Fred Krueger

Lore & Background

Krueger operates primarily within the dream world, where he can manifest his bladed glove and disfigured face to stalk victims. His existence is rooted in a morality play revolving around sexual promiscuity among teenagers, which often results in their deaths. Craven intended Freddy to represent the worst aspects of parenthood and adulthood, describing him as a "dirty old man" and a "nasty father" who wants children to die rather than prosper. He functions as a primal figure similar to Kronos devouring his children, targeting victims at their most vulnerable moment: sleep. The character's design was informed by Craven reading that red and green are the most clashing colors to the human retina, leading to the choice of Krueger's iconic sweater.

In Their Own Story

The narrative begins with teenager Tina Gray waking from a nightmare where a disfigured man in a boiler room attacks her. Her friend Nancy Thompson soon experiences similar dreams involving the same man and his bladed glove. After Tina is killed in her sleep, Nancy investigates, discovering that Krueger was a child murderer released on a technicality before being burned alive by parents on Elm Street. Nancy realizes Krueger targets children because their parents were accomplices to his death. In a climactic sequence, Nancy rigs booby traps and lures Krueger from the dream world into reality, lighting him on fire. However, in the film's twist ending, Nancy wakes up thinking she has escaped, only for her mother Marge to be dragged through a window by Krueger as the car top turns green and red.

Reader's Guide

To understand Fred Krueger's origins, one must look to Wes Craven's specific inspirations. The concept was sparked by three small articles in the Los Angeles Times regarding Hmong refugees who suffered "Asian Death Syndrome" and died in their sleep after fleeing war in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Craven also drew from a personal memory of an elderly man staring at his childhood home, which served as the visual basis for Krueger's appearance. Initially, the villain was conceived as a child molester, but Craven changed him to a child murderer to avoid exploiting real-life cases happening in California during production. The iconic weapon, a glove with steak knives, replaced an earlier idea of a sickle. David B. Miller designed Krueger's face using photographs of burn victims from the UCLA Medical Center.

Did You Know?

• Fred Krueger's name was taken from a real child who bullied Wes Craven in school.
• Robert Englund plays Freddy Krueger, while Robert Shaye has two uncredited roles as broadcasters for local TV and KRGR Radio.
• Craven chose red and green for the sweater after reading a 1982 Scientific American article stating they are the most clashing colors to the human retina.
• Make-up artist David B. Miller designed Krueger's face using actual photos of burn victims from UCLA Medical Center.
• Two models of the bladed glove were built: a 'hero' glove for cutting and a safer 'stunt' glove to prevent injury.