Wes Craven: Difference between revisions

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{{quote| ''"Horror films don't create fear. They release it."''}}
{{quote| ''"Horror films don't create fear. They release it."''}}


Wesley Earl [[Meaningful Name|Craven]] (born August 2, 1939) is 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]].
Wesley Earl [[Meaningful Name|Craven]] (born August 2, 1939) is 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]].


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.
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.


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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== Notable Films: ==
== Notable Films: ==
* ''[[The Last House On the Left]]'' (1972)
* ''[[The Last House on the Left]]'' (1972)
* ''[[The Hills Have Eyes]]'' (1977), and its original sequel (1985).
* ''[[The Hills Have Eyes]]'' (1977), and its original sequel (1985).
* ''Deadly Blessing'' (1981)
* ''Deadly Blessing'' (1981)
* ''[[Swamp Thing (Film)|Swamp Thing]]'' (1982)
* ''[[Swamp Thing (film)|Swamp Thing]]'' (1982)
* ''[[A Nightmare On Elm Street]]'' (1984) and its sixth sequel, ''New Nightmare'' (1994).
* ''[[A Nightmare on Elm Street]]'' (1984) and its sixth sequel, ''New Nightmare'' (1994).
* ''Deadly Friend'' (1986)
* ''Deadly Friend'' (1986)
* ''[[The Serpent and The Rainbow]]'' (1988)
* ''[[The Serpent and the Rainbow]]'' (1988)
* ''[[Shocker]]'' (1989)
* ''[[Shocker]]'' (1989)
* ''[[The People Under the Stairs]]'' (1991)
* ''[[The People Under the Stairs]]'' (1991)
* ''A Vampire in Brooklyn'' (1995)
* ''A Vampire in Brooklyn'' (1995)
* ''[[Scream (Film)|Scream]]'' (1996), and all of its respective sequels.
* ''[[Scream (film)|Scream]]'' (1996), and all of its respective sequels.
* ''They'' (2002)
* ''They'' (2002)
* ''[[Cursed 2005 (Film)|Cursed]]'' (2005)
* ''[[Cursed (2005 film)|Cursed]]'' (2005)
* ''[[Red Eye (Film)|Red Eye]]'' (2005)
* ''[[Red Eye (film)|Red Eye]]'' (2005)
* ''[[My Soul to Take]]'' (2010)
* ''[[My Soul to Take]]'' (2010)
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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.
* [[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.
* [[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]].
* [[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]].
* [[Family-Unfriendly Violence]] - Virtually all of his movies.
* [[Family-Unfriendly Violence]] - Virtually all of his movies.
* [[Final Girl]] - In most films, although ''[[Shocker]]'' features a Final Guy.
* [[Final Girl]] - In most films, although ''[[Shocker]]'' features a Final Guy.
* [[Gorn]] - ''[[A Nightmare On Elm Street]]'', in particular.
* [[Gorn]] - ''[[A Nightmare on Elm Street]]'', in particular.
* [[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]].
* [[Rape As Drama]] - His characters tend to either be raped, are implied to be raped, are raped as a backstory, or are rapists themselves.
* [[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 (Film)|The Last House On the Left]] is a loose retelling (with a [[Setting Update]]) of [[Ingmar Bergman|Ingmar Bergman's]] ''The Virgin Spring''.
* [[Shout-Out]]: [[The Last House on the Left]] is a loose retelling (with a [[Setting Update]]) of [[Ingmar Bergman|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.
** 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.
* [[Slasher Film]] - Two of the most famous examples, too.


Revision as of 10:20, 8 April 2014

/wiki/Wes Cravencreator
The man at work.

 "Horror films don't create fear. They release it."

Wesley Earl Craven (born August 2, 1939) is 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.

Notable Films:

Common Tropes in Craven's Work Include:

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