“Don’t Fall Asleep!”
2024 will mark the forty year anniversary of the A Nightmare On Elm Street film series. That means that today’s Revenge Of The Slashers icon, Freddy Krueger, has been terrifying audiences for nearly four decades. His impact, not only on the horror genre, but on pop culture in general, cannot be denied. Created by horror legend Wes Craven, Freddy is horror royalty and consistently ranks in the top five slashers of all time on numerous lists.
Freddy, for those that have been living under a rock for the last forty years, was a janitor who killed numerous children in Springwood, Ohio. When he was finally captured, he managed to elude imprisonment due to a technicality. Enraged by the fact that the murderer of their children walked free, parents of Freddy’s victims cornered him in a boiler room and burned him alive. Freddy returns to Springwood via the dreams of teenagers, turning their nightmares into reality. If Freddy kills you in your dream, you die in the real world.
Freddy is known for wearing a ratty fedora, an even rattier green and red sweater, and a bladed glove. As the film series grew, he became known for his sadistic wit as well. This wit would eventually make Freddy a somewhat comedic character. While the glove is his signature weapon, Freddy utilizes the fears of his victims to create unique ways in which to kill them. From crushing a gym enthusiast in a “roach motel” to literally transforming a young man into a flesh motorcycle, Freddy has come up with some extremely crazy methods of mutilation.
Another unique thing about Freddy is the fact that for nearly the entire franchise, he’s been portrayed by the same actor, Robert Englund. Two other men have portrayed the character. Michael Bailey Smith portrayed the Super Freddy that appears in 1989’s A Nightmare On Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (although Englund portrayed Freddy throughout the rest of the film) and Jackie Earle Haley portrayed Freddy in the 2010 franchise reboot. Despite these other performances, most fans only consider Englund to be the true Freddy Krueger.
There have been nine A Nightmare On Elm Street films. Of these films, Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (1994) is actually a film within a film wherein Freddy becomes part of reality and begins killing filmmakers on the latest Nightmare movie, Freddy Vs. Jason (2003) is a crossover film that also features Jason Voorhees of Friday The 13th fame, and 2010’s A Nightmare On Elm Street attempted to reboot the franchise. Despite being a financial success, the reboot was panned by critics and fans alike. Freddy was also the host (and occasional antagonist) of Freddy’s Nightmares, a syndicated horror series that lasted for two season (1988-1990). He has also appeared in numerous video games, books, and has occasionally popped up as a guest character on television.
So, what is your favorite Elm Street film? Have you ever met Robert Englund in real life? What is your favorite Freddy kill from the films? Let me know that and more in the comments section!
Thanks for checking out Day One of the 2023 edition of Thirty-One Days O’Horror. More maniacs will be loosed daily throughout October!
Ken's Alternate Universe! 