Nine, ten, never sleep again...

Wes + Freddy 4-ever

After spending so much time in the virtual funeral parlor last week for three horror greats, I realized we had never properly honored the passing of director Wes Craven, who died in 2015.

Wes Craven holds a special place in my heart because Nightmare on Elm Street was one of the first horror films I ever saw, and it scared the bejeebus out of me. I was probably ten or so, and had to sleep with the lights on for an embarrassing amount of time afterwards. But Stockholm Syndrome is real, and after being terrified of horror films for a few years, I learned to love and treasure them. 

In addition to creating the Nightmare on Elm Street series, Wes Craven is responsible for several more entries in the horror canon. (Not to be confused with the horror cannon, although he may have added some bloody knives to that as well.) He directed The Hills Have Eyes, all of the Scream movies, and my favorite, the horror comedy The People Under the Stairs. I love that film for many reasons, but a big one is because it stars Ed and Nadine from Twin Peaks. They are the twisted parental figures of a horde of children they've trapped in the walls of their house for violating the see/hear/speak no evil rule. Totally silent drape runners, kids--OR ELSE!

Of all the Freddy Krueger-inspired songs that have made it to Nightmare soundtracks and/or airwaves over the years, the one I hear most is "Nightmare on My Street" by DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince. It's a fun song, but it was never actually in any of the movies and also uses a Freddy impersonator instead of the real Robert Englund! For me, it's a distant second to my favorite: "Are You Ready For Freddy?" by The Fat Boys. That song was used as the end theme for Nightmare 4, and not only has the real Freddy on the track, but also in the video! 

So let's spend a little time with Wes Craven's most beloved creation, and perhaps let him trouble our dreams tonight. I promise it's okay to go to sleep. Freddy's not real, after all...