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The Still Unexplained Deaths That Inspired ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’

Published

2 years ago

September 9, 2022

When we were introduced to Freddy Krueger in 1984, the first graphic and gravity-defying death scene had us hooked. We immediately knew that The Springwood Slasher was what nightmares are made of. What many of us didn’t realize, though, is that a terrifying true story actually inspired A Nightmare on Elm Street.

Krueger was never really marketed as being based on a true story. Our pal Wes Craven probably didn’t want to do that much damage to our psyches. The documented events that led to Krueger’s inception, however, are almost as terrifying as what we witnessed in Springwood. In the end, it’s the unknowns that are most unsettling.

What Inspired A Nightmare on Elm Street?

When Vulture set out to create the “Oral History of A Nightmare on Elm Street,” they learned plenty from Craven and other horror icons. How the movie was made, Robert Englund joining on, and the underlying meanings of the film were all covered. Perhaps the most startling revelation, though, was that a true story inspired A Nightmare on Elm Street.

Straight from Craven himself:

“I’d read an article in the ‘L.A. Times’ about a… young son [who] was having very disturbing nightmares. He told his parents he was afraid that if he slept, the thing chasing him would get him, so he tried to stay awake for days at a time. When he finally fell asleep… they heard screams in the middle of the night. By the time they got to him, he was dead. He died in the middle of a nightmare. Here was a youngster having a vision of a horror that everyone older was denying. That became the central line of ‘Nightmare on Elm Street.’”

We could’ve just taken this statement as an effort by Craven to freak us out a bit. As it turns out, though, he wasn’t lying. Back in the 1980s, young men who sought refuge in America started dying in their sleep with no underlying reason. The events that inspired A Nightmare on Elm Street affected a very specific group of people – much like those in fictional Springwood.

The deaths were occurring among a subset of men who had fled to America following the Vietnam War. They were part of the Hmong ethnic group from Southeast Asia, and their unexplained deaths in the middle of nightmares may have gone unnoticed if not for how often it was occurring. You can see from the title of this Los Angeles Times article that things were getting scary:

Article helped inspire A Nightmare on Elm Street

As the article points out, the sleep deaths of healthy Hmong men could have easily gone unnoticed. Had one coroner not noticed the disturbing pattern, the story that inspired A Nightmare on Elm Street may have died alongside those young victims.

Doctors Were Perplexed

The 1981 article from Los Angeles Times told how 13 Hmong males – all teenagers and young men – had inexplicably died in the midst of nightmares since 1978. They were already facing extreme poverty after a terrifying ordeal in war. Their biggest enemy, however, was a force we still can’t explain.

Just over a dozen deaths in three years might not seem like much at first. Of course, it would be understandable if Wes Craven had taken an unremarkable story and said it inspired A Nightmare on Elm Street. As Dr. Larry Lewman explained at the time, though, these events were anything but typical:

“We do see sudden, unexplained death in younger people every year. Maybe four, five, six in a population of a million. But four out of 2,000 [in Portland] is way out of whack.”

Dr. Lewman was the one who set out to see what was going on. In the process, he discovered that these unexplained nocturnal deaths were happening within the same ethnic group all across America. A widow of one of the victims said that these types of deaths never happened back in their village.

It was only when the men made it to America that their nightmares took over. Their breathing during sleep suddenly became loud enough to wake their partners. Nightmares suddenly took over their minds. They went to sleep as healthy young men only to never wake up again. Even today, we’re still left without much of an explanation.

What Caused the Deaths?

As the terrifying reality that inspired A Nightmare on Elm Street, it makes sense that various theories were put forward. After all, remember how hard the Springwood parents tried to logically explain what was happening to Freddy’s victims?

The theories created in relation to the deaths of these young healthy men ranged from unlikely to supernatural. And on top of the 13 deaths that Dr. Lewman documented, a Hmong leader in Los Angeles claimed there had been 19 or 20 similarly unexplained nocturnal deaths among the same ethnic group.

One theory behind the deaths was that the victims had been exposed to a chemical nerve agent during the war. If this was the case, though, why was it only affecting men? Why was it only killing them at night? And why was it taking four years to kill them? Dr. Lewman said this simply didn’t make sense.

Spirits Lead to SUNDS?

As you might expect from the tragic deaths that inspired A Nightmare on Elm Street, many also believed a more supernatural force was at work. They felt the men were being punished by their dead ancestors for having left their homeland. This was seen as an affront to the spirits, and thus the men were being punished for having abandoned their ancestral duties.

Scientists would later classify the deaths as Sudden Unexplained Nocturnal Death Syndrome (SUNDS). Unfortunately, this doesn’t really explain what happened; it simply gave it a name. Of course, when something this terrifying is happening to those around you, a name is at least a start.

Is the Danger that Inspired Nightmare on Elm Street Gone?

Unless you’re part of the communities that have been affected by these unexplained nocturnal deaths, you probably don’t have much to worry about. Plus, there might be a perfectly rational explanation for what Dr. Lewman called “bangungut syndrome” – whose name comes from the Filipino word for “nightmare.”

Unfortunately, SUNDS is still a very real threat. And as you can imagine, rational explanations mean little to those who might face this unexplained deadly force. To these individuals, Freddy Krueger is certainly far less terrifying than the true story that inspired A Nightmare on Elm Street.

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News

“Mickey Vs. Winnie”: Iconic Childhood Characters Collide in A Terrifying Versus Slasher

Published

2 hours ago

May 1, 2024

Anthony Pernicka

iHorror is diving deep into film production with a chilling new project that’s sure to redefine your childhood memories. We’re thrilled to introduce ‘Mickey vs. Winnie,’ a groundbreaking horror slasher directed by Glenn Douglas Packard. This isn’t just any horror slasher; it’s a visceral showdown between twisted versions of childhood favorites Mickey Mouse and Winnie-the-Pooh. ‘Mickey vs. Winnie’ brings together the now-public-domain characters from A. A. Milne’s ‘Winnie-the-Pooh’ books and Mickey Mouse from the 1920s ‘Steamboat Willie’ cartoon in a VS battle like never before seen.

Set in the 1920s, the plot kicks off with a disturbing narrative about two convicts who escape into a cursed forest, only to be swallowed by its dark essence. Fast forward a hundred years, and the story picks up with a group of thrill-seeking friends whose nature getaway goes horribly wrong. They accidentally venture into the same cursed woods, finding themselves face-to-face with the now monstrous versions of Mickey and Winnie. What follows is a night filled with terror, as these beloved characters mutate into horrifying adversaries, unleashing a frenzy of violence and bloodshed.

Glenn Douglas Packard, an Emmy-nominated choreographer turned filmmaker known for his work on “Pitchfork,” brings a unique creative vision to this film. Packard describes “Mickey vs. Winnie” as a tribute to horror fans’ love for iconic crossovers, which often remain just a fantasy due to licensing restrictions. “Our film celebrates the thrill of combining legendary characters in unexpected ways, serving up a nightmarish yet exhilarating cinematic experience,” says Packard.

Produced by Packard and his creative partner Rachel Carter under the Untouchables Entertainment banner, and our very own Anthony Pernicka, founder of iHorror, “Mickey vs. Winnie” promises to deliver an entirely new take on these iconic figures. “Forget what you know about Mickey and Winnie,” Pernicka enthuses. “Our film portrays these characters not as mere masked figures but as transformed, live-action horrors that merge innocence with malevolence. The intense scenes crafted for this movie will change how you see these characters forever.”

Currently underway in Michigan, the production of “Mickey vs. Winnie” is a testament to pushing boundaries, which horror loves to do. As iHorror ventures into producing our own films, we’re excited to share this thrilling, terrifying journey with you, our loyal audience. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to transform the familiar into the frightful in ways you’ve never imagined.

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Movies

Mike Flanagan Comes Aboard To Assist in Completion of ‘Shelby Oaks’

Published

4 hours ago

May 1, 2024

Timothy Rawles

If you have been following Chris Stuckmann on YouTube you are aware of the struggles he has had getting his horror movie Shelby Oaks finished. But there’s good news about the project today. Director Mike Flanagan (Ouija: Origin Of Evil, Doctor Sleep and The Haunting) is backing the film as a co-executive producer which might bring it much closer to being released. Flanagan is a part of the collective Intrepid Pictures which also includes Trevor Macy and Melinda Nishioka.

Stuckmann is a YouTube movie critic who’s been on the platform for over a decade. He came under some scrutiny for announcing on his channel two years ago that he would no longer be reviewing films negatively. However contrary to that statement, he did a non-review essay of the panned Madame Web recently saying, that studios strong-arm directors to make films just for the sake of keeping failing franchises alive. It seemed like a critique disguised as a discussion video.

But Stuckmann has his own movie to worry about. In one of Kickstarter’s most successful campaigns, he managed to raise over $1 million for his debut feature film Shelby Oaks which now sits in post-production.

Hopefully, with Flanagan and Intrepid’s help, the road to Shelby Oak’s completion is reaching its end.

“It’s been inspiring to watch Chris working toward his dreams over the past few years, and the tenacity and DIY spirit he displayed while bringing Shelby Oaks to life reminded me so much of my own journey over a decade ago,” Flanagan told Deadline. “It’s been an honor to walk a few steps with him on his path, and to offer support for Chris’ vision for his ambitious, unique movie. I can’t wait to see where he goes from here.”

Stuckmann says Intrepid Pictures has inspired him for years and, “it’s a dream come true to work with Mike and Trevor on my first feature.”

Producer Aaron B. Koontz of Paper Street Pictures has been working with Stuckmann since the beginning is also excited about the collaboration.

“For a film that had such a hard time getting going, it’s remarkable the doors that then opened to us,” said Koontz. “The success of our Kickstarter followed by the on-going leadership and guidance from Mike, Trevor, and Melinda is beyond anything I could have hoped for.”

Deadline describes the plot of Shelby Oaks as follows:

“A combination of documentary, found footage, and traditional film footage styles, Shelby Oaks centers on Mia’s (Camille Sullivan) frantic search for her sister, Riley, (Sarah Durn) who ominously disappeared in the last tape of her “Paranormal Paranoids” investigative series. As Mia’s obsession grows, she begins to suspect that the imaginary demon from Riley’s childhood may have been real.”

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Movies

New ‘MaXXXine’ Image is Pure 80s Costume Core

Published

9 hours ago

May 1, 2024

Timothy Rawles

A24 has unveiled a captivating new image of Mia Goth in her role as the titular character in “MaXXXine”. This release comes approximately a year and a half after the previous installment in Ti West’s expansive horror saga, which covers more than seven decades.

MaXXXine Official Trailer

His latest continues the story arc of freckle-faced aspiring starlet Maxine Minx from the first film X which took place in Texas in 1979. With stars in her eyes and blood on her hands, Maxine moves into a new decade and a new city, Hollywood, in pursuit of an acting career, “But as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of Hollywood, a trail of blood threatens to reveal her sinister past.”

The photo below is the latest snapshot released from the film and shows Maxine in full Thunderdome drag amid a crowd of teased hair and rebellious 80s fashion.

MaXXXine is set to open in theaters on July 5.