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- Freddy Krueger Is No Ordinary Slasher Villain
- Robert Englund Was Crucial to the Nightmare on Elm Street Franchise
As a long-time fan of horror movies and the iconic Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, I must say that Robert Englund’s portrayal of Freddy Krueger was nothing short of masterful. His performance breathed life into the character, making him more than just a slasher villain – he became a cultural phenomenon.
Did you realize that in one of the “A Nightmare on Elm Street” films, Robert Englund doesn’t portray Freddy Krueger? It wasn’t Jackie Earle Haley in the reboot, nor Chason Schirmer and Tobe Sexton as younger versions in “Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare”, or Michael Bailey Smith as Super Freddy and Noble Craig as merged-with-Alice Freddy in “A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child”. Instead, the scene in question is from “A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge”.
Among the franchise’s most debated releases, it was initially intended for fans to have substantial grounds for criticism, had events unfolded as originally planned. However, as unveiled in the 2010 documentary “Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy”, during the production of the sequel, Robert Englund was temporarily replaced by an extra donning a Freddy Krueger mask. This change occurred due to a salary disagreement between Englund’s agent and New Line Cinema’s head, Robert Shaye. Recognizing his error, Shaye eventually reinstated Englumd, as unlike Jason Voorhees or Michael Myers, Freddy Krueger’s character could not be convincingly portrayed by a stunt performer at that particular juncture in time.
Freddy Krueger Is No Ordinary Slasher Villain
The unique stride and character that Englund embodied in his role were greatly missed, as he was replaced with someone who resembled a “dime store monster.” Fortunately, there were still many Freddy scenes to be filmed, so the extra was eventually swapped out for Englund, whose significance New Line eventually acknowledged. If you want to appreciate just how stiff the extra in the mask was, simply watch the shower scene where Marshall Bell’s Coach Schneider meets his demise. As soon as Freddy takes over Jesse Walsh’s body, he emerges from a thick cloud of steam, and it becomes clear that the criticism of him walking like “Frankenstein’s monster” was indeed valid.
Among Brad Dourif, Jackie Earle Haley, and Mark Hamill, the voice actors of Chucky, it is only Englund who is one of the rare slasher villain icons that cannot be substituted. Did Jackie Earle Haley deliver an exceptional performance in the critically panned remake? Indeed he did. Did Mark Hamill bring his unique interpretation to Chucky in the relatively overlooked but somewhat forgettable Child’s Play remake of 2019? That is also correct.
But it just isn’t the same without Englund or Dourif. They become Freddy and Chucky (one could say they are Freddy and Chucky, but the two performers are widely known to be quite kind in real life). Mark Patton and Kim Myers are also excellent in the lead roles of Jesse Walsh and Lisa Webber, respectively. But, since we’re on the topic of casting, Never Sleep Again also reveals that Walsh could have also been played by none other than Brad Pitt.
Ultimately, “Freddy’s Revenge” is more of an intriguing oddity than a genuinely powerful movie compared to its surrounding sequels. It feels like an effort to expand the universe, yet it lacks a definitive plan for execution. However, it possesses elements that can make it a cult classic. Moreover, despite a production budget of $3 million, it generated $30 million in revenue, which may not have matched the original’s success ($57 million against a $1.8 million budget), but it was still profitable. Profitable enough, in fact, to keep the franchise alive, with Robert Englund involved.
Robert Englund Was Crucial to the Nightmare on Elm Street Franchise
As a devoted movie enthusiast, I can confidently say that Englund played an indispensable role in shaping the iconic horror classic, “A Nightmare on Elm Street.” It soon became evident that this IP was no ordinary slasher franchise, and Freddy Krueger was no ordinary slasher villain. The staggering box office success of “A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors” ($44.8 million against $4.6 million) and “A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master” ($49.4 million against $6.5 million) underscored this unique appeal, with the former having a vibe reminiscent of MTV.
The momentum of A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child started to dwindle both critically and financially, much like previous installments. However, Robert Englund’s performance continued to receive acclaim from critics. Financially speaking, Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare experienced a slight increase, but it was evident that the franchise had reached its financial peak with the fourth film. Even Wes Craven’s return for New Nightmare didn’t boost its earnings significantly, though its positive critical reception served as a small comfort, given it holds the record as the lowest-grossing entry in the series to date.
After his retirement from the role in 2003 following the movie “Freddy vs. Jason”, Englund has occasionally kept the character alive, such as playing him in an episode of “The Goldbergs”. With the success of David Gordon Green’s “Halloween” in 2018 (and its sequels to a lesser extent), it seems like an opportune moment to rejuvenate dormant slasher franchises with original cast members. Heather Langenkamp has expressed her willingness to return as Nancy Thompson, so who knows what the future holds? “A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge” is currently streaming on Max.
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2024-10-05 04:01