Horror films are a unique genre with a rich history that goes as far back as the silent film era. When words couldn’t drive a story, film makers would use the art of cinematography to create a dark atmosphere and the actors would portray fear and emotions when someone or some thing was terrorizing their life. It translates well on the screen and luckily for filmmakers, audiences love to be scared...

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Another thing that has been a constant with horror is change. The evolution of horror films have continued with each and every major release since the first time a moviegoer screamed in the theater. Writers have changed the way monsters and villains are perceived by the viewers in dramatic fashion. Take one of the most popular horror icons of all time -Vampires. They have been portrayed as evil rat like creatures in one instance all the way to the other extreme - well dressed, suave, sophisticated human like creatures that could charm the pants off a nun, sparkly too.


With that in mind, those of us that lived through the Slasher boom of the late 70’s and 80’s we also witnessed a great deal of change. Leatherface looked one way in the original and different in the sequels. Michael Myers and Jason Voorhee’s wardrobes went through more changes than I change underwear in a week. Where were they getting these things at? Does Jason just put in a request for a new hockey mask, I mean how does this happen? This all went on from one film to the next with no explanation, it was just accepted. Different special effects teams would be brought on board and give there unique take on the series often changing things drastically. Even today, directors like Rob Zombie put their own artistic spin on classic series such as Halloween.

That leads us to our question today. Before the advent of sites like HorrorBid, forums, chat rooms and other community areas, did people complain about the looks of our horror characters as much as they do today? I mean, before fanboys living in their parents basements hawked the web, did construction workers rant about changes in their favorite characters repertoire over a ham and cheese sandwich? Sure I hated some of the looks of Michael Myers (namely in part 5) but it really didn’t seem like that big of a deal back then.

With all this in mind, let me present the issue at hand – Freddy Krueger’s new look. We really haven’t got a great look at him other than the figure we displayed (click here) from this week’s 2010 NY Toy Fair. The consensus from the horror world, however, is clear - sheer hatred. I will be honest I am not a fan of it myself, but the amount of negativity is off the charts and I can understand this to a degree. You’re messing with a lot of peoples childhoods. I mean…its Freddy. How many times as a child did you receive absolute delight in having to check all around your room before you went to bed? This is a franchise that many horror fans and film fans alike hold near-and-dear to their hearts. No matter what continent, no matter what culture, Nightmare on Elm Street is a household name. So, without a doubt, people are going to have issues when you present any sort of change to a familiar character, but when the change is presented in this degree, well, you might as well just take a pee in the Horror Community’s big happy bowl of Count Chocula.

Sure, with the coming of the digital age and the ensuing fanboy revolution, all this push back is tenfold. We have the privilege of having our news delivered to us in a constant stream. Websites dedicated to the genre we love, like our good ol’ HorrorBid. With people all over the globe sharing our obsession for monster movies, it makes sense that things get examined through a fine-tooth comb but are we just nit picking because there isn’t a lot else to talk about? It really makes you wonder. Before the film even reaches the screen, people start throwing tomatoes at the mere concept of the movie. What some whistle blowers fail to realize is that without taking risks, some of our favorite franchises may not have ever made it to such fame. Film making is still an art, right? I get both sides of the argument but here is the way I look at it - no one forces anyone to go see a film. Sure it may suck when your favorite movie gets trashed with the remake status especially if it’s just $12 garbage, but does that really hurt the original? I would argue it actually helps reinforce the originals dominance and it’s place in horror movie history. That’s my two cents - and a question that everyone should ponder. Is there a definitive answer? Nope, but that’s the whole point of the story. Now, exercise our dominant medium of complaint and fanboyism by flaming away!