Make no mistake about it: the Springwood Slasher is one of the greatest horror villains of all time. Nothing gets fans going likeA Nightmare on Elm Street. Hardcore fans who have watched every minute of the fantastic documentaryNever Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacywill probably be familiar with some of what we’re about to tell you. Maybe it’s a refresher course if you’re a Fred Head. Perhaps you’ve just discovered the son of 100 maniacs. Either way, entering the boiler room, it’s easy to get to know the man of many scary dreams just a little bit better. Today we look at 10 things you never knew aboutFreddy Krueger.
10Freddy Barely shows up in his first movie.
Seven minutes in heaven is the teenage party game dating back to the 1950s. Seven minutes in hell, on the other hand, would be an appropriate description of the lateWes Craven’s original masterpiece. 1984’sA Nightmare on Elm Streetclocked in at 91 minutes, but Freddy Krueger himself had just seven minutes of screen time. It’s an enduring testament to the power of the character in the script and the timeless performance delivered by Robert Englund that so much came from so little.
9There’s a Freddy prequel directed by Tobe Hooper.
The short-lived syndicated television seriesFreddy’s Nightmareswas aTwilight Zonestyle anthology with Freddy as host and occasional character. While audiences were never given a theatrical prequel, the 1988Freddy’s Nightmarespilot actually did the job, courtesy ofThe Texas Chainsaw Massacredirector Tobe Hooper. The episode is called “No More Mr. Nice Guy.” 1991’sFreddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmaredepicted a bit ofFreddy Krueger’s backstory. Krueger’s adoptive father was played by shock rock legend Alice Cooper. One of Cooper’s greatest hits? “No More Mr. Nice Guy.”
8Freddy escaped on multiple technicalities.
Perhaps a retcon is in order or maybe we can chock it up to multiple trials. In the original film, it’s said that Freddy walked from all charges because a police officer bungled the search warrant. But in “No More Mr. Nice Guy,” it’s said that a cop forgot to read him his Miranda rights. Either way, the Springwood cops really blew it.
7Freddy almost killed Charlie Sheen.
Charlie Sheen was originally castto play Nancy’s boyfriend, Glen. But according to producer Bob Shaye, the studio just couldn’t afford the $3000 per week salary he wanted. The actor who played the coroner inA Nightmare on Elm Streetsuggested a friend of his to Wes Craven. That friend was of course a kid named Johnny Deep.
6Freddy ruined his high school reunion.
Speaking ofFreddy’s Nightmares, the series concluded with the episode “It’s My Party and You’ll Die if I Want You To,” where Freddy shows up to his high school reunion to take revenge on the girl who stood him up on Prom Night. Everyone dies.
5Freddy has a sidekick.
Fred Heads will be well familiar with Maggie Burroughs, the girl born Kathryn Krueger who was put up for adoption. ‘Though Freddy’s daughter “killed” her dad inFreddy’s Dead, she later teamed up with her pops, even murdering her adoptive father with a bladed glove. This went down in the comic book series Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash: The Nightmare Warriors, a sequel to the comic book Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash, which was itself based on an unmade treatment for aFreddy vs. Jasonsequel.
4Freddy doesn’t take kindly to rival killers.
Jason Voorhees isn’t the only rival serial killer to have tasted Freddy’s jealous wrath. In theFreddy’s NightmaresSeason 1 episode “Do Dreams Bleed?,” the Springwood Slasher goes up against a killer called “The Chopper.” Terrorized teens are in the middle - namely Springwood High’s quarterback and his class president girlfriend. Ever the wicked punster, at one point Freddy declares, “I hate cut-rate competition!”
3Freddy once took over MTV.
Dream Warriorsadded a lot of gallows humor and some fantastical set pieces to the franchise, whichElm Street 4: The Dream Mastergreatly expanded upon. Director Renny Harlin infamously put Freddy on the beach in a pair of sunglasses, which is now one of our favorite memes. As part of the promotional blitz for the movie,Robert Englundappeared in character and full Freddy drag for MTV’s Freddy Krueger Hour. During the hour he played a half-dozen music videos, including the directly Freddy related “Dream Warriors” by Dokken, “Love Kills” by Vinnie Vincent Invasion, and “Are You Ready for Freddy” by The Fat Boys, as well as Ozzy Osbourne’s “Bark at the Moon,” “Owner of a Lonely Heart” by Yes and Alice Cooper’s “Welcome to My Nightmare.” At the end of the hour, Freddy “kills” MTV personality Kevin Seal.
2More rappers name drop Freddy than there are souls in his chest.
Yes, Freddy’s gruesome chest is filled with the trapped souls of his many victims, but we are still willing to wager that there are more rap lyrics with his name in it. Here’s just a small sampling of the rappers who have given Freddy a shout-out in song: Big Daddy Kane, Tupac, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Meek Mill, Migos, Lupe Fiasco, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil’ Wayne, Mac Miller, Young Thug, Redman, El-P, Ludacris, Riff Raff, Waka Flocka Flame, The Game, Ice-T, Geto Boys, Gucci Mane, and many, many more. And of course there’s the aforementioned Fat Boys song. There’s also “A Nightmare on My Street” by DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, which thanks to a legal battle, isn’t technically about Freddy. There was even a sticker on the album that said as much.
1Metal bands love Freddy, too.
S.O.D. (Stormtroopers Of Death), the side project formed by two guys from Anthrax, their former bassist who went on to be in Nuclear Assault, and their frenemy Billy Milano, released the song “Freddy Krueger” as part of their debut album, Speak English or Die. Milano’s next band, M.O.D., followed with “Man of Your Dreams,” which contains the lyrics: “You thought he was dead / It was just in your head / You better get ready for Freddy / He’ll laugh and use your blood to paint the walls.”
