4 Or More Shots From 4 Or More Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films lets the visuals do the talking!
83 years ago today, Wes Craven was born in Cleveland, Ohio. Craven started his career as an academic, teaching high school English. However, realizing that there was more money to be made in the film industry, Craven changed careers. By his own admission, he started his career directing “hardcore, X-rated films” under a pseudonym and it has been rumored that he was a member of the crew of the first “porno chic” film, Deep Throat. Eventually, Craven broke into the mainstream with some of the most influential and often controversial horror films ever made. From being denounced for the original Last House On The Left to changing the face of horror with A Nightmare on Elm Street to becoming something of a revered statesman and a beloved pop cultural institution with the Scream franchise, Wes Craven had a truly fascinating career.
In honor his films and legacy, it’s time for….
4 Shots from 4 Wes Craven Films
The Hills Have Eyes (1977, dir by Wes Craven, DP: Eric Saarinen)
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984, dir. by Wes Craven, DP: Jacques Haitkin)
Deadly Friend (1986, dir by Wes Craven, DP: Philip H. Lathrop)
The People Under The Stairs (1991, dir by Wes Craven, DP: Sandi Sissel)
“Hey, you guys! The 2010 remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street is on TV!”
“Alright! I NEVER MISS A ROONEY MARA HORROR MOVIE!”
Indeed, way back in 2010, there a lot of hype accompanying the release of the remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street. It came out at a time when a lot of classic horror films were being rebooted for no particular reason. Halloween got a reboot. Friday the 13th got a reboot. Texas Chainsaw Massacre has gotten a reboot. So, it was just kind of expected that Nightmare on Elm Street would get a reboot, bringing the story into the modern age and making the story less problematic and blah bah blah.
And yet, for all the hype that accompanied the Nightmare on Elm Street reboot, it was pretty quickly forgotten. If I remember correctly, it failed to live up to box office expectations and, as a result, there was never a sequel to this reboot. Jackie Earle Haley never got a second chance to play Freddy Krueger and, to be honest, that’s probably for the best. Haley’s a great actor who deserves better than to be typecast as the actor who played the second best version of Freddy Krueger. No matter how good a performance Haley could have given in any of the hypothetical sequels to the Nightmare reboot, he would have been overshadowed by Robert Englund’s definitive interpretation of the character.
Today, the movie seems to be best remembered as one of the films that Rooney Mara made before she was cast in the title role of David Fincher’s rehash of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. Mara plays the role of Nancy, the sleep-deprived teenager whose friends are all having nightmares and dying in various grotesque ways. In Nightmare on Elm Street, Rooney Mara is even more boring than usual but then again, the same can be said of just about everyone else in the movie, with the exception of Jackie Earle Haley and Clancy Brown. The majority of the actors just go through the motions. It’s as if they decided that, since they were appearing in a horror movie, they didn’t really have to make any sort of effort to do anything interesting with their characters. One need only compare the performances of Heather Langenkamp and Rooney Mara to see why the original Nightmare On Elm Street remains a classic while the remake has been forgotten.
Of course, another reason why the reboot has been forgotten is because it’s not really that scary. The original Nightmareis still scary. The original can still give you nightmares. Robert Englund’s performance still holds up. The death of Tina is still terrifying. The scene where Nancy looks at the gray streak in her hair and says that she looks like she’s in her 20s is still funny. Nightmare on Elm Street still holds up. The reboot, however, falls flat in the scares department. I think part of the problem is that the dreams are too obvious in the reboot, In the original, the waking world would segue so effortlessly into the dream world that you were always kept off-balance. In the remake, the dreams are too easy to spot and they’re too dependent on CGI to be convincing as a actual nightmares.
The remake does do one interesting thing. There are several scenes in the film that seem to be designed to hint that maybe, in life, Freddy was actually innocent of the crimes for which was accused and that he was just set on fire because he was a convenient scapegoat. That’s an intriguing idea and it certainly would have brought a whole new dimension to Freddy and his quest for revenge. Just imagine how much of a mind-screw the film would have been if it had been revealed that Freddy had actually been framed by one of the same adults who later set him on fire. Unfortunately, after making you think that the movie might actually do something unexpected, the film then reveals that Freddy actually was guilty and the whole story becomes a bit less interesting. Revealing that Freddy was just a somewhat slow handyman who was wrongly accused would have brought some subversive life to this film but this reboot has no interest in being subversive.
4 Shots From 4 Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films lets the visuals do the talking!
This October, we’ve been using 4 Shots From 4 Films to pay tribute to some of our favorite horror directors! Today, we recognize the father and master of modern horror, Wes Craven!
4 Shots From 4 Films
The Last House on the Left (1972, dir. by Wes Craven)
Deadly Blessing (1981, dir by Wes Craven)
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984, dir. by Wes Craven)
4 Shots From 4 Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films lets the visuals do the talking.
Since I reviewed A Nightmare on Elm Street earlier today, it just feels right to do….
4 Shots From 4 Nightmarish Films
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984, dir by Wes Craven)
A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 3: Dream Warriors (1987, dir by Chuck Russell)
A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988, dir by Renny Harlin)
Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991, dir by Rachel Talalay)
That may seem like an obvious point to make when talking about the original A Nightmare On Elm Street but it’s still one that needs to be made. I always seem to forget just how scary the original is. I mean, there’s been so many sequels. And there was that kind of silly movie where Freddy Krueger fought Jason Vooerhees. And then there was the fairly forgettable reboot. Freddy Krueger is something of a cultural icon. Even people who have never watched any of the movies knows who Freddy Krueger is. Freddy has become so well-known for his quips and his puns and his bad jokes that it’s easy to forget that the reason he put razors on his gloves was so he could kill children.
Despite the fact that Jackie Earle Haley took over the role in the reboot, Freddy Krueger will always be associated with the actor who first played him, Robert Englund. What’s interesting is that, whenever you watch or read an interview with Englund, he comes across as being literally the nicest guy in the world. (His autobiography is one of the most cheerful Hollywood memoirs that I’ve ever read.) Before he was cast as Freddy, Englund was a fairly busy character actor. It’s always a little odd when he pops up in some old movie on TCM because, inevitably, he’s always seems to be playing a nice and often kinda shy guy. Supposedly, when Englund auditioned for the role of Freddy, he darkened his lower eyelids with cigarette ash and he purposefully said very little while meeting with director Wes Craven. Craven, who based Freddy Krueger on a childhood bully, was impressed enough to cast this very likable actor as one of the most evil killers in the history of horror cinema.
And make no mistake about it. In the first film, Freddy Krueger is terrifying. He’s not the joker that he would become in later installments of the franchise. When he does laugh, it’s because he’s taunting his latest victim. This Freddy isn’t quite as quick-witted as the Freddy who showed up in Dream Warriors and other films. This Freddy keeps things simple, popping up in your nightmares, chasing you, and, once he catches you, killing you. It’s not just his glove and his burned faced that makes Freddy terrifying in this film. It’s how determined and relentless he is. He’s not going to stop until he catches you and, seeing as how he’s already dead, there’s really not much you can do to slow him down. Englund plays Freddy as being the ultimate bully. The only joy he gets is from tormenting the rest of us. It’s a testament to the strength of Englund’s performance that memories of Freddy dominate our thoughts when it comes to A Nightmare of Elm Street, despite the fact that Freddy is only onscreen for seven minutes.
It’s an effective film, not just because of the nightmare scenes but also because of the scenes that take place in the waking world. The majority of the film follows Nancy (Heather Langenkamp), Glen (Johnny Depp), Tina (Amanda Wyss), and Rod (Jsu Garcia, who is credited as Nick Corri in this film) as they try not to die. And let’s be honest. None of these characters are particularly deep. Rod’s the bad boy. Tina’s the rebellious Catholic. Glen’s the nice guy. Nancy’s the good girl. They’re archetypes that should be familiar to anyone who has ever seen a slasher film. And yet, you really do care about them, especially Nancy and Glen. (Admittedly, everyone that I’ve ever talked to about this film seems to care about Rod the least.) Langenkamp, Depp, and Wyss all give such likable performances that you really do find yourself worrying about what will happen to them when and if they fall asleep.
I rewatched A Nightmare on Elm Street last night and I was shocked to discover that, even though I knew what was coming, the movie still scared me. The sight of Freddy straining against the wall over Nancy’s head was still unbelievably creepy. The gory scene where Freddy attacks Tina still frightened me, as did the famous geyser of blood scene. Even the much-parodied scene where Freddy’s glove rises up between Nancy’s legs while she sleeps in the bathtub still made me shudder.
It’s easy to take for granted just how good and scary the original Nightmare on Elm Street actually is. For horror fans, it’s a film that deserves to be watched this October season. Just don’t fall asleep afterwards.
4 Shots From 4 Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films is all about letting the visuals do the talking.
This October, I am going to be using our 4 Shots From 4 Films feature to pay tribute to some of my favorite horror directors, in alphabetical order! That’s right, we’re going from Argento to Zombie in one month!
Today’s director is the great Wes Craven!
4 Shots From 4 Films
A Nightmare on Elm Street (dir. by Wes Craven)
Deadly Friend (1986, dir by Wes Craven)
Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (1994, dir by Wes Craven)
What type of actor does it take to bring to life one of the scariest monsters in horror film history?
A damn good one!
Seriously, Robert Englund is a truly underrated actor. Of course, we all know him best as the original Freddy Krueger. Whenever I watch the original Nightmare on Elm Street, I’m always surprised by just how scary Englund actually was in that role. Some of the sequels got a bit too gimmicky and Freddy sometimes seemed to spend more time coming up with one-liners than actually killing people but, in the original Nightmare on Elm Street, Freddy is truly terrifying. Wes Craven deserves a lot of credit for that, of course. But Robert Englund truly throws himself into that dark role, bringing Freddy to nightmarish life. Reportedly, Craven’s original choice for Freddy was the British actor David Warner. It’s nothing against Warner (who is a very fine actor who has played many memorable villains) or, for that matter, Jackie Earle Haley (who took over the role in the 2010 reboot) to say that, after watching the original A Nightmare on Elm Street, it’s impossible to imagine anyone other than Robert Englund in the role.
What is often forgotten is that Robert Englund was a fairly successful character actor before finding fame as Freddy. It’s not an uncommon occurrence that I’ll be watching an older movie from the 70s and suddenly, out of nowhere, Robert Englund will pop up in a small role. Interestingly enough, pre-Nightmare Englund seemed to specialize in playing nice guys. Sure, he played an occasional creep but, usually, it was far more likely that Englund would be cast as the hero’s best friend or sidekick.
Add to that, I have never heard anyone say a word against Robert Englund. I have never once heard about him being a jerk to his fans. I’ve never heard any stories about his being difficult on a set. Every story that I’ve heard about Robert Englund describes him as being friendly, gracious, and easy-going, almost the exact opposite of Freddy Krueger.
That’s certainly the impression that I got from reading Englund’s autobiography. Published in 2009, Hollywood Monster is quite literally one of the most likable Hollywood memoirs that I’ve ever read. This memoir is full of stories about both Englund’s early career and his time as a horror movie icon and yet, never does Englund seem to have a bad word to say about … well, anything. Instead, he writes about encouraging his friend Mark Hamill to audition for Luke Skywalker in Star Wars or how his co-stars all dealt with being victims in the latest Nightmare on Elm Street film. The book’s tone is cheerful even when talking about what it’s like to be typecast as everyone’s favorite dream killer. For a Hollywood monster, Robert Englund comes across as being disarmingly likable.
If this memoir was by any other actor, I would complain about the lack of cynicism and bitterness. But, in Englund’s case, it’s actually kind of sweet. It’s also rather impressive. Who would have guessed that such a nice guy could give everyone nightmares? That’s the power of good acting.
Anyway, Hollywood Monster is an entertaining and often very funny Hollywood memoir. It’s a fun read and one that I suggest for horror fans everywhere.
This October, I’m going to be doing something a little bit different with my contribution to 4 Shots From 4 Films. I’m going to be taking a little chronological tour of the history of horror cinema, moving from decade to decade.
Welcome to the latest edition of Lisa Marie’s Favorite Grindhouse and Exploitation Film trailers! Let’s see if we can scare up some frights with these 6 trailers!
Today is the birthday of one of the masters of horror. So, here’s wishing Wes Craven a happy birthday.
Now, go out there and check out his films. Here’s a four to try out. It’s got voodoo, a thing from the swamp, a street full of nightmares and, the one that started him off, the very last house on the left.
Through the Shattered Lens 