Legendary Director Wes Craven Has Died at the Age of 76

I’m not even sure where to begin this, I’m still pretty stunned after hearing it.  It’s hard to imagine your idols being mortal, but unfortunately as I get older there are always new reminders that our time on the earth is extremely fleeting.

Legendary director and horror icon Wes Craven passed away today at the age of 76.  The director succumbed to his battle with brain cancer this afternoon in his Los Angeles home.  Although one would’ve never guessed he was sick given how immersed in work he was at the beginning of the year.  Craven was working on a short segment for the anthology film “Thou Shalt Not  Kill” along with various TV projects and a graphic novel series.  He never once gave the impression that was slowing down.

Wes Craven left an immeasurable mark on the horror industry.  His first breakout film was the cult hit “Last House on the Left.” Afterwards he continued to shock and horrify audiences with his next big entry “The Hills Have Eyes.”  However, his biggest cinematic achievement came in 1984 when he gave birth to the nightmarish creature known as Freddy Krueger in “The Nightmare on Elm Street.”

In the 90’s Craven found new success with his reinvention of the slasher genre with the “Scream” series.  That entry arguably changed the landscape of 90s/00s teen horror with a plethora of films that were trying to duplicate his success.

Some might say that “Scream” and “Nightmare on Elm Street” defined his directing career, but he also had plenty of smaller projects that were equally as good if not more so.  Films like “The People Under the Stairs” and the “The Serpent and the Rainbow” are considered classic works of horror.  Then there’s the often forgotten film “Red Eye” which is a smart and tense thriller that doesn’t get the love it deserves.

And while not every Craven film was a breakout success, each new one generated a lot of excitement amongst horror fans.  When a new Craven film was in the works I know I was teeming with anticipation.  His films were almost always a truly special experience and I never got the sense that he was done producing great content. I always felt that Craven had more excellent stories to share with us and I’m honestly heartbroken we won’t be experiencing his vision again.

Thank-you Mr. Craven for all of your work and all the hours of entertainment you brought us.  Our thoughts go out to his friends and family at this time.

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— Wes Craven (@wescraven) August 31, 2015

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— Wes Craven (@wescraven) August 31, 2015

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