A sure fire cult name, Wes Craven will forever be identified with the horror genre thanks to a number of box office hits and two franchise story lines that continue to sell merchandise to this day despite Wes’ passing away in August of 2015. What’s the first Wes Craven film I ever saw? That’s a story in itself…..

I’m guessing the year was 1977 because of the title release playing at a drive in theater that had more than one screen. I was a kid and our car was facing the outdoor screen that was showing a double Peter Fonda bill. The comedy Outlaw Blues being the headliner. The opening act was his 1975 action flick Killer Force and even then I knew one man in the “force” was that tall guy that played Dracula. Of course we all knew Kojack and O.J. as well. I could see the other screen through our back window where a different set of fans had their cars facing front. I didn’t know who Michael Berryman was at the time but I sure knew that the film playing on the other screen was full of violence and murder in a desert setting. Little did I know at the time that it was The Hills Have Eyes. Of course I’ve never forgotten that drive in experience and would eventually see the film on home video a few years later.

So what’s your first Craven film and story?

“We don’t wanna off someone first night out. I mean, it’d be a shame to get this floor all messed up with blood. “

“We’re being attacked. I don’t know who. We have one gun with 2 bullets. We’re sitting ducks! “

Even when Deadly Blessing was released to theaters, I still didn’t know who Wes Craven was and Sharon Stone wasn’t yet on my radar. I just knew Ernest Borgnine was in this horror flick with a menacing look on his face.

“In the rolling hills of a sinful farm community, untouched by time, a gruesome secret has been protected for generations. “

It’s at this point that the name Craven became one that I would come to instantly recognize. Couldn’t wait to see this but I’d have to wait till the VHS tape as I wasn’t yet old enough to get past the guy checking ID at the box office. “One, two, Freddy’s coming for you. / Three, four, better lock your door. / Five, six, grab your crucifix. / Seven, eight, gonna stay up late. / Nine, ten, never sleep again. “

“From what I hear, Elvira’s head’s all over the walls in there. “

“Don’t let them bury me! I’m not dead! “

The onslaught continued.

 

“I think the only way to stop him is to make another movie. “

Even Eddie joined in the fun. Sadly, they can’t all be winners. Maybe a revisit after all these years might change my mind. “Evil is good and ass is good, and if you find you a piece of evil ass, WOO! “

And so begins the next franchise. “Now Sid, don’t you blame the movies. Movies don’t create psychos. Movies make psychos more creative! “

Didn’t forget this one with Meryl Streep did you? His final film of the 90’s isn’t what you might expect. “Well, the good news is the tickets are selling like hotcakes. The bad news is, the kids sound like shit.”

Still ahead lay more Scream flicks, Cursed and a nifty thriller titled Red Eye. Did you happen to notice I missed a popular 1982 release? Well, that’s just because I wanted to put my mug in here with a poster from the vault at Mike’s Take. Surely this quote refers to the bountiful Adrienne Barbeau, “Much beauty in the swamp, if you only look. ” Then again, how could you miss her in that outfit?