“Horror films don’t create fear. They release it.”

I want to dedicate an entire post to one of my all-time favourite horror auteurs; the late, exceptionally great Wes Craven. Having just watched the latest Scream (2022) instalment, I found myself pondering what the film would have been like had he been able to direct it. The films that he directed were the films that were truly special. 

Wesley Earl Craven was a maestro. He created one of the most infamous, recognisable villains of all time. It was that ‘villain’ that really bound me to the genre and cemented my love for horror films. Freddy Krueger terrified me and electrified me in equal parts, and even though at the tender age of eleven I had seen a quite few horror films already, it was my witnessing of a maniac in a “razor-claw glove” in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1986) [please, save your letters of parental censure for another time] that truly opened my world.

His first feature film The Last House on the Left (1972) was of course his most controversial. The film was inspired by legendary Swedish Auteur Ingmar Bergman’s Academy Award-winning film, The Virgin Spring (1960). Two girls on their way to a concert are tortured, raped, and murdered by a trio of escaped convicts. The convicts arrive at a house shortly after, pretending they are salesmen. They are unaware the house belongs to the parents of one of the murdered girls. The film struck multiple chords with critics and audiences and was banned in several countries prior to its release. The film was supposed to be a commentary on the types of violence and assaults that were being shown every day on news and television broadcasts and, it was meant to be a condemnation of the brutalities being depicted. Instead, the film was criticised, condemned and, in many countries (Including Australia) it was banned. Wes was mortified by the response because he had desperately wanted to convey something relevant and meaningful through his art, and years later spoke about how that scrutiny was something that had continually plagued him. 

The 1980s were really when his films began to thrive (that is just my humble perspective though) and he truly become a prominent horror kingpin. Craven created the characters for A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge (1985), A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988) and A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Child (1989), Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991) and, wrote the screenplay for A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987); all of which hadn’t achieved the same success of the original film. His trademark dark sense of humour soon returned with Shocker (1989), a movie that failed to impress at the time of its release. The film was certainly not an exemplary piece of horror artistry, but it wasn’t a disaster. Shocker holds its own and has some great creative elements. For starters, it’s a supernatural slasher, which is a not-so prevalent combination within the sub-genres. The plot- A serial killer named Horace Pinker is sent to the electric chair for his crimes. Instead of that being the end of him, he learns to soldier on with the help of electricity then begins an even crazier act of vengeance and mayhem. Besides the fact that the antagonist’s name would be better suited to a cartoon character, the film is unique, with the narrative taking some pretty interesting twists and turns. 

One of my absolute favourite Wes Craven films is The People Under the Stairs (1991). It gets overlooked a lot but, has gained an enormous cult following amongst fans of the genre and of Cravens (present company included). I recently learned that Jordan Peele is rebooting the film, which actually makes a lot of sense. The film is multi-faceted. Two black male adults and a boy from poor socioeconomic backgrounds decide to burglarize the home of their wealthy (and demented) Caucasian landlords. Unbeknown to them, the house is (basically) one giant booby trap and beneath its showy facade lie some horrific and grim discoveries, including (as the title clearly discloses); people living underneath the stairs. Spoiler alert- the people are no longer merely people, but are now pale, cannibalistic mutant-type beings who have been tortured and are starved. The landlords turn out to be extremely deranged psychopaths who are actually siblings and, have a teenage daughter together. She is also a prisoner within the home, and it turns out, that “crazy white couple” love nothing more than to hunt humans for sport (think The Most Dangerous Game on crack). The whacky plot then shifts to a fast-paced game of kill-or-be-killed survival.  What is even more disturbing is that the plot was based on a true case/story Craven had come across about a pair of burglars who in 1978, were caught in a Los Angeles home by the police. It was then upon further investigating the crime scene that the police discovered the homeowners’ children were locked up in the basement. 

Wes constructed several of his scripts based on or around true events or stories he had read about. That was one of his most profound talents; his ability to turn an already seemingly frightening experience into something of a much grander and exaggerated scale. He would then revive the formidable Freddy Krueger again for Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (1994). Written and directed by Craven, this movie was the genuine original ‘meta-horror’ film for the auteur. The concept was quite ingenious. It had been quite some time since a Nightmare film had graced the screens meaning Krueger’s reign of terror seemed somewhat of an aging past time. The films themselves had lost a lot of the scare factor, so Freddy materialised from fiction into reality and began to torment the actors from those films as a means of regaining his power. Wes even portrayed himself in the movie.

There are many other of his movies that could easily be discussed in length, but I wanted to just choose a handful of them that were prominent to me; films that resonated with me for distinct reasons and, films that stood out. As I have already talked about Scream (1996) in a previous post, I thought I would talk briefly about the other three films. While Scream 2 (1997) is not as sharp as the original, it is very witty, and the death count is impressive. With any sequel, it’s always a challenge to keep the audience interested and entertained while trying to avoid excess repetitious content and retaining familiarity.  Number 2 does tend to overlap the narrative a smidge again, but, where it really succeeds is in the strength of its characters. They are far less one-dimensional. These characters that we have come to know, and love, have endured something momentous together as well as personally. They are the survivors. The new characters aren’t simply just duplicates but are astute, charismatic, and most importantly, they’re convincing. Therefore, when they betray us, it stings. Scream 3 (2000) made a lot of money in its opening week at the box office due mostly to the franchise’s die-hard fanbase. The critics, on the other hand, did not share the same sentiments about the film.  Kevin Williamson did not pen the script, and it shows, missing the ‘punchy’ dialogue of the first two films. It really feels unbalanced and messy. As the third film in a trilogy, (it was intended to be the last of them when made) it leaves a lot to be desired. However, there are some nice cameos, a few nods to some other Craven classics and a great deal more comedy in this instalment. 

The fourth edition to the franchise saw Craven and Williamson team up again and it was the best of the sequels…by far. This was Wes’ last film as a director, and it was a true representation of the man’s irrefutable talent. It combines satire with social commentary. He makes fun of the horror sequel genus by even satirizing his own films in the process. Scream 4(2011) is sharp and unrepentant, much like the man at its helm. In the 11 years since the film debuted, it has gained well-deserved recognition and appreciation. Wes made this film the way he wanted to make it and given the fact it was his last film, awards it a much deeper poignancy. 

So, as I found myself pondering after my viewing of Scream (2022), “what would the great man really have done all that differently?” How would he have presented the narrative to a currently damaged word, reshaped by an unfathomable strain? It’s difficult to surmise what Wes would have presented us with, taking into consideration this current status quo. What he did gift us though, was remarkable filmmaking and unparalleled horror stories. Wes made me love horror because he was passionate and exceptional. But, most of all, he loved horror too. 

MEMORABLE CRAVEN CAMEOS: Fans should remember these, fondly. 

Shocker (1989):  The extremely creepy neighbour! 

Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (1994): Wes played himself; the director Wes Craven.

Scream (1996): Fred the Janitor. [Literally… the greatest cameo in a film…Ever!]

FILMOGRAPHY:

• The Last House on the Left (1972) [Writer, Director]
• The Fireworks Woman (1975) [Writer, Director]
• The Hills Have Eyes (1977) [Writer, Director] 
• Summer of Fear (1978) [Director]
• Deadly Blessing (1981) [Director]
• Swamp Thing (1982) [Writer, Director]
• Invitation to Hell (1984) [Director]
• The Hills Have Eyes Part II (1984) [Writer, Director]
• A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) [Writer, Director]
• Chiller (1985) [Director]
• Deadly Friend (1986) [Director]
• The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988) [Director]
• Shocker (1989) [Writer, Director]
• Night Visions (1990) [Writer, Director]
• The People Under the Stairs (1991) [Writer, Director]
• Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (1994) [Writer, Director]
• Vampire in Brooklyn (1995) [Director]
• Scream (1996) [Director]
• Scream 2 (1997) [Director]
• Music of the Heart (1999) [Director]
• Scream 3 (2000) [Director]
• Cursed (2005) [Director]
• Red Eye (2005) [Director]
• My Soul to Take (2010) [Writer, Director]
• Scream 4 (2011) [Director]