Behind the Monsters

A cheap film shot in 21 days changes the landscape of horror, makes several careers and gives one actor an iconic role that she tweaks 42 years later.

The genre's first black slasher showed up in 1992, rich with subtext about racial tensions in American history; in 2021, he's coming back - and is perhaps the most relevant horror icon imaginable.

What started as a nasty spin on 80s consumerism, flourished over three decades into an unlikely progressive horror property that refuses to get back on the shelf.

Perhaps the most recognizable horror icon, Freddy Krueger's one-liners and merchandise has proven to be enjoyed by horror and non-horror fans alike.

A look at the accidental creation of a machete-wielding avatar of conservative 1980s morality - one that, absent a new entry, a fiercely loyal fan base has taken to resurrecting on their own.

Emerging from a low budget independent film, this character who was simply called "Lead Cenobite" would become the undeniable symbol of pleasure and pain and the icon of the "Hellraiser" franchise.