Freddy Friday: Freddy thinks he’s good in rare Dream Warriors interview
By Patti Pauley
Welcome to 1428 Elm’s first edition of Freddy Friday! What better way to kick off this momentous occasion with a rare “Dream Warriors” set interview with Robert Englund in the Freddy Krueger makeup!
“Cuz we’re the Dream Warriorrrsss!”
Image via Tumblr
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors not only set the bar pretty high for sequels as good as their predecessor, but also managed one hell of a marketing campaign for the film in 1987. From various Freddy toys and costumes to an array of media events, ’87 belonged to Freddy and Nancy — who made a highly anticipated return for the third film to meet her nightmare nemesis once more.
During filming, Robert Englund handed out plenty of interviews in the full Freddy getup to both promote the upcoming film and give his take on this character he and the late Wes Craven created. One, in particular, came from Emmy award-winning journalist Reba Merrill, where Englund gives a serious interview while donning the Krueger makeup and attire, diving deep into the psyche of this character turned horror icon.
Rarely seen due to the full interview only available to Night Flight subscribers, a small clip is available on YouTube per the journalist’s channel where Englund discusses how Freddy’s mind ticks and that the “villain, doesn’t really know he’s a villain as he has some legit beef with these parents.”
Check it out!
In only one other clip available uploaded by the interviewer, Englund speaks on his personal connection to the Krueger character and credits Wes Craven for letting the spirit of Freddy “out of the cage” and into Englund’s reality.
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Dream Warriors certainly was and remains something special. In numerous horror circles, it’s wildly considered the best sequel in the Nightmare series. Looking back on the film’s 30th anniversary, it isn’t hard to see why.
Three decades ago, the A Nightmare on Elm Street series took an unexpected turn with the third installment — turning out to be one of the greatest decisions New Line made with the Freddy franchise phenomena. Dream Warriors wasn’t just another walk down Elm Street.
A coming-of-age film with a group of troubled kids stuck in a never-ending cycle of, not only the teenage struggle, but some vicious emotional demons further complicating things. Putting their already delicate state of minds through a true test of strength within themselves….especially once they fell asleep.
Next: A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010): 10 Things You Didn’t Know