Wes Craven's New New Nightmare (A pop culture TL)

Intro:
So recently, I watched a fantastic documentary on the Nightmare On Elm Street series called Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy. I highly recommend it if you're a fan of the series or movie making in general. What interested me the most about the documentary was the writing of New Nightmare from 1994, and I heard on a podcast called "Now Playing" that Wes Craven actually went to New Line Cinema in 1987 and proposed the script, however they opted to make part 3 (Dream Warriors) instead.
So the thrust of the TL is thus; what if New Nightmare was made in 1987 instead of 1994? How would a 80's audience react to a cerebral film? And what effect would it have on pop culture?
Without further ado...

"It's back... in the saddle... again"

August 1986:

New Line Executive #1: "So Wes, what do you have for us?"

New Line Executive #2: "How is Freddy gonna kill teens this time?"

Wes Craven: "Well, I have a different approach to Nightmare 3. It's a radical departure from the formula"

Bob Shaye: "What do you mean, radical departure? The formula has given us two films that have grossed 150 million dollars and has given the world Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp!" (1)

Wes Craven: "You've seen Deadly Friend, haven't you guys?"

ALL THREE NOD IN UNISON.

Wes Craven: "Well, you know I'm moving away from my typical slasher fare. They wanted me to include more slasher elements to Deadly Friend and I said no. I had to fight tooth and nail for it, but what you saw in the theater is what I intended for the film to always be. 30 million dollars later, I think I've earned my auteur license."- he proclaimed in a wry tone of voice (2)

Robert Shaye: "Don't get cocky here Wes, we brought you in here today to pitch us a sequel to a slasher movie, not Citizen Kane"

WES SHUFFLES AROUND AND OPENS UP A SCRIPT IN FRONT OF HIM

Wes Craven: "It's called New Nightmare."

A PAUSE

Wes Craven: "Freddy terrorizes the people involved in the creation of the first Nightmare On Elm Street. There's an evil as old as time itself, and through history he takes the form of villains in stories and uses them as his avatar here on earth. The bones of the movie is that Heather Langenkamp has to defeat Freddy by playing Nancy again as part of a movie within the movie. Very post-modern."

Bob Shaye: "..... that's actually pretty clever"

New Line Executive #2: "So what, Freddy isn't Freddy in this one? We can't market this!"

Wes Craven: "Oh don't worry, Freddy is still in this one..."

WES PRESENTS SOME SKETCH DRAWINGS

Wes Craven: "I took the liberty of creating some concept art for Freddy's look in this film. He looks more Germanic and creepy here. I think you'd agree..."

NEW LINE EXECUTIVE #1 TAKES A SHEET OF PAPER, AND THE BLOOD IMMEDIATELY DRAINS FROM HIS FACE. HE'S AS WHITE AS CHALK.

New Line Executive #1: "I... need to get some air..."

Bob Shaye: "This is very Nosferatu esque. I definitely see the German influence."

New Line Executive #2: "I can't see kids dressing as this Freddy for Halloween. Or kids wanting to see this..."

Wes Craven: "This movie isn't meant to be like the first two. And what do you mean kids don't want to see this? The R rating is there for a reason"

Bob Shaye: "Our home video sales is what gives these movies legs, Wes. Sure Nightmare 1 took 35 million in theaters but the home video sales gave us another 40. The movie you're pitching us doesn't sound like the kind of movie a 14 year old kid would want to watch over and over again or for my niece to watch at a sleepover."

Wes Craven: "I noticed that in the script by those two kids (3) that Freddy has more of a James Bond quality to him, with the one liners. That's not the movie I want to make. I want people to leave the theater feeling frightened and shaking, not like they're watching a Spielberg film. You saw the critical acclaim Blue Velvet has been getting for Dennis Hopper's performance, and it scared the shit even out of me. Lets make Freddy the ultimate bedtime boogeyman. I was a teacher, Bob, I know what'll scare and entertain them."

A SILENCE FALLS OVER THE ROOM

Bob Shaye: "O.K Wes, we'll make the movie you want to make. But on one condition."

Wes Craven: "What's that, Bob?"

Bob Shaye: "I get to have a big scene in it."

Notes:
(1) Brad Pitt gets the lead role of Jesse in Nightmare On Elm Street 2 ITTL.
(2) Deadly Friend isn't subjected to the executive meddling that derailed it IOTL, thus allowing it to become more of a critical and financial success, however the release date is moved from October to July.
(3) "Those two kids" being Chuck Russell and Frank Darabont who were credited as two of the four writers IOTL'S Nightmare 3. Chuck Russell says in Never Sleep Again that he wanted to inject a bit more humor into the franchise.

So that's the first update. Next post will focus on the production of the film proper! Thanks for taking the time to read it, and all feedback is welcome. Do I not know a thing about the intricacies of Hollywood? Feel free to correct me!
 
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