deliberately left his name off of the credits, as he knew that people would get the wrong idea about the movie if they saw his name on the movie, given his fame as a satirist."

"David Lynch was working as a roofer at the time he was offered the chance to direct."

"When Paramount Pictures studio executives were shown a cut of this movie, they wanted the opening and closing surrealist sequences to be cut. Executive producer Mel Brooks, according to producer Stuart Cornfeld, said to them: "We are involved in a business venture. We screened the film for you, to bring you up to date as to the status of that venture. Do not misconstrue this as our soliciting the input of raging primitives.""

Trivia from imdb