Legendary director, Wes Craven, has died at the age of 76.
Reportedly, he died from brain cancer. A sad day for horror fans and fans of movies in general, is an understatement. A legend is gone. The horror genre does not have all that many legendary directors and now it has one less.
Horror fans know the films he has directed and had a hand in making. I'd rather talk about what he meant to me, as a fan. His movies made you experience a number of emotions, even in the same horror film. "The Last House on the Left" made me cringe in horror at what could easily happen to anyone. It made me feel vulnerable. Yes I am a man, but the film showed you just how easily something terrible could happen to you and it was just ordinary people that were the perpetrators. That film however features characters that go through a metamorphosis and there comes a time where you go from hating the violence you have seen, to wanting to see violence. I won't spoil things for anyone who hasn't seen the film. Freddy gave us something to think about at night while we tried or maybe tried not to, fall asleep. He made us think, if I die in my dreams, could I die for real?
The list goes on and on. He made a number of memorable films and they feature a number of memorable characters. Even as I am typing this, I still cannot believe the horrible news is true. It feels like losing a family member. In a way, Wes was a member of our family. For many of us, we grew up watching his films that had a variety of crazy, violent and even sometimes, humorous villains. In the 90's when the horror genre was going through a rough time, "Scream" came along and changed the game once again.
At 76, Wes was still working, as executive producer of MTV's Scream. Some people expressed their opinions of his current career, but how many people 76 or older do you know that are still working? Wes Craven was. He could have easily retired and lived the good life. But he was always trying to please horror fans. He was always giving us more and more. Wes, you can finally take it easy now. You were and are, a true legend. You left a body of work that most people could only dream of achieving. You may no longer be here physically, but your legacy will live on forever.
Rest in Peace