It was 1984 when Wes Craven released A Nightmare on Elm Street and brought a new perspective to slasher films. Suddenly horror fans were given a movie where victims could not escape by simply outrunning the villain. Survival depended upon staying awake, and of course it was only a matter of time before each character succumbed to sleep and was left vulnerable to being attacked. While the film’s premise was embraced by many, it was antagonist Freddy Krueger that really helped to kick start one of the most successful horror franchises of all time.
Robert Englund: The Face of the Franchise
The Freddy Krueger character wasn’t given much in the way of a background story. He was a child murderer who was able to avoid a prison sentence based on a technicality. The neighborhood parents decided to take the law into their own hands by locking Krueger in an abandoned warehouse, and burning it to the ground. Years later, he returned to stalk the children of those people in their dreams.
The popularity gained by Freddy Krueger had a lot to do with the actor who portrayed him, Robert Englund. With a certain charismatic appeal, Englund was able to draw in audiences and keep them coming back for 7 more films featuring Freddy. The way in which he slowly pursued his victims and toyed with them before finishing them off, gave viewers an idea of how passionate Freddy was about his evil deeds. As the sequels continued to be rolled out, the character was given a more comedic appeal and became known more for his one-liners than his ability to strike fear into audiences. Still, Robert Englund became synonymous with Freddy Krueger and it was hard for fans to imagine another actor taking on the role.
Jackie Earle Haley: A Worthy Successor
In 2010, the Nightmare on Elm Street series was given a reboot. With the exception of a few key scenes from the original, this film offered up enough changes to give audiences a product with a fresh new look. While the movie went on to receive mixed reviews, the most pleasant surprise was Jackie Earle Haley taking over the role of Freddy Krueger. Haley didn’t really add anything to the character that Robert Englund hadn’t already done, but that’s a good thing. Instead, he emphasized the characteristics of Freddy that made him terrifying to begin with. Viewers were given a villain that was enthusiastic about the way he handled his victims. He tortured them and played mind games until they were eventually too weak to fight back. Fans were given the Freddy that was originally feared and not the one dimensional character that appeared in the later sequels.
Robert Englund always will be the first actor to come to mind when thinking of Freddy Krueger. However, Jackie Earle Haley has proven that he can hold his own. If another Nightmare on Elm Street film is made, he should be offered a chance to reprise the role.
Jason Caravaggio - I am a university graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and a Bachelor of Education degree. Currently I am working two ...
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