Behind the Screams

Last updated
First edition Behind the Screams.jpg
First edition

Behind the Screams: The Dream Masters Revealed is a book that chronicles the making of A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master written by Mick Strawn and author Blake Best. [1] [2]

Contents

Publication

Mick Strawn, who was the production designer on A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors and of A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master approached author Blake Best to co-write this book with him on December 13, 2017. The formal announcement of the book was delivered by Best and Strawn on December 14, 2017, and the book's production began on January 1, 2018. The book was released in August 2018 in order to coincide with the thirtieth anniversary of the film. [3]

The book was conceived by Strawn and Best as a way of sharing previously untold stories about the making of the film. It began with stories from the makeup effects crews who had worked on the film [4] but also included stories from production and the cast of the film, including Rachel Talalay, Robert Shaye, and Robert Englund. [5]

William Forsche supplied previously unpublished photos for the book and also revealed a list of several other makeup effects artists who had also contributed to the book. [6]

On August 24, 2018, the book was released at Creepycon Halloween and Horror Convention in Knoxville, TN. [7]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wes Craven</span> American film director, screenwriter, and producer (1939–2015)

Wesley Earl Craven was an American film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and editor. Craven has commonly been recognized as one of the greatest masters of the horror genre due to the cultural impact and influence of his work. Amongst his prolific filmography, Craven was best known for his pioneering work in the horror genre, particularly slasher films, where he mixed horror cliches with humor and satire.

<i>A Nightmare on Elm Street</i> (franchise) Horror media franchise

A Nightmare on Elm Street is an American supernatural slasher-horror media franchise consisting of nine films, a television series, novels, comic books, and various other media. The franchise began with the film A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), written and directed by Wes Craven. The overall plot of the franchise centers around the fictional character Fred "Freddy" Krueger, the apparition of a former-child killer who was burned alive by the vengeful parents of his victims, who returns from the grave to terrorize and kill the teenage residents of Springwood, Ohio in their dreams. Craven returned to the franchise to co-script the second sequel, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987), and to write/direct New Nightmare (1994). The films collectively grossed $472 million at the box office worldwide.

<i>Wes Cravens New Nightmare</i> 1994 American meta slasher film by Wes Craven

Wes Craven's New Nightmare is a 1994 American meta slasher film written and directed by Wes Craven, creator of 1984's A Nightmare on Elm Street. A standalone film and the seventh installment in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, it is not part of the same continuity as previous films, instead portraying Freddy Krueger as a fictional movie villain who invades the real world and haunts the cast and crew involved in the making of the films about him. In the film, Freddy is depicted as closer to what Craven originally intended, being much more menacing and less comical, with an updated attire and appearance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Englund</span> American actor

Robert Barton Englund is an American actor and director, best known for playing the supernatural serial killer Freddy Krueger in the Nightmare on Elm Street film series. Classically trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Englund began his career as a stage actor in regional theatre, and made his film debut in Buster and Billie in 1974. After supporting roles in films in the 1970s such as Stay Hungry, A Star Is Born, and Big Wednesday, Englund had his breakthrough as the resistance fighter Willie in the miniseries V in 1983. Following his performance in the original A Nightmare on Elm Street in 1984, he became closely associated with the horror film genre, and is widely-regarded as one of its iconic actors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heather Langenkamp</span> American actress

Heather Elizabeth Langenkamp is an American actress. She is considered an influential figure in horror films and in popular culture, noted for her acting in several works of the genre and her behind-the-scenes work coordinating prosthetic makeup. She is established as a scream queen, and was inducted into the Fangoria Chainsaw Hall of Fame in 1995.

Kevin Yagher is an American special effects technician, known for Freddy Krueger's makeup and The Crypt Keeper creature.

Mark Shostrom is a special makeup effects artist for the film industry.

<i>A Nightmare on Elm Street</i> 1984 American supernatural slasher film by Wes Craven

A Nightmare on Elm Street is a 1984 American supernatural slasher film written and directed by Wes Craven and produced by Robert Shaye. It is the first installment in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise and stars Heather Langenkamp, John Saxon, Ronee Blakley, Robert Englund as Freddy Krueger, and Johnny Depp in his film debut. The film's plot concerns a group of teenagers who are targeted by Krueger, an undead former child killer who can murder people through their dreams, as retribution against their parents who burned him alive.

<i>A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors</i> 1987 American fantasy slasher film by Chuck Russell

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors is a 1987 American fantasy slasher film directed by Chuck Russell. The story was developed by Wes Craven and Bruce Wagner and is the third installment in the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise and stars Heather Langenkamp, Patricia Arquette, Larry Fishburne, Priscilla Pointer, Craig Wasson, and Robert Englund as Freddy Krueger. The film's plot centers around a group of young adults who have been committed to a psychiatric hospital where Nancy Thompson (Langenkamp), whose parents helped to kill Krueger, works. Krueger, an undead, supernatural serial killer who can murder people through their dreams, seeks to slaughter the teenagers, as they are the last remaining children of the parents who burned him to death.

<i>A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master</i> 1988 American fantasy slasher film by Renny Harlin

A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master is a 1988 American fantasy slasher film and the fourth installment in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. The film was directed by Renny Harlin and stars Robert Englund, Lisa Wilcox, and Danny Hassel. Following the death of Nancy Thompson, Krueger reappears in the dreams of Kristen Parker, Joey Crusel, and Roland Kincaid. After completing his revenge against the families who killed him, Krueger uses Kristen's best friend, Alice Johnson, to gain access to new victims in order to satiate his murderous needs. The film is a sequel to A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987). The Dream Master is often popularly referred to as "the MTV Nightmare" of the franchise.

<i>A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child</i> 1989 American gothic slasher film by Stephen Hopkins

A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child is a 1989 American gothic slasher film directed by Stephen Hopkins and written by Leslie Bohem. It is the fifth installment in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, and stars Lisa Wilcox, and Robert Englund as Freddy Krueger. The film follows Krueger, using a now pregnant Alice Johnson's baby's dreams to claim new victims.

Nancy Thompson (<i>A Nightmare on Elm Street</i>) Main character in the A Nightmare on Elm Street series

Nancy Thompson is a fictional character in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. She first appears in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) as a teenager hunted in her dreams by enigmatic serial killer Freddy Krueger. In this film, she was portrayed by Heather Langenkamp—who reprises the role in the sequel, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987). Langenkamp later portrayed a fictional version of herself who embodies the role of Nancy in Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994). A reimagined version of Nancy is portrayed by Rooney Mara in the 2010 remake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kristen Parker</span> Film character from the A Nightmare on Elm Street series

Kristen Parker is a character from the A Nightmare on Elm Street series. She is a co-protagonist and final girl of the third film of the series A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors and the false protagonist in the following film A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master, and has appeared in various merchandise as well. She is played by actress Patricia Arquette in Dream Warriors and Tuesday Knight in The Dream Master. She is the central member of the titular Dream Warriors, seven teens who have to learn to fight as a group in order to survive their spectral tormentor, enigmatic murderer Freddy Krueger, and has the ability to bring others into her dreams as well as being an Olympic-level acrobat in her dreams.

The popularity of the A Nightmare on Elm Street film series has led to several comic book series published by Marvel Comics, Innovation Publishing, Trident Comics, Avatar Press and WildStorm Productions. After the success of Freddy vs. Jason and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake film in 2003, New Line Cinema created their House of Horror licensing division which licensed the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise to Avatar Press for use in new comic book stories, the first of which was published in 2005. In 2006, Avatar Press lost the license to DC Comics imprint, WildStorm Productions which then published several new stories based on the franchise before their license expired as well.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dream Warriors (song)</span> 1987 single by Dokken

"Dream Warriors" is a song by American band Dokken, that was written by members George Lynch & Jeff Pilson for the movie A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors. The song was released as a single in 1987, charting at number 22 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, and was also released on Dokken's fourth album, Back for the Attack.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Screaming Mad George</span> Japanese-American artist and director

Joji Tani, known as Screaming Mad George, is a Japanese special effects artist, film director, and former musician. He was born in Osaka, Japan, and emigrated to the United States, where he has become known for his surreal, gory special effects. He has collaborated with director and producer Brian Yuzna on many films.

Alice Johnson (<i>A Nightmare on Elm Street</i>) Fictional character in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise

Alice Johnson is a fictional character in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. She first appears in A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988) as a teenager that inherits dream superpowers from the victims of enigmatic serial killer Freddy Krueger. In this film, she was portrayed by Lisa Wilcox—who reprises the role in A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Forsche</span> American special effects artist

William Forsche is an American special effects artist whose career has spanned more than thirty years. His work has appeared in many films, most of which are horror and science fiction projects, though he has occasionally created effects for other films, such as Beetlejuice (1988) and The Nutty Professor (1996).

1428 Elm Street, also known as [the] Elm Street House, is a fictional residential house and street address in Springwood, Ohio, and is an important location in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, where it has been the home of Nancy Thompson and her mother, later Jesse Walsh and his family, and finally Lori Campbell and her father, throughout the film series. It has also been implied to have been Freddy Krueger's home at some point before the events that take place in the films. It appears in some form in nearly all the films, as well as literature, comic books, toys, and music videos. The house, like Freddy Krueger, Nancy Thompson, Tina Gray, and Kristen Parker, were all conceived by Wes Craven.

References

  1. "Production Designer Writing Book About Making of 'Elm Street 4: Dream Master". Bloody Disgusting. 9 January 2018. Retrieved 2018-05-12.
  2. "Exclusive: Talkin' Dream Warriors, Dream Master, and More with Production Designer Mick Strawn Part II". 29 July 2018.
  3. "New 'A Nightmare on Elm Street' Book Coming Soon". ScareTissue. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 2018-05-12.
  4. "In Depth Book About "A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master" Coming Soon". Horror Headquarters. Retrieved 2018-05-12.
  5. "T&V Lost Boys (1987) Part One". Spreaker. Retrieved 2018-05-12.
  6. "Behind the Screams: The Dream Masters Revealed". Facebook. Retrieved 2018-05-12.
  7. "Creepycon-2018". Creepyconknoxville.com. Retrieved 2018-05-12.