You know what time of year it is! Our favorite time of the year. The time of year when we turn off all the lights and put on a movie meant to terrify us to our core. It's horror movie season! This year, we've decided to key you all into our top 10 favorite scary movies. Today we've reached the end of the line.
We're doing something a little different today. Today we are looking at the entirety of Wes Craven's A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise.
As we reach the final day of Halloween, it's fitting to shine a brief spotlight on a series that epitomizes horror for many, myself included. The A Nightmare on Elm Street series boasts an indomitable presence in horror history, making it impossible to overlook, especially in its entirety. As the third highest grossing series of any horror film series, it's ranking in the horror genre is undeniable.
The franchise revolves around Freddy Krueger, a child killer, who can infiltrate your dreams. Your nightmares are the only vulnerability where you can meet your gruesome fate. This concept is what sets the films apart. Staying awake becomes your only salvation, yet it seems nearly impossible. The first film introduces this concept and delivers a fantastic and truly terrifying experience, setting the tone for a series of great sequels, each with its unique take on this premise.
During my adolescent years, Freddy Krueger was my greatest fear. I had never seen the movies, didn't know the premise or who Freddy was, yet this character haunted my dreams night after night. The recurring dream involved Freddy chasing me through my house, with my sanctuary hidden under the bathroom sink. When Freddy swung open the door to find me, I'd awaken. This dream persisted for years, gradually becoming less frequent until, in my older years, I finally watched A Nightmare on Elm Street. Only then did the dream cease, and I came to appreciate the sheer brilliance of a character like Freddy. For all his evil, and make no mistake, Freddy is evil, he's also remarkably witty, charismatic, fun, and full of surprises.
The character of Freddy Krueger, despite a remake, remains synonymous with the exceptionally talented and theatrically trained Robert Englund. Englund encapsulates what makes Freddy such an icon, starting with his incredible performance and ability to bring such a monster to life.
From the superheroic Dream Warriors in the third film to the epic showdown with hockey-mask adorned Jason in Freddy vs. Jason, the series continually finds inventive ways to bring the Dream World to life while keeping the storyline fresh. This innovation is particularly evident in Wes Craven's New Nightmare, which concludes the series with a meta take on the franchise. Here, the actors who portrayed the characters in the films face a new demon who has assumed the role of Freddy Krueger. A New Nightmare resurrects the franchise one last time, and you can even glimpse Wes Craven plotting his future horror direction, which ultimately materializes in Scream, with its self-awareness akin to A New Nightmare.
The horror world owes a great debt to this film franchise. It spawned a pop culture icon in Freddy Krueger, who appeared in toys, talk shows, rap videos, and even had his own greatest hits album. A canceled Nike variant of their dunk model inspired by Freddy Krueger has seen sales of up to $30,000. These accomplishments have elevated Freddy into a league of his own in the realm of terror. The entirety of the A Nightmare on Elm Street series rightfully claims its place in the pantheon of Halloween classics, delivering a chilling, unforgettable experience.
Thank you so much for joining me on this journey. I hope you found a new movie to watch or remembered a movie you forgot. Head over to our store to enjoy a 10% discount on your entire order of Horror Struck Hot Sauce! Happy Halloween and keep it spooky!