Wes Craven: Difference between revisions
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{{creator}} |
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[[File:Craven02_66.jpg|frame]] |
[[File:Craven02_66.jpg|frame|The man at work.]] |
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{{quote box|The man at work.}} |
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{{quote|''"Horror films don't create fear. They release it."''}} |
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Wesley Earl [[Meaningful Name|Craven]] ( |
'''Wesley Earl [[Meaningful Name|Craven]]''' (August 2, 1939 - August 30, 2015) was an American film director, producer and writer, and is the creator of many iconic and genre-defining horror films. He is probably best known for his creation of Freddy Krueger, the dream-haunting villain introduced in ''[[A Nightmare on Elm Street]]''. He also found great success a decade later with the movie ''[[Scream (film)|Scream]]'', a [[Deconstruction]] of the [[Slasher Film|slasher sub-genre]] that launched a [[Follow the Leader|slew of late 90's imitation horror films]]. |
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Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Craven was raised by a Baptist family and was reportedly a target for bullies (including one with [[ |
Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Craven was raised by a Baptist family and was reportedly a target for bullies (including one with [[Name's the Same|the same name]] as his most famous creation). After leaving home, he gained an education in English Literature, Psychology, and Writing; he then married, and started a family. His marriage ended after five years, and his children left with his ex-wife. He moved to New York, and eventually directed ''[[The Last House on the Left]]'', followed five years later by ''[[The Hills Have Eyes]]''. The success of these movies made him a seminal name in horror cinema. |
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Additionally, he directed a lot of episodes of ''[[The Twilight Zone]]'' in the 80's. |
Additionally, he directed a lot of episodes of ''[[The Twilight Zone]]'' in the 80's. |
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His personal website is located [http://www.wescraven.com/ here]. |
His personal website is located [http://www.wescraven.com/ here]. |
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{{filmography|Notable Films}} |
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* ''[[The Last House |
* ''[[The Last House on the Left]]'' (1972) |
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* ''[[The Hills Have Eyes]]'' (1977), and its original sequel (1985). |
* ''[[The Hills Have Eyes]]'' (1977), and its original sequel (1985). |
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* ''Deadly Blessing'' (1981) |
* ''Deadly Blessing'' (1981) |
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* ''[[Swamp Thing ( |
* ''[[Swamp Thing (film)|Swamp Thing]]'' (1982) |
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* ''[[A Nightmare |
* ''[[A Nightmare on Elm Street]]'' (1984) and its sixth sequel, ''New Nightmare'' (1994). |
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* ''Deadly Friend'' (1986) |
* ''Deadly Friend'' (1986) |
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* ''[[The Serpent and |
* ''[[The Serpent and the Rainbow]]'' (1988) |
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* ''[[Shocker]]'' (1989) |
* ''[[Shocker]]'' (1989) |
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* ''[[The People Under the Stairs]]'' (1991) |
* ''[[The People Under the Stairs]]'' (1991) |
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* ''A Vampire in Brooklyn'' (1995) |
* ''A Vampire in Brooklyn'' (1995) |
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* ''[[Scream ( |
* ''[[Scream (film)|Scream]]'' (1996), and all of its respective sequels. |
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* ''[[Music of the Heart]]'' (1999) |
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* ''They'' (2002) |
* ''They'' (2002) |
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* ''[[Cursed 2005 |
* ''[[Cursed (2005 film)|Cursed]]'' (2005) |
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* ''[[Red Eye ( |
* ''[[Red Eye (film)|Red Eye]]'' (2005) |
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* ''[[My Soul to Take]]'' (2010) |
* ''[[My Soul to Take]]'' (2010) |
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{{creatortropes}} |
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== Common Tropes in Craven's Work Include: == |
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* [[Action Girl]] - Nancy Thompson and Sidney Prescott being the most notable examples. |
* [[Action Girl]] - Nancy Thompson and Sidney Prescott being the most notable examples. |
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* [[Adults Are Useless]] - Either that, or the adults are a serious part of the problem. |
* [[Adults Are Useless]] - Either that, or the adults are a serious part of the problem. |
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* [[Deconstruction]] - ''[[Scream ( |
* [[Deconstruction]] - ''[[Scream (film)|Scream]]'' was so successful that it made [[The Eighties|the 80's]] [[Slasher Film|slasher]] [[Genre Killer|impossible to take seriously anymore]]. |
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* [[Family |
* [[Family-Unfriendly Violence]] - Virtually all of his movies. |
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* [[Final Girl]] - In most films, although ''[[Shocker]]'' features a Final Guy. |
* [[Final Girl]] - In most films, although ''[[Shocker]]'' features a Final Guy. |
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* [[Gorn]] - ''[[A Nightmare |
* [[Gorn]] - ''[[A Nightmare on Elm Street]]'', in particular. |
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* [[Post Modernism]]: ''New Nightmare'' and the ''Scream'' movies take this [[Up to Eleven]]. |
* [[Post Modernism]]: ''New Nightmare'' and the ''Scream'' movies take this [[Up to Eleven]]. |
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* [[Rape |
* [[Rape as Drama]] - His characters tend to either be raped, are implied to be raped, are raped as a backstory, or are rapists themselves. |
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* [[Shout-Out]]: |
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* [[ |
* ''[[The Last House on the Left]]'' is a loose retelling (with a [[Setting Update]]) of [[Ingmar Bergman|Ingmar Bergman's]] ''The Virgin Spring''. |
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** In one scene during [[A Nightmare |
** In one scene during ''[[A Nightmare on Elm Street]]'', Sam Raimi's ''[[The Evil Dead]]'' is playing on a TV in the background, which itself is a [[Shout-Out]] to Sam Raimi putting a poster of Craven's ''[[The Hills Have Eyes]]'' in the background of ''The Evil Dead''. |
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* [[Slasher Film]] - Two of the most famous examples, too. |
* [[Slasher Film]] - Two of the most famous examples, too. |
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[[Category:Directors]] |
[[Category:Directors]] |
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[[Category:Wes Craven]] |
[[Category:Wes Craven]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Authors]] |
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[[Category:Screenwriters]] |
Latest revision as of 18:46, 18 April 2019
"Horror films don't create fear. They release it." |
Wesley Earl Craven (August 2, 1939 - August 30, 2015) was an American film director, producer and writer, and is the creator of many iconic and genre-defining horror films. He is probably best known for his creation of Freddy Krueger, the dream-haunting villain introduced in A Nightmare on Elm Street. He also found great success a decade later with the movie Scream, a Deconstruction of the slasher sub-genre that launched a slew of late 90's imitation horror films.
Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Craven was raised by a Baptist family and was reportedly a target for bullies (including one with the same name as his most famous creation). After leaving home, he gained an education in English Literature, Psychology, and Writing; he then married, and started a family. His marriage ended after five years, and his children left with his ex-wife. He moved to New York, and eventually directed The Last House on the Left, followed five years later by The Hills Have Eyes. The success of these movies made him a seminal name in horror cinema.
Additionally, he directed a lot of episodes of The Twilight Zone in the 80's.
His personal website is located here.
- The Last House on the Left (1972)
- The Hills Have Eyes (1977), and its original sequel (1985).
- Deadly Blessing (1981)
- Swamp Thing (1982)
- A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) and its sixth sequel, New Nightmare (1994).
- Deadly Friend (1986)
- The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)
- Shocker (1989)
- The People Under the Stairs (1991)
- A Vampire in Brooklyn (1995)
- Scream (1996), and all of its respective sequels.
- Music of the Heart (1999)
- They (2002)
- Cursed (2005)
- Red Eye (2005)
- My Soul to Take (2010)
- Action Girl - Nancy Thompson and Sidney Prescott being the most notable examples.
- Adults Are Useless - Either that, or the adults are a serious part of the problem.
- Deconstruction - Scream was so successful that it made the 80's slasher impossible to take seriously anymore.
- Family-Unfriendly Violence - Virtually all of his movies.
- Final Girl - In most films, although Shocker features a Final Guy.
- Gorn - A Nightmare on Elm Street, in particular.
- Post Modernism: New Nightmare and the Scream movies take this Up to Eleven.
- Rape as Drama - His characters tend to either be raped, are implied to be raped, are raped as a backstory, or are rapists themselves.
- Shout-Out:
- The Last House on the Left is a loose retelling (with a Setting Update) of Ingmar Bergman's The Virgin Spring.
- In one scene during A Nightmare on Elm Street, Sam Raimi's The Evil Dead is playing on a TV in the background, which itself is a Shout-Out to Sam Raimi putting a poster of Craven's The Hills Have Eyes in the background of The Evil Dead.
- Slasher Film - Two of the most famous examples, too.