Wes Craven, the director who revolutionised the horror genre with A Nightmare on Elm Street in the 1980s and Scream in the 1990s, has died. He was 76 and had been battling brain cancer.
A former college lecturer, Craven's career as a writer-director began in 1972 with the deeply troubling home invasion horror The Last House on the Left, a film that was at the centre of the 'video nasties' controversy in the early 80s and which was heavily cut for many years.
It was followed in 1977 by another influential horror, The Hills Have Eyes, and his subsequent films included Deadly Blessing and Swamp Thing.
He had a major box office and video hit in 1984 with A Nightmare on Elm Street, which introduced horror fans around the world to iconic, and enduring, character Freddy Krueger and marked Johnny Depp's film debut.
He gave the genre a new lease of life again in 1996 with the Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox and Drew Barrymore-starring Scream which spawned three Craven-directed sequels and a new TV series.
But Craven was also a director of real versatility and was behind the lens for the Meryl Streep-starring true story Music of the Heart, a role for which she was Oscar-nominated; and the Rachel McAdams and Cillian Murphy-starring aircraft thriller Red Eye, another box office hit.
In a career spanning five decades, his other films included Chiller, Shocker, The People Under the Stairs, Vampire in Brooklyn, Cursed and My Soul to Take.
A prolific film and TV producer, Craven also made cameos in a number of his works.
He published his first book, Fountain Society, in 1999, which was followed by Coming of Rage in 2013.
In Dublin to discuss new film #TheVisitMovie, director @MNightShyamalan paid tribute to the late, great Wes Craven. https://t.co/Q1T2QNAI3y
— RTÉ TEN (@RTE_TEN) August 31, 2015
Craven is survived by his wife, producer Iya Labunka, son Jonathan, daughter Jessica, sister Carol, grandchildren Miles, Max and Myra-Jean and stepdaughter Nina.
Today the world lost a great man, my friend and mentor, Wes Craven. My heart goes out to his family. x
— Courteney Cox (@CourteneyCox) August 31, 2015
So sad to hear that such a prince of a human being has bid us goodnight. @wescraven pic.twitter.com/mOQKWuxI9I
— Angela Bassett (@ImAngelaBassett) August 31, 2015
Such sad news about Wes Craven tonight. Thank you for all you have given us. RIP.
— Slash (@Slash) August 31, 2015
I had the great privilege of working with #WesCraven one of the kindest most gentle souls, who made great scary films. #RIPWesCraven
— Sarah Michelle (@SarahMGellar) August 31, 2015
Many other directors who were inspired by Craven have also been among those paying tribute.
He directed me in Scream3 and I directed him in J&SB. Fare thee well horror-Gretzky WES CRAVEN. Talented, good guy. http://t.co/LZB0EGzxfV
— KevinSmith (@ThatKevinSmith) August 31, 2015
It gives us a way of thinking rationally about our fears. Horror films don't create fear, they release it- Wes Craven pic.twitter.com/vrIY2bZmw6
— Scott Derrickson (@scottderrickson) August 31, 2015
RIP Wes Craven
— Ciarán Foy (@citadelfoy) August 31, 2015
Wes Craven. There goes another outlier. RIP
— Joe Carnahan (@carnojoe) August 31, 2015
