The Terrifying Truth Behind Elm Street Star Robert Englund's On-Set Experience!

In a recent interview, Robert Englund, the star of A Nightmare on Elm Street, revealed a chilling experience he had while playing the infamous character Freddy Krueger. Englund discloses that there was one instance when he managed to frighten even himself on set. The beloved slasher franchise originated in 1984 with the first movie, written and directed by Wes Craven. Englund portrayed Freddy, the vengeful spirit of a child murderer who met a violent demise at the hands of an angry mob. Years later, Freddy returns to haunt the children of the mob, particularly targeting Nancy Thompson (played by Heather Langenkamp), by relentlessly stalking and killing them in their dreams.

During an interview with People, Englund opened up about his experiences for the release of the documentary Hollywood Dreams and Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story. When asked if he had ever had nightmares about his character Freddy, Englund responded in the negative but went on to share the closest he had come to being frightened by Freddy himself. It happened on the set of the original A Nightmare on Elm Street in 1984 when Englund dozed off in full Freddy makeup. Upon waking up, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror, an incredibly terrifying sight that occasionally haunts him at night. Englund's full quote can be found below.

It wasn't exactly a nightmarish experience, but during the first film shoot, I found myself in an unusual situation. It was around 4:00 AM, and I had to be careful not to disturb my makeup by rolling onto my side. To prevent this, I placed a small towel under my head and remained in my full Freddy attire - the sweater, boots, and pants. The trailer lights were dimmed using a dimmer switch, creating a dimly lit atmosphere.

Suddenly, the assistant director urgently knocked on the door, informing me that they were going to attempt a shot with Heather Langenkamp. Startled, I sat up and caught a glimpse of movement in the partially lit mirror positioned across from the bed where I was lying. Reflecting in the mirror, in a forced perspective and under the diminished light of my makeup mirror, appeared an elderly man with a bald head, bearing burn marks. It felt as though I had stumbled into a scene from a bizarre Marx Brothers film. In that moment, I completely forgot that I was still in my makeup. It felt like the initial haze of awakening from sleep, leaving me slightly disoriented.

Freddy Krueger's Nightmarish Legacy Explained

The immense popularity of Elm Street can be attributed to the terrifying portrayal of Freddy, which even managed to frighten the actor behind the character. Since its release in November 1984, the film surpassed all expectations by collecting a staggering $57 million at the box office. This remarkable financial success was particularly remarkable considering the modest $1.1 million budget. Not only did the film solidify New Line Cinema's position as a renowned studio, but it also marked the beginning of an expansive franchise.

While Freddy remained a terrorizing entity in the initial trilogy of Nightmare movies, his menacing actions gradually evolved into a more comical nature as time went on. Particularly in parts 4 through 6, Freddy transformed into a mischievous jester of sorts, dispatching teenagers in ludicrously imaginative ways. This amalgamation of humor and fright contributed to the franchise's exponential growth, leading to Freddy's appearances in an anthology TV show, a vinyl album featuring songs performed by the fictional Elm Street Singers, and even a 900 number for devoted fans to dial.

Following a return to the pure horror roots with the 1994 film Wes Craven's New Nightmare, the A Nightmare on Elm Street series went on to achieve a crossover with Freddy vs. Jason and a reboot in 2010. However, in recent years, the franchise has remained relatively dormant due to the challenge of creating a new Elm Street installment without the iconic portrayal by Englund. Nevertheless, Freddy's popularity endures undiminished, thanks to his haunting visual design and Englund's masterful portrayal.

Source: People