Fred
Krueger was a big idea. He's a lot more than that now, but before
this movie debuted he was nothing but a dream. I can only imagine the
elation that was felt, when his creators sat back and realized their success. As someone that has made dozens of characters, when you feel
that one could be a hit, there's a lot of doubt that you have to wade
through.
When
Wes Craven pitched his idea to the studio, he was probably nervous.
Even if he was armed with drawings, photographs, charts and bullet
points, I'm willing to bet his heart raced in his chest. A lot of
work goes into a big idea, and as calm as one may appear, I can't
imagine that you can stay detached. It can also be very difficult,
for others to see your vision at first, but a good idea will still
catch and spread like wildfire.
Classic
Movie Trailers - A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)
I
wouldn't change a thing about Freddy Krueger. Everything, from his
hat to his shoes is perfect. When you think about it, Superman, Thor,
Mickey Mouse and Bugs have all subtly changed. Fred's design is
flawless, and it's remained the same for over thirty years. There
have been different takes on the character, and even the glove was
made into an interesting variant, but it's hard to hit a home run
farther than his initial appearance.
There
wasn't anyone quite like him at the time, and there really hasn't
been one since. Leatherface paved the way for the slasher craze, and
Jason and The Shape really popularized it. Krueger was the
exclamation mark and since then, the genre has tried and failed to
top him for decades. Chucky doesn't come close, and Pinhead is far
behind them all in ticket sales. Leprechaun and Pumpkinhead aren't
even in the conversation
Really,
to find a comparable character, you have to look to Hannibal Lecter,
who is still a step behind. What Freddy has, that the other ones do
not, is a powerful and unique concept you can't find anywhere else.
Since Krueger is the killer that stalks you in your dreams, the fact
that you can run and hide is meaningless. He's not bound by space,
time is on his side, and every waking moment is filled with horrible
tension.
That
isn't to say that the sequels capitalized on that brilliance.
Personally, I think too much comedy crept into the films over the
years, This movie is dark and serious; it also has the advantage of
being the first of its kind. Like "Alien" and "The
Matrix", the "Nightmare" franchise loses some novelty,
once you're aware of the concept.
Still,
this guy is a stroke of genius. You can fail to use him correctly,
but you can't ruin the brand. He has plenty of comics, toys and
memorabilia, along with a very loyal following. Hopefully, he'll get
another worthy treatment; it happened for Batman, so I think it's
inevitable.
My
only concern is the actor that they'll choose. You have to give
credit to Craven, but Englund is arguably co-creator. It was his look
and performance that kept the series going, and there is no
memorable foil to prop up his replacement. In other words, Freddy
doesn't have a Joker.
What
he does have, is a claw that has frightened children and adults
alike. His ruined face turned cinematic dreams into real life
nightmares. A character like his becomes part of a generation, and
he also helps to define our very culture. No longer just an idea, now
he is a shared one, that unites people around the entire world.
Every
serious creator aspires to reach a similar goal. There are financial
benefits, but the real reward is the influence, that an idea can have
on lives. If something that you made can affect so many people, in
such a profound way, there's a responsibility and a drive to keep
going.
It's
akin to being a scientist, en route to a great discovery. You can
also dive into math and solve a quandary in the same way. Artists
want their masterpiece and writers want their Pulitzer, so every
craft has a pinnacle, but that of the creator isn't ceremoniously
recognized. When it happens however, it's pretty hard to deny.
The
reward is so great that it's worth all the risks. Even if you lose
time and money in your pursuit, the payoff is a personal mark on
history. Edgar Allan Poe's work survived him for over a century, and
I highly doubt that recognition will wane. People may not remember Craven
and Englund, but the world will remember Krueger, and that's the name
that counts.
-------------------------------------
@ChannelSeals
See
"A Nightmare on Elm Street" on YouTube / Amazon Instant Video
No comments:
Post a Comment