Video Mounts a Convincing Case: Freddy Krueger Was Innocent All Along!
When Freddy Krueger first burst onto the scene in 1984’s A Nightmare on Elm Street, much about the instantly-iconic slasher was nebulous. While it was
The question was answered when writer/director Wes Craven admitted that he originally imagined the Springwood Slasher as a pervert of the lowest denominator. The decision to remove this aspect of Krueger’s character was made by studio executives. In retrospective, it was probably for the best, as fans hated the molester Freddy we met in 2010’s much-maligned reboot. Part of Krueger’s appeal has always been that we can root for him, and no one wants to cheer for a pedophile.
Still, the debate itself illustrates an interesting point: We always just accept the assumption that Freddy was guilty before he became the victim of mob justice. We’re told he got off on a technicality. But, in a new video from That Film Theory, narrator Ash poses the question: What if Freddy was actually innocent? What if the lowly janitor was merely a convenient scapegoat for a town desperate to regain a sense of control over their fears?
While the theory disintegrates the further we move away from the original Nightmare on Elm Street, the postulation holds surprising weight. Give it a spin at the top of the article; you might just find yourself second-guessing everything you thought you knew about one of horror’s most enduring icons.
What do you think of the video from That Film Theory? Do you think Freddy Krueger might have been innocent of the crimes he was accused of committing while he was alive? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!
