He asked the question: What happens if you fall asleep and all hell breaks loose?
But what makes him stand out in a genre that possesses so many iconic characters and memorable bad guys?
Easy dont go into the woods or leave doors and windows open.
A Nightmare on Elm Street / New Line Cinema
They are killers who succeed thanks to the sheer stupidity of society and the lack of awareness.
In Freddy Kruegers case, theres no real way to avoid him.
After all, everyone needs to sleep at some point, so theres no place to run or hide.
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors / New Line Cinema
Theres also something to be said about a killer who attacks when someone sleeps.
Since he operates in the dream world, hes able to use mind-bending powers to orchestrate his kills.
He kills without remorse and isnt a role model by any means.
That said, nobody can deny his charisma.
Actor Robert Englund pumps a showmanship into Freddy that isnt often found in other horror movie monsters.
In comparison, Freddy loves to talk and announce his arrival.
He toys with his victims, cracking situational jokes and never missing the opportunity to use a pun.
Its a spine-chilling scene, but it wouldnt feel out of place in a classic Bugs Bunny cartoon.
A Nightmare on Elm Streetcant be replicated
The slasher genre doesnt often boast a lot of novelty.
In essence, the premise is always the same: Some deranged individual wants to kill others.
There have been attempts to copy the formula.
Take Robert KurtzmansWishmaster, which also features Robert Englund, for instance.
The bad guy isnt a dream demon, but an evil djinn played by Andrew Divoff.
