From Last House on the Left to Scream, Wes Craven had been a staple of horror. He rubbed dark souls with John Carpenter and Tobe Hooper, carving out his own legend in the Mount Rushmore of the genre. Fans knew him from the obvious Nightmare on Elm Street series, but diehards will never forget even the oddball films, such as The People Under the Stairs and Vampire in Brooklyn.
Joe Maddrey has put together a massive tome about the life and work of Craven, a book that goes deep. It cuts to the bone with in-depth interviews with the man, his family, and colleagues, digging up the bones of not only his career, but the inner workings of his brain and what he wished to do for the horror genre. These EIGHTY interviews cover all the dark angles and musty corners of his soul. It’s fascinating to read these and discover what’s hidden beneath the surface of his mind and what he snuck into the work. Beyond that, and the many photos and images of the man’s career, it mines the recesses of what makes the man tick.
Many will discover the man’s poetry, short stories, and longer fiction that never made the mainstream. Reading this feels like the curtains are pushed aside and readers are given the glimpse into who Wes really was — not just a director. Diving in these is priceless. Maddrey has given us a gift here, an obvious labor of love that shines a light on so many facets of the man’s life.
Craven operated under two pseudonyms as well — what did he accomplish with this and why deviate from his brand?
What projects never saw the light of day — but should have?
Did the man have vision to morph the landscape of horror films as a whole?
Maddrey finds these answers, and more, in a thick 500-page book that celebrates the iconic figure in an easy to digest form. By varying the pace from interviews to snippets and anecdotes to revealing photographs, fans will rejoice here. This makes a great gift for the holiday season — highly recommended for horror aficionados.
