Nightmare Walking: Freddy Kruger and The Sophisticated Killer

In 1984 the slasher genre of horror reached a fever pitch. New blood (pun intended) needed to be infused into the films and a man named Wes Craven was the perfect person for the job. Set in a California town, and revolving around teenagers being stalked by a burnt man in a Christmas sweater in their dreams, A Nightmare on Elm street was determined to ensure that going to sleep was never going to be the same again. 

Nightmare was such a huge moment in horror history because it took its scares from something we all do not unlike Jaws. These moments of safety and calm being destroyed by a largely unseen force are extremely strong elements of true horror, and this is why this film is as successful as it has been. This film created a strong empowered woman as its lead character who balances the ups and downs with becoming an adult being contorted in a twisted fashion by the villain, you truly care for what happens to her in her terrifying journey. 

Of course, like the shark in Jaws, Nightmare is largely famous for the evil character it gave us, the legendary Freddy Kruger. A child murderer killed for his atrocities by vengeful parents, Kruger is the ultimate villain one who finds new life in his craft by reappearing in a child's most peaceful of places.

On a broader scale. A Nightmare on Elm Street teaches about the relationship changes between parents and their children as they develop the ability to critically think and push old directives out of the way to pave new developments. This and the notion literally of your demons coming back to haunt you, Freddy Kruger's tale represents the ultimate reason to stay up late.