Although hashtag “Spooky Season” lasts from September on through October, we can now say-without a doubt-it’s time for Halloween. Even though my house personally starts getting spookier at the beginning of September, October is probably the more official month. All that to say, it’s the perfect time to focus more on some scary movies when it comes to facts all fanboys should know. To start off this month’s series, I’m going with A Nightmare on Elm Street: Freddy’s first appearance on the big screen but not hardly his last.
King of Horror. Wait, that might be Stephen King. Anyway, Wes Craven is synonymous with the horror genre when it comes to cinema. A Nightmare on Elm Street was his 9th film, released in 1984. Other notable successes are The Last House on the Left, The Hills Have Eyes, Swamp Thing, and Scream.
Johnny who? A Nightmare on Elm Street was the film debut of another actor that’s no stranger to creepy movie roles: Johnny Depp. The role was between Depp and another actor, but Wes Craven left the decision up to his daughter. He asked his teenage daughter which actor he should cast as the heartthrob boyfriend—she chose Depp.
Freddy Krueger’s real life inspirations. According to MentalFloss.com, “Freddy” was the name of a bully who beat Craven up in elementary school, and his signature hat was based on one worn by a neighborhood drunk who scared Craven when he was young.
That was quick. A Nightmare on Elm Street was shot in just 32 days.
“Makeup!” It took Nightmare’s make ups artists three hours each day to apply and then remove Robert Englund’s make up pieces. The makeup consists of 11 separate pieces applied to Englund’s head and chest.
Is this real? Craven decided to make A Nightmare on Elm Street after reading a series of Los Angeles Times articles about a group of teenage Khmer immigrants who, after moving to the U.S. from refugee camps, died in their sleep after suffering from disturbing nightmares. -MentalFloss.com
Does this sweater make you nervous? Freddy Krueger’s sweater is engineered to be subconsciously unsettling. The human eye has trouble distinguishing those two particular shades of red and green side by side. The effect is subliminally upsetting.
Copy your heroes. Wes Craven was inspired by several different filmmakers before him. The famous scene of blood gushing from Glen’s bed came from blood pouring from the elevator in The Shining. Sam Raimi and Craven took turns hiding Easter Eggs of props and posters of the other’s films within their movies. Craven also leaned on Polanski’s The Tenant and Repulsion, for the dream sequences in the film.
How low can you go? The filmmakers used a sound effect called vari-speed to slow down actor Robert Englund’s Freddy Krueger voice and make it more frightening.
That got dark. The street name “Elm Street” come from JFK’s assassination. It’s where Oswald shot him. Craven said it’s the street “where innocence ended”.
These are just some of the facts all real fanboys know about A Nightmare on Elm Street. How’d you measure up? Was it everything you dreamed of? Was is scary how much you thought you knew? Okay, enough of that. Here at Fanboys we are especially excited about Halloween and formally welcome you to October! Mark your calendars for all the upcoming events happening and we’ll see you then!
Save the Date!
On November 19th and 20th Fanboys Marketplace is hosting a Power Rangers in Space Reunion Event. VIP passes and photo tickets are available now for purchase ahead of time. Click the link here, and we’ll see you in November!
