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The Still Unexplained Deaths That Inspired ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’

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What inspired A Nightmare on Elm Street

When we were introduced to Freddy Krueger in 1984, the first graphic and gravity-defying death scene had us hooked. We immediately knew that The Springwood Slasher was what nightmares are made of. What many of us didn’t realize, though, is that a terrifying true story actually inspired A Nightmare on Elm Street. 

Krueger was never really marketed as being based on a true story. Our pal Wes Craven probably didn’t want to do that much damage to our psyches. The documented events that led to Krueger’s inception, however, are almost as terrifying as what we witnessed in Springwood. In the end, it’s the unknowns that are most unsettling.

What Inspired A Nightmare on Elm Street?

When Vulture set out to create the “Oral History of A Nightmare on Elm Street,” they learned plenty from Craven and other horror icons. How the movie was made, Robert Englund joining on, and the underlying meanings of the film were all covered. Perhaps the most startling revelation, though, was that a true story inspired A Nightmare on Elm Street. 

Straight from Craven himself:

“I’d read an article in the ‘L.A. Times’ about a… young son [who] was having very disturbing nightmares. He told his parents he was afraid that if he slept, the thing chasing him would get him, so he tried to stay awake for days at a time. When he finally fell asleep… they heard screams in the middle of the night. By the time they got to him, he was dead. He died in the middle of a nightmare. Here was a youngster having a vision of a horror that everyone older was denying. That became the central line of ‘Nightmare on Elm Street.’”

We could’ve just taken this statement as an effort by Craven to freak us out a bit. As it turns out, though, he wasn’t lying. Back in the 1980s, young men who sought refuge in America started dying in their sleep with no underlying reason. The events that inspired A Nightmare on Elm Street affected a very specific group of people – much like those in fictional Springwood.

The deaths were occurring among a subset of men who had fled to America following the Vietnam War. They were part of the Hmong ethnic group from Southeast Asia, and their unexplained deaths in the middle of nightmares may have gone unnoticed if not for how often it was occurring. You can see from the title of this Los Angeles Times article that things were getting scary:

Article helped inspire A Nightmare on Elm Street

As the article points out, the sleep deaths of healthy Hmong men could have easily gone unnoticed. Had one coroner not noticed the disturbing pattern, the story that inspired A Nightmare on Elm Street may have died alongside those young victims.

Doctors Were Perplexed

The 1981 article from Los Angeles Times told how 13 Hmong males – all teenagers and young men – had inexplicably died in the midst of nightmares since 1978. They were already facing extreme poverty after a terrifying ordeal in war. Their biggest enemy, however, was a force we still can’t explain.

Just over a dozen deaths in three years might not seem like much at first. Of course, it would be understandable if Wes Craven had taken an unremarkable story and said it inspired A Nightmare on Elm Street. As Dr. Larry Lewman explained at the time, though, these events were anything but typical:

“We do see sudden, unexplained death in younger people every year. Maybe four, five, six in a population of a million. But four out of 2,000 [in Portland] is way out of whack.”

Dr. Lewman was the one who set out to see what was going on. In the process, he discovered that these unexplained nocturnal deaths were happening within the same ethnic group all across America. A widow of one of the victims said that these types of deaths never happened back in their village.

It was only when the men made it to America that their nightmares took over. Their breathing during sleep suddenly became loud enough to wake their partners. Nightmares suddenly took over their minds. They went to sleep as healthy young men only to never wake up again. Even today, we’re still left without much of an explanation.

What Caused the Deaths?

As the terrifying reality that inspired A Nightmare on Elm Street, it makes sense that various theories were put forward. After all, remember how hard the Springwood parents tried to logically explain what was happening to Freddy’s victims?

The theories created in relation to the deaths of these young healthy men ranged from unlikely to supernatural. And on top of the 13 deaths that Dr. Lewman documented, a Hmong leader in Los Angeles claimed there had been 19 or 20 similarly unexplained nocturnal deaths among the same ethnic group.

One theory behind the deaths was that the victims had been exposed to a chemical nerve agent during the war. If this was the case, though, why was it only affecting men? Why was it only killing them at night? And why was it taking four years to kill them? Dr. Lewman said this simply didn’t make sense.

Spirits Lead to SUNDS?

As you might expect from the tragic deaths that inspired A Nightmare on Elm Street, many also believed a more supernatural force was at work. They felt the men were being punished by their dead ancestors for having left their homeland. This was seen as an affront to the spirits, and thus the men were being punished for having abandoned their ancestral duties.

Scientists would later classify the deaths as Sudden Unexplained Nocturnal Death Syndrome (SUNDS). Unfortunately, this doesn’t really explain what happened; it simply gave it a name. Of course, when something this terrifying is happening to those around you, a name is at least a start.

Is the Danger that Inspired Nightmare on Elm Street Gone?

Unless you’re part of the communities that have been affected by these unexplained nocturnal deaths, you probably don’t have much to worry about. Plus, there might be a perfectly rational explanation for what Dr. Lewman called “bangungut syndrome” – whose name comes from the Filipino word for “nightmare.”

Unfortunately, SUNDS is still a very real threat. And as you can imagine, rational explanations mean little to those who might face this unexplained deadly force. To these individuals, Freddy Krueger is certainly far less terrifying than the true story that inspired A Nightmare on Elm Street. 

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New Poster Reveal For Nicolas Cage’s Survival Creature Feature ‘Arcadian’ [Trailer]

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Nicolas Cage Arcadian

In the latest cinematic venture featuring Nicolas Cage, Arcadian emerges as a compelling creature feature, teeming with suspense, horror, and emotional depth. RLJE Films has recently released a series of new images and a captivating poster, offering audiences a glimpse into the eerie and thrilling world of “Arcadian”. Scheduled to hit theaters on April 12, 2024, the film will later be available on Shudder and AMC+, ensuring a wide audience can experience its gripping narrative.

Arcadian Movie Trailer

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has given this film an “R” rating for its “bloody images,” hinting at the visceral and intense experience awaiting viewers. The film draws inspiration from acclaimed horror benchmarks like “A Quiet Place,” weaving a post-apocalyptic tale of a father and his two sons navigating a desolate world. Following a catastrophic event that depopulates the planet, the family faces the dual challenge of surviving their dystopian environment and eluding mysterious nocturnal creatures.

Joining Nicolas Cage in this harrowing journey are Jaeden Martell, known for his role in “IT” (2017), Maxwell Jenkins from “Lost in Space,” and Sadie Soverall, featured in “Fate: The Winx Saga.” Directed by Ben Brewer (“The Trust”) and penned by Mike Nilon (“Braven”), “Arcadian” promises a unique blend of poignant storytelling and electrifying survival horror.

Maxwell Jenkins, Nicolas Cage, and Jaeden Martell 

Critics have already begun to praise “Arcadian” for its imaginative monster designs and exhilarating action sequences, with one review from Bloody Disgusting highlighting the film’s balance between emotional coming-of-age elements and heart-pounding horror. Despite sharing thematic elements with similar genre films, “Arcadian” sets itself apart through its creative approach and action-driven plot, promising a cinematic experience filled with mystery, suspense, and relentless thrills.

Arcadian Official Movie Poster

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‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3’ Is a Go with Enhanced Budget and New Characters

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Winnie the Pooh 3

Wow, they’re churning things out fast! The upcoming sequel “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3” is officially moving forward, promising an expanded narrative with a larger budget and the introduction of beloved characters from A.A. Milne’s original tales. As confirmed by Variety, the third installment in the horror franchise will welcome Rabbit, the heffalumps, and the woozles into its dark and twisted narrative.

This sequel is a part of an ambitious cinematic universe that reimagines children’s stories as horror tales. Alongside “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” and its first sequel, the universe includes films such as “Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare”, “Bambi: The Reckoning,” and “Pinocchio Unstrung”. These movies are set to converge in the crossover event “Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble,” slated for a 2025 release.

Winnie the Pooh Poohniverse

The creation of these films was made possible when A.A. Milne’s 1926 children’s book “Winnie-the-Pooh” entered the public domain last year, allowing filmmakers to explore these cherished characters in unprecedented ways. Director Rhys Frake-Waterfield and producer Scott Jeffrey Chambers, of Jagged Edge Productions, have led the charge in this innovative endeavor.

The inclusion of Rabbit, heffalumps, and woozles in the upcoming sequel introduces a new layer to the franchise. In Milne’s original stories, heffalumps are imagined creatures resembling elephants, while woozles are known for their weasel-like characteristics and a penchant for stealing honey. Their roles in the narrative remain to be seen, but their addition promises to enrich the horror universe with deeper connections to the source material.

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How to Watch ‘Late Night with the Devil’ from Home: Dates and Platforms

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Late Night With The Devil

For fans eager to dive into one of this year’s most talked-about horror films from the comfort of their own home, “Late Night with the Devil” will be available for streaming exclusively on Shudder starting April 19, 2024. This announcement has been highly anticipated following the film’s successful theatrical release by IFC Films, which saw it earning rave reviews and a record-breaking opening weekend for the distributor.

“Late Night with the Devil” emerges as a standout horror film, captivating audiences and critics alike, with Stephen King himself offering high praise for the 1977-set film. Starring David Dastmalchian, the movie unfolds on Halloween night during a live late-night talk show broadcast that disastrously unleashes evil across the nation. This found footage-style film not only delivers scares but also authentically captures the aesthetic of the 1970s, drawing viewers into its nightmarish scenario.

David Dastmalchian in Late Night with the Devil

The film’s initial box office success, opening to $2.8 million in 1,034 theaters, underscores its wide appeal and marks the highest opening weekend for an IFC Films release. Critically acclaimed, “Late Night with the Devil” boasts a 96% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 135 reviews, with the consensus praising it for rejuvenating the possession horror genre and showcasing David Dastmalchian’s exceptional performance.

Rotten Tomatoes score as of 3/28/2024

Simon Rother of iHorror.com encapsulates the film’s allure, emphasizing its immersive quality that transports viewers back to the 1970s, making them feel as if they are part of the eerie “Night Owls” Halloween broadcast. Rother lauds the film for its meticulously crafted script and the emotional and shocking journey it takes viewers on, stating, “This whole experience will have viewers of the Cairnes brothers’ film glued to their screen… The script, from beginning to end, is neatly sewn together with an ending that’ll have jaws on the floor.” You can read the full review here.

Rother further encourages audiences to watch the film, highlighting its multifaceted appeal: “Whenever it is made available to you, you must attempt to view the Cairnes Brothers’ latest project as it will make you laugh, it will creep you out, it will amaze you, and it might even strike an emotional cord.”

Set to stream on Shudder on April 19, 2024, “Late Night with the Devil” offers a compelling blend of horror, history, and heart. This film is not just a must-watch for horror aficionados but for anyone looking to be thoroughly entertained and moved by a cinematic experience that redefines the boundaries of its genre.

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