The Bite #70

Remembering Wes Craven and More!

August 06, 2019

In this Issue:

Horror History: Remembering Wes
Image of the Week: Wolfman’s Got Vows
Tiny Bites – This Week’s Best Horror Headlines
Things We Love: Try the Wine
Hey, That’s Us! – Shudder in the News

HORROR HISTORY: REMEMBERING WES

Where do I begin with Wes Craven? Even though he wasn’t fond of being called a “horror master,” that’s exactly what he was. He changed the genre by exploring what horror does to people and turned our nightmares into something real. August 2nd would have been his 80th birthday.

Growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, Wes’s parents were fundamentalists who forbade him from watching anything but Disney cartoons and reading books. But when he eventually saw his first film as a senior in college, he was hooked. From that point forward, Wes knew he had to make films.

In the early days of his career, he worked on dailies and tried to write his own content, often coming up short. Before The Last House On The Left, he had no idea how to make a horror movie. His producer and friend, Sean Cunningham, offered some advice, saying “you were raised as a fundamentalist. Just pull all the skeletons out of your closet.”

Wes took that advice and ran with it, making films that told stories about the human condition and touched on real fears. He pulled from literature, mythology, psychology, news, history, and even his own nightmares to create chilling tales that resonated with audiences.

“It’s like boot camp for the psyche,” Wes once said about horror. “In real life, human beings are packaged in the flimsiest of packages, threatened by real and sometimes horrifying dangers, events like Columbine. But the narrative form puts these fears into a manageable series of events. It gives us a way of thinking rationally about our fears.”

Nancy Thompson was created with the intent of making a heroine that broke the trope of “damsel in distress.” She strategized, fought and won. She became someone I modeled myself after. When I discovered she and Wes were from Ohio, like myself, I knew I’d never want to leave the state. I felt “cool.”

Wes was never the conventional horror filmmaker people assumed he would be. He wasn’t a dark, mysterious black-clad figure. He wore Ralph Lauren and greeted everyone with Midwestern warmth. He was more than a director; he was a mentor and father figure.

On August 30, 2015, when the news broke that Wes had died, my heart stopped. There was no way, I thought. This had to be a hoax. But it wasn’t. Wes Craven was gone.

For the horror community, Wes was a role model not only because he created films we admire, but also because of his character. Even though he’s gone, audiences will watch, analyze, revere and fear his work for generations to come. So thank you, Wes, for having the guts to follow your dreams and in doing so, bringing nightmares to ours.

*Diandra Lazor is a cosplayer, producer and content creator known for her cosplay and advocacy of Nancy Thompson. She is currently working onFredHeads: The Documentary, co-hosts the podcast Elm Street Radio, and is the VP of the Nightmare on Elm Street Companion website.

IMAGE OF THE WEEK

Wolfman’s Got Vows

Film critic and internet personality The Wolfman got married in style at the end of July. His wedding photos (at least the ones he shared publicly) are officially the GOAT. Take note, brides- and grooms-to-be.

TINY BITES

CLIMATE CHANGE HORROR, THE FANATIC AND MORE

The Bechdel Test may not be the best indicator of a film’s feminism, but it’s an excellent place to start.These 46 horror films pass the test to add a little inclusivity to your viewing.

Share, the feature film debut from writer/director Pippa Bianco, tackles the challenging subject of sexual assault in a horrifyingly public way.

Following the incredible Booksmart, Olivia Wilde’s back in the director’s chair with Don’t Worry, Darling, a psychological thriller about a 1950s housewife who starts to crack.

The Terror season 2 writers and actor George Takei drew on their families’ horrific experiences in theJapanese-American internment camps during WWII.

Paste Magazine has been working on their Century of Terror project, a look at the 100 best horror movies from the past 100 years, and last week they hit 1930 with Lon Chaney’s The Unholy Three.

AfterShock Comics is combining the real-life horrors of hoarding with the supernatural in Marguerite Bennett’s upcoming graphic novel, Horde.

The Conjuring director James Wan is coming back to horror with a new project, and we couldn’t be more excited. Now to wait ~~anxiously~~ patiently for more details.

XX, the all-female horror anthology, is being turned into a TV series. Like the film, the show will highlight women in horror.

Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark hits theatres this weekend, so why not get ready for the kid-friendly horrors with these other YA anthology series’?

THINGS WE LOVE: TRY THE WINE

Having a friend for dinner? You could grab that ordinary wine decanter, but a nice Chianti should really be shown off with one of Etienne Meneau’s Strange Decanters. Designed to look like arteries and tree branches, they’re elegant enough for one of Dr. Lecter’s soirées.