How A Nightmare on Elm Street terrified audiences forty years ago

This is the latest installment in our From the Vault series, in which we reflect on culturally significant films celebrating notable anniversaries.

In the 1980s, when slasher films dominated the horror landscape, it was Wes Craven’s A nightmare on Elm Street opted for a more cerebral approach.

Instead of setting up killers to punish lecherous students, it introduced dream demon Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund), who attacks the teenagers of Springwood, Ohio, in their sleep.

Craven (1939-2015) was an unlikely horror pioneer. A former English/humanities professor, he grew up in a religious family with a devout mother and a volatile father.

But he realized that hard-hitting genre films like The last house on the left (1972) and The hills have eyes (1977) were a good way to connect with the audience. “You see, it’s not just that people want to be afraid; people Are scared,” he said.