Wes Craven
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
|
| Born: | August 02, 1939 (age 67) Cleveland, Ohio, USA |
|---|---|
| Occupation: | Film director and producer |
| Spouse: | Iya Labunka |
| Website: | Official Site |
Wesley Earl Craven (born August 2, 1939 in Cleveland, Ohio) is an American film director and writer best known as the creator of many horror films, including the famed Nightmare on Elm Street series featuring the redoubtable Freddy Krueger character.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
[edit] Early life
Born to devoutly Baptist parents Paul Craven and Caroline Miller, Craven later earned an undergraduate degree in writing and psychology from Wheaton College in Illinois, and a masters degree in writing seminars from Johns Hopkins University. Prior to landing his first job in the film industry as a sound editor for a post-production company in New York, Craven briefly taught English at Westminster College and was a humanities professor at Clarkson University. With now ex-wife Bonnie Chapin, he is the father of Jonathan and Jessica Craven.
[edit] Directing and writing career
Craven's works tend to share a common exploration of the nature of reality. A Nightmare on Elm Street, for example, dealt with the consequences of dreams in real life. Wes Craven's New Nightmare "brushes against" (but doesn't quite break) the fourth wall by having actress Heather Langenkamp play herself as she is haunted by the villain of the film in which she once starred. At one point in the film, we see on Wes Craven's word processor a script he has written, which includes the exact conversation he just had with Heather — as if the script is being written as the action is unfolding. The Serpent and the Rainbow portrays a man who cannot distinguish between nightmarish visions and reality. In Scream, the characters frequently reference horror films similar to their situations, and at one point Billy Loomis tells his girlfriend that life is just a big movie. This concept was emphasized in the sequels, as copycat stalkers reenact the events of a new film about the Woodsboro killings occurring in Scream. Craven was also set to direct Beetlejuice but dropped out to direct the third outing for Freddy Kruger.
[edit] Completing his 'Nightmare' Trilogy
Though there have been seven different Nightmare on Elm Street films (eight if one includes the crossover Freddy vs Jason), two of which have been directed by Craven himself. He has said in several interviews and discussions that he only considers his two films to be accurate depictions of his creation. For years it has been rumored that he would make one more film, essentially completing his trilogy. Rumors about the film vary considerably, from a prequel that would take place before the events in the first film, to a direct sequel to 1994's New Nightmare, to the possibility that Craven might write and direct the next "Freddy vs..." film.[citation needed]
[edit] Filmography
[edit] Director
| Year | Title | Genre | Other Notes |
| 1999 | Fountain Society | Novel | Author |
| Year | Title | Genre | Other notes |
| 1972 | The Last House on the Left | ||
| 1977 | The Hills Have Eyes | ||
| 1978 | Summer Of Fear | ||
| 1978 | The Evolution of Snuff | ||
| 1981 | Deadly Blessing | ||
| 1982 | Swamp Thing | ||
| 1984 | Invitation to Hell | TV | |
| 1984 | A Nightmare On Elm Street | ||
| 1985 | Chiller | TV | |
| 1985 | The Hills Have Eyes Part II | ||
| 1985 | The Twilight Zone | TV series | |
| 1986 | Casebusters | TV | |
| 1986 | Deadly Friend | ||
| 1988 | The Serpent and the Rainbow | ||
| 1989 | Wes Craven's Shocker | ||
| 1990 | Night Visions | TV | |
| 1991 | The People Under the Stairs | ||
| 1992 | Nightmare Cafe | TV Series | |
| 1994 | Wes Craven's New Nightmare | ||
| 1995 | Vampire in Brooklyn | ||
| 1996 | Scream | ||
| 1997 | Scream 2 | ||
| 1999 | Music of the Heart | ||
| 2000 | Scream 3 | ||
| 2005 | Cursed | ||
| 2005 | Red Eye | ||
| 2006 | Paris, je t'aime |
[edit] Producer
| Year | Title | Genre | Other notes |
| 1971 | Together | ||
| 1981 | Kent State | ||
| 1987 | A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors | ||
| 1989 | The People Next Door | TV Series | |
| 1989 | Shocker | ||
| 1990 | Night Visions | TV | |
| 1991 | The People Under the Stairs | ||
| 1992 | Nightmare Cafe | TV Series | |
| 1993 | Laurel Canyon | TV | |
| 1994 | New Nightmare | ||
| 1995 | The Outpost | ||
| 1997 | Wishmaster | ||
| 1998 | Hollyweird | TV | |
| 1998 | Carnival of Souls | ||
| 1998 | Don't Look Down | TV | |
| 2000 | Dracula 2000 | ||
| 2002 | They Shoot Divas, Don't They? | TV | |
| 2005 | Feast | ||
| 2006 | The Hills Have Eyes | ||
| 2006 | The Breed | ||
| 2007 | The Hills Have Eyes II | ||
| 2007 | Home | ||
| 2009 | Shocker | Announced (remake) |
[edit] External links
- Official Site
- The Nightmare On Elm Street Companion
- Wes Craven at the Internet Movie Database
- Wes Craven at the Open Directory Project (suggest site)
- Wes Craven interview
People: Wes Craven • Heather Langenkamp • Robert Englund
Films: A Nightmare on Elm Street • A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge • A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors • A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master • A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child • Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare • Wes Craven's New Nightmare • Freddy vs. Jason
Major characters: Freddy Krueger • Nancy Thompson • Kristen Parker • Alice Johnson
Minor characters: Amanda Krueger • Tina Grey • Rod Lane • Glen Lantz • Joey Crusel • Roland Kincaid
Other topics: Comics • Freddy's Nightmares (TV series) • Hypnocil • Springwood, Ohio • Timeline • Video Games
Categories: Articles with unsourced statements since February 2007 | All articles with unsourced statements | 1939 births | Living people | American film directors | American film producers | American screenwriters | Baptists | People from Cleveland | Johns Hopkins University alumni | English-language film directors | Horror film directors
