By: Andrew Bennet
Wes Craven was a man who knew how to strike fear into every mind through a single scene in a movie. He was, and still is a legend in the horror movie industry.
“Craven was fantastic,” English teacher Mr. Nathan McGarvey said. “He was dark and twisted and could tell a story like nobody else.”
Craven passed away on August 30, with brain cancer. He was director of iconic movies of all time such as: Scream, Nightmare on Elm St, Friday the 13th, and his debut into directing with the movie The Last House on the Left.
He was born into a strict Baptist household on August 2, 1939. Ironically, this future director was not allowed to watch many movies during his youth. Craven “was allowed to see Disney films.” Craven especially liked the movie Fantasia, according to Biography.com.
After several years he continued into the world of movies but with a more of a horror perspective. His debut movie was produced in the year 1972 and the movie was titled The Last House on the Left, according to Biography.com.
The movie started with a disclaimer, “What we’re about to watch a true story.” The movie was about a girl named Maria and her friend looked forward to a holiday at the remote Collingwood lake house but there is a twist an escaped convict and his crew kidnaps them and later leaves them for dead, according Grantland.com.
After Last House on the Left, Craven was well known for quite awhile. There wasn’t a place where someone didn’t hear the name Wes Craven.
“I had heard of Wes Craven before his death,” said Mr. McGarvey. “Growing up in the 80’s and 90’s, I couldn’t have not known who he was. His name was all over the place with his movies.”
Ingmar Bergman was the director that prompted the late director to pursue a career in movie making. His influence can be traced right through Wes Craven’s brilliant, chilling career, according to Theguardian.com.
Craven recreated the way horror was made. Through the hacking and slashing of Nightmare on Elm St and the sheer mystery of the original Friday the 13th. The horror movie community will surely miss this director.
