Celebrating 40 Years of Nightmares
On Freddy Krueger's Legacy in Pop Culture
On November 16th in 1984, an icon of horror was born. Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street saw a nationwide theatrical release on this day, introducing the world to the terrifying Freddy Krueger.
Despite the film being 40 years old, it never lost its relevance. That’s mostly because of Krueger himself, who has became ingrained in pop culture. He has become a timeless icon, representing the Slasher Era of horror undeniably well.
Freddy Krueger is as legendary as other greats from The Golden Age of Horror, like Frankenstein’s Monster or Dracula. His devilish charm, unhinged jokes, and instantly recognizable attire has made him into a personified symbol of nightmares, thus making his reign of terror continue into modern day pop culture.
It’s All About The Looks
It’s no secret that Freddy Krueger is one of the most eye-catching horror villains. That’s due in part to his ragged wardrobe: a red and green striped sweater, a fedora, and his clawed glove.
There’s no doubt that when you see someone wearing a striped Christmas sweater, your mind goes to Freddy.
His fashion attire has become just as mainstream in our culture as he is, with shops like Hot Topic selling duplicates of his sweater for whenever you’re feeling chilly but need something killer.
Even outside of officially licensed merch, other clothing brands, like Ditch, make sweaters that are obviously inspired by the nightmare king.
I’m sure there’s probably a model somewhere in the world that wore something similar on a runway, too.
And, of course, Freddy’s looks have inspired countless Halloween costumes over the years. There’s some amazingly crafted costumes you can buy, but you can also opt for simply wearing a sweater and a hat. Chances are, everybody will know who you are, even if they’re not big horror fans.
“Welcome to Prime Time, Bitch!”
You know you’re a big shot when you’re referenced outside of your own genre.
Freddy has sparked a multitude of pop culture references over the years, especially in music and TV/movies. In music, especially, artists have taken Freddy’s dream abilities as a huge inspiration in their lyrics.
Artists like 2Pac, Eminem, Juice WRLD, and Lil Wayne have all made songs referencing the icon. In fact, Freddy Krueger seems to be a popular guy in the rap game.
Other artists, like Ice Nine Kills, have created entire songs dedicated to the character. Their song “The American Nightmare” is a love letter to the film, and it perfect encapsulates the burning hatred Freddy has within himself.
Fell in love with hate 'cause evil fit like a glove
It's fate that I'm still here
And I won't be forsaken
Wicked when I was just a man
But sickening now and fed by fear- “The American Nightmare” by Ice Nine Kills
Outside of music, TV shows continue to make nods to the dream demon.
Possibly one of the most iconic references comes from The Simpsons franchise, where he not only was parodied, bt also made a cameo appearance. In “Treehouse of Horror VI”, Groundskeeper Willie’s character becomes an outlandish parody of Krueger.
While this in itself is a fantastic homage to the film, Freddy can also be seen alongside Jason in “Treehouse of Horror IX”.
We also see Freddy references in shows like Everybody Hates Chris, Gravity Falls, Robot Chicken, and South Park. Most notably, he appears in the episode “Mister Knifey-Hands” on The Goldbergs, in which Robert Englund returned to claim his role as the iconic slasher.
I remember the hype that surrounded The Goldbergs episode when it first aired back in 2018. It was the first time that Robert Englund had returned as Freddy since Freddy vs. Jason, and it was a big deal for horror fans that had been salivating at the mouth for him to don the glove again.
He’s also made his way in other media like video games. While the first one to pop into most people’s heads is Dead by Daylight, I always think of Mortal Kombat 9.
Freddy’s DLC status not only changed how Mortal Kombat games would move forward with their extra content, it was also the first time a horror character was added to a fighting game roster. Sure, a horror character in a game all about murdering people made sense, but it wasn’t until MK9 that we actually got that.
His fatalities even referenced some of his most memorable kills, such as the bloody geyser from A Nightmare on Elm Street.
Since then, other horror characters have taken DLC spots in Mortal Kombat games. We’ve seen Jason, Leatherface, and most recently, Ghostface. Ash Williams was even meant to make an appearance in MK11, but was scrapped due to copyright issues (yeah, I’m still bitter).
Not to mention, Terrordrome, a fan-made horror fighting game featured Freddy Krueger as well. (BTW, there’s since been a sequel with classic movie monsters, check it out!)
This guy gets around, that’s for sure.
Inspiration for Others
Freddy Krueger became a breakout star because of his personality. He was one of the few slashers that talked, using his mouth to give the audience snarky quips and one-liners that we still reference to this day.
Despite his comedic tone, he’s also able to scare the hell out of you. Certainly, I laughed when Freddy said, “Kung Fu THIS, bitch!” but I also shivered at one of his most chilling lines:
It’s no surprise that Freddy’s unique blend of humor and horror inspired others. Since Freddy, we’ve gotten countless of other slashers attempting to deliver humorous kills to gain a leg up.
Chucky, for example, could definitely duke it out with Freddy in the trash talking department.
When we see films like Terrifer, Leprechaun, or even MEGAN, it’s quite obvious to see where this love of horror comedies came from. Some of these movies are better than others, but they all revolve around a villain making you laugh. Whether it be from their silly antics or quips, you’ll probably let out a chuckle at least once.
A Lasting Legacy
Freddy Krueger has become more than just a horror legend. He is, in every sense of the word, a worldwide pop culture icon. He has far exceeded his reach, appealing to both horrors fans and the everyday Joe.
Chances are, you can find someone wearing a Freddy Krueger shirt if you go out today. They may absolutely love the movies. Or… they may just think it’s a cool graphic design. Regardless, there’s appeal to his character.
He has, essentially, become a marketing giant in the horror space. One could even say he’s a figurehead of the genre, like how Mickey Mouse is to cartoons.
Not only that, but he has become synonymous with dreaming. If you’re able to become the symbol of nightmares of all things… yeah, I think you did something.
Two more pop culture references I can think of: In the late eighties DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince (aka Will Smith) had a hit single "A Nightmare on My Street," and a few years ago Rick and Morty did a "legally-safe parody" of Freddy Krueger called Scary Terry.