The Real-Life Inspirations For A Nightmare On Elm Street Are Even More Terrifying

The American horror revolution of the 1970s and ’80s brought a new strain of realism to the genre. The fantastical monsters of the past made way for slashers inspired by the war in Vietnam and social upheaval at home, as well as the emerging figure of the serial killer. It’s easy to guess that a spare, gritty film like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is loosely based on facts, but fans may be surprised to learn that the supernatural horror of A Nightmare On Elm Street has real-world references.

Wes Craven terrified audiences in 1984 with the creation of Freddy Kreuger, a demonic predator with the ability to kill people in their dreams. At the time, few viewers could have imagined that A Nightmare On Elm Street was based on an obscure phenomenon that caused a rash of deaths in the late 1970s into the early ’80s. Forty years later, the real-world roots of Craven’s uncanny concept have been exposed, making the classic film more frightening than ever before… read more >