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The True Story Behind A Nightmare On Elm Street!

Published

10 years ago

July 10, 2014

The Real Story Behind A Nightmare On Elm Street

As the 30th anniversary of the original theatrical release of Wes Craven’s 1984 masterpiece A Nightmare On Elm Street approaches, the time is right to take a look back at the humble beginnings of this now-iconic franchise. After making his name in the horror genre with Last House On The Left and The Hills Have Eyes in the early 1980s, Craven found the inspiration for his most enduring classic with a true story straight out of the newspapers. Although it is a pretty common and convincing practice employed by many genre filmmakers to claim that their film is based on true events (we are looking at you, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), Mr. Craven drew his inspiration from a variety of sources and then-current news articles.

Image via Esquire

As told in the excellent recent documentary Never Sleep Again, Craven was clearly inspired by true events. That is not to say that the original script is based on a real-life boogeyman that stalks you in your sleep; that all come into play later. Rather, the story evolved from a series of articles that Craven read in the L.A. Times concerning young men that were dying in the middle of nightmares. One particular case concerned a young man who suffered from severe nightmares and became convinced he was going to die if he went back to sleep. The victim’s father was a physician and gave his son a prescription for sleeping pills, which he refused to take, hiding them beneath his sheets. After three nights awake the young man finally fell asleep only to be found by his parents in the middle of the night, screaming and thrashing in his bed. Before they could even get to him, he was dead. In the aftermath, his parents found the stashed sleeping pills, along with a Mr.Coffee machine in his closet with a hidden extension cord.

Article helped inspire A Nightmare on Elm Street

This strange story was the beginning of the series of films that have haunted our dreams for nearly three decades, and the other pieces of the puzzle came together for Mr. Craven as he shaped his own reasons for this strange series of unexplained deaths. 30 years later we all know the story of Fred Krueger, the “Springwood Slasher”; he is as ingrained in horror culture now as deep as Frankenstein’s monster and Count Orlok.

But what really happened to that young man, who was so rightly terrified to fall asleep?

Well, it turns out that it was actually a rare disease known as Bangungot, also charmingly known as “sudden unexpected nocturnal death syndrome”. In the early 1980s, it became something of an epidemic in the Southeast Asian and Filipino population, with young men inexplicably becoming haunted by severe nightmares. Convinced that their dreams were being invaded by demons, the frightened men became addicted to black coffee and other stimulants in a desperate effort to stay awake. Following this rash of deaths, fear within the Southeast Asian neighborhoods grew and whispers of Bangungot began to circulate.

Nearly every country and culture in the world recognizes this affliction in one version or another. The people of Turkey call it “the dark presser.” In Africa, it is known as the “devil riding on your back.” The Hmong know it as “the crushing demon.” But Turkish, African, and American men very rarely die from this sleep disorder. However, Asian people seem to be strangely susceptible to a fatal version of the disease.
Recent studies theorize that the occurrence stems from severe swelling of the pancreas, a gland that produces digestive enzymes, particularly insulin, to metabolize the carbohydrates that we take in. In victims suffering from this condition, the swelling becomes so severe that the pancreas literally digests itself. Complications from this swelling are thought to cause the nightmares as shock begins to deprive the major organs of blood and oxygen, bringing hallucinations and eventually death as the body poisons itself.

At least that is what they want us to believe…

So, once again, science explains the demon. Well, sort of.
There is really no rhyme or reason to the (thankfully very rare) deaths that occur due to Bangungot, nor is there an explanation as to why Asians and Filipinos are more likely to die from it. Doctors recommend patients suffering from the disease cut out carbs and alcohol, but they say that for everything.
So, maybe the simplest answer is the best one.
Maybe there is a demon out there haunting the dream world, and he cannot be stopped.
Sleep tight…

Marge Thompson: What the hell are dreams, anyway?

Dr. King: Mysteries, incredible body hocus-pocus.
Truth is, we still don’t know what they are
or where they come from.

~A Nightmare On Elm Street, 1984

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Movies

Trailer for ‘The Exorcism’ Has Russell Crowe Possessed

Published

6 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

The latest exorcism movie is about to drop this summer. It’s aptly titled The Exorcism and it stars Academy Award winner turned B-movie savant Russell Crowe. The trailer dropped today and by the looks of it, we are getting a possession movie that takes place on a movie set.

Just like this year’s recent demon-in-media-space film Late Night With the Devil, The Exorcism happens during a production. Although the former takes place on a live network talk show, the latter is on an active sound stage. Hopefully, it won’t be entirely serious and we’ll get some meta chuckles out of it.

The film will open in theaters on June 7, but since Shudder also acquired it, it probably won’t be long after that until it finds a home on the streaming service.

Crowe plays, “Anthony Miller, a troubled actor who begins to unravel while shooting a supernatural horror film. His estranged daughter, Lee (Ryan Simpkins), wonders if he’s slipping back into his past addictions or if there’s something more sinister at play. The film also stars Sam Worthington, Chloe Bailey, Adam Goldberg and David Hyde Pierce.”

Crowe did see some success in last year’s The Pope’s Exorcist mostly because his character was so over-the-top and infused with such comical hubris it bordered on parody. We will see if that is the route actor-turned-director Joshua John Miller takes with The Exorcism.

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News

Win a Stay at The Lizzie Borden House From Spirit Halloween

Published

7 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Spirit Halloween has declared that this week marks the start of spooky season and to celebrate they are offering fans a chance to stay at the Lizzie Borden House with so many perks Lizzie herself would approve.

The Lizzie Borden House in Fall River, MA is claimed to be one of the most haunted houses in America. Of course one lucky winner and up to 12 of their friends will find out if the rumors are true if they win the grand prize: A private stay in the notorious house.

“We are delighted to work with Spirit Halloween to roll out the red carpet and offer the public a chance to win a one-of-a-kind experience at the infamous Lizzie Borden House, which also includes additional haunted experiences and merchandise,” said Lance Zaal, President & Founder of US Ghost Adventures.

Fans can enter to win by following Spirit Halloween‘s Instagram and leaving a comment on the contest post from now through April 28.

The prize also includes:

An exclusive guided house tour, including insider insight around the murder, the trial, and commonly reported hauntings

A late-night ghost tour, complete with professional ghost-hunting gear

A private breakfast in the Borden family dining room

A ghost hunting starter kit with two pieces of Ghost Daddy Ghost Hunting Gear and a lesson for two at US Ghost Adventures Ghost Hunting Course

The ultimate Lizzie Borden gift package, featuring an official hatchet, the Lizzie Borden board game, Lily the Haunted Doll, and America’s Most Haunted Volume II

Winner’s choice of a Ghost Tour experience in Salem or a True Crime experience in Boston for two

“Our Halfway to Halloween celebration provides fans an exhilarating taste of what’s to come this fall and empowers them to start planning for their favorite season as early as they please,” said Steven Silverstein, CEO of Spirit Halloween. “We have cultivated an incredible following of enthusiasts who embody the Halloween lifestyle, and we’re thrilled to bring the fun back to life.”

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A post shared by Spirit Halloween (@spirithalloween)

Spirit Halloween is also preparing for their retail haunted houses. On Thursday, August 1 their flagship store in Egg Harbor Township, NJ. will officially open to start off the season. That event usually draws in hordes of people eager to see what new merch, animatronics, and exclusive IP goods will be trending this year.

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Movies

’28 Years Later’ Trilogy Taking Shape With Serious Star Power

Published

9 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Danny Boyle is revisiting his 28 Days Later universe with three new films. He will direct the first, 28 Years Later, with two more to follow. Deadline is reporting that sources say Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes have been cast for the first entry, a sequel to the original. Details are being kept under wraps so we don’t know how or if the first original sequel 28 Weeks Later fits into the project.

**Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes**

Boyle will direct the first movie but it’s unclear which role he will take on in the subsequent films. What is known is Candyman (2021) director Nia DaCosta is scheduled to direct the second film in this trilogy and that the third will be filmed immediately afterward. Whether DaCosta will direct both is still unclear.

Alex Garland is writing the scripts. Garland is having a successful time at the box office right now. He wrote and directed the current action/thriller Civil War which was just knocked out of the theatrical top spot by Radio Silence’s Abigail.

There is no word yet on when, or where, 28 Years Later will start production.