Freddy Krueger character analysis

Freddy Krueger Analysis

Freddy Krueger is one of the most iconic villains in movie history due to the horrific way in which his victims are killed and his frightening appearance. The character first featured in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), which has become recognised as one of the most iconic horror films and since then he has featured in a further 9 movies. The Nightmare on Elm Street slasher series consists of Freddy stalking teenagers in their dreams and killing them in brutal ways.

It is important to look at the background to this character as the psychological workings behind a villain are usually featured in films of the slasher or horror genre. He has quite a disturbing story because the reason that he kills all of these teenagers is for revenge. He kills the children of people that burned him alive in order to get payback. The 1984 film was written and directed by Wes Craven.


Appearance:
Freddy Krueger's appearance is very frightening and seems quite surreal. His face is burned and scarred from when he was burned, which creates a very scary image and seems almost surreal. This is very effective because it matches up with both the genre and the plot of the film, and would also create an atmosphere of fear and the unknown with the audience. In addition to this, it also adds elements of the supernatural which is a common convention of horror.











Costume:
The clothing that Freddy Krueger wears is actually quite normal and everyday, which may be a kind of disguise to hide his horrific face. The black and red colours used in his jumper connote darkness, evil, blood and death, which is very fitting to the personality of the character. The striped jumper and trilby hat are iconic and instantly recognisable. Furthermore, his costume is an extremely popular halloween costume, showing just how effective the mise en scene is in this film.
A very important prop used is the metal glove with blades on the end that is used to kill his victims and further adds to the fear among the audience. it is not a typical weapon used in slasher films (such as a knife or axe) and is much more unique showing that possibly, the character made it himself, showing he is smart and always thinking about killing. This makes him appear much more evil and sinister, successfully depicting him as a villain.