History Creator / WesCraven

** ''Film/TheLastHouseOnTheLeft'' is a loose retelling (with a SettingUpdate) of Creator/IngmarBergman's ''The Virgin Spring''.

+ {{Horror}}, {{Thriller}}, {{Drama}}

Wesley Earl "Wes" Craven (August 2, 1939 - August 30, 2015) was an American film director, producer, and writer, and was the creator of many iconic and genre-defining horror films. He was probably best known for his creation of Freddy Krueger, the dream-haunting villain introduced in ''Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet1984''. He also found great success a decade later with the movie ''Film/{{Scream 1996}}'', a {{deconstruction}} of the [[SlasherMovie slasher sub-genre]] that launched a [[FollowTheLeader slew of late '90s imitation horror films]].

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Craven was raised by a Baptist family and was reportedly a target for bullies (including one with the same name as his most famous creation). After leaving home, he gained an education in English Literature, Psychology, and Writing; he then married, and started a family. His marriage ended after five years, and his children left with his ex-wife. He moved to New York, and eventually directed ''Film/TheLastHouseOnTheLeft'', followed five years later by ''Film/TheHillsHaveEyes1977''. The success of these movies made him a seminal name in horror cinema.

Additionally, he directed a number of episodes of ''Series/TheTwilightZone1985'' and, quite bizarrely, the {{biopic}} ''Film/MusicOfTheHeart'' (his only PG-rated movie). Craven joked that he went "from violence to violins" in directing a movie about a music educator played by Creator/MerylStreep.

He has wrote one novel, ''Fountain Society'', which deals with scientists doing brain transplants.

His personal website is located [[http://www.wescraven.com/ here]].

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Craven was raised by a Baptist family and was reportedly a target for bullies (including one with [[NamesTheSame the same name]] as his most famous creation). After leaving home, he gained an education in English Literature, Psychology, and Writing; he then married, and started a family. His marriage ended after five years, and his children left with his ex-wife. He moved to New York, and eventually directed ''Film/TheLastHouseOnTheLeft'', followed five years later by ''Film/TheHillsHaveEyes1977''. The success of these movies made him a seminal name in horror cinema.

* {{Deconstruction}}: ''Film/{{Scream 1996}}'' was so successful that it made [[TheEighties the 80's]] [[SlasherMovie slasher]] [[GenreKiller impossible to take seriously anymore]]. It did however lead to a resurgence of slasher movies in the late 1990s and the 2000s, typically self-aware or at least lampshading several genre tropes.

He has also written one novel, ''Fountain Society'', which deals with scientists doing brain transplants.

He died of brain cancer on August 30, 2015. He was 76.

[[AC: Films Include:]]

!!Common Tropes in Craven's Work Include:

* PostModernism: ''Film/WesCravensNewNightmare'' and the ''Film/{{Scream}}'' movies take this UpToEleven.

!!Tropes about Wes Craven himself, Include:

* AsHimself: He played himself in ''Film/WesCravensNewNightmare'', his name is even in the title.
* CreatorCameo: He had quite a few appearances in his own movies.
* DeathByIrony: The creator of Freddy Krueger, a ghost entity killing people from within their dreams while asleep...died in his bed while resting.
** This can also count as a -- HarsherInHindsight moment for the movie series itself.
* IronicName: "Craven" means cowardly. This isn't how you would refer to a horror movie director.
* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: His full name was "Wesley" but he has always been known as Wes.
* PassedInTheirSleep: How he died on the night of August 30th, 2015.
* TooSpicyForYogSothoth: He once walked out of ''Film/ReservoirDogs'' because the extreme violence disgusted him. Wrap your brains around THAT.
** Creator/QuentinTarantino argued in an interview with ''Vulture'' that Craven's direction kept ''Scream'' from being better than it was. (Awkwardly, it was only a few days before Craven passed away...)

----

Wesley Earl "Wes" Craven (August 2, 1939 - August 30, 2015) was an American film director, producer and writer, and was the creator of many iconic and genre-defining horror films. He was probably best known for his creation of Freddy Krueger, the dream-haunting villain introduced in ''Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet1984''. He also found great success a decade later with the movie ''Film/{{Scream 1996}}'', a {{deconstruction}} of the [[SlasherMovie slasher sub-genre]] that launched a [[FollowTheLeader slew of late 90's imitation horror films]].

Additionally, he directed a number of episodes of ''Series/TheTwilightZone1985'' and, quite bizarrely, the {{biopic}} ''Film/MusicOfTheHeart'' (his only PG rated movie). Craven joked that he went "from violence to violins" in directing a movie about a music educator played by Creator/MerylStreep.

* AdultsAreUseless: Either that, or the adults are a serious part of the problem.

* PoliceAreUseless: Cops are usually incompetent, though well meaning. Oftentimes they're a complete hinderance to the main characters.

* PassedInTheirSleep: How he died on the night of August 30th 2015.

'''Wesley Earl "Wes" Craven''' (August 2, 1939 - August 30, 2015) was an American film director, producer and writer, and was the creator of many iconic and genre-defining horror films. He was probably best known for his creation of Freddy Krueger, the dream-haunting villain introduced in ''Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet1984''. He also found great success a decade later with the movie ''Film/{{Scream 1996}}'', a {{deconstruction}} of the [[SlasherMovie slasher sub-genre]] that launched a [[FollowTheLeader slew of late 90's imitation horror films]].

* IronicName: "Craven" means cowardly. This isn't how you would refers to a horror movie director.

* DeathByIrony: The creator of Freddy Krueger, a ghost entity killing people from withing their dream while asleep,...died in his bed while resting.
** This can also count as a -- HarsherInHindsight moment for the movie serie itself.

Wesley Earl 'Wes' [[MeaningfulName Craven]] (August 2, 1939 - August 30, 2015) was an American film director, producer and writer, and was the creator of many iconic and genre-defining horror films. He was probably best known for his creation of Freddy Krueger, the dream-haunting villain introduced in ''Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet1984''. He also found great success a decade later with the movie ''Film/{{Scream 1996}}'', a {{deconstruction}} of the [[SlasherMovie slasher sub-genre]] that launched a [[FollowTheLeader slew of late 90's imitation horror films]].

* MeaningfulName: A horror film director named "Craven."

* DeathByIrony: The creator of Freddy Krueger, a ghost entity killing people from withing their dream while asleep,...died in his bed while resting