Wes Craven, one of the true legends of horror, has passed away at the age of 76 after a battle with brain cancer.

A prolific and innovative writer and director, amongst his many credits, Craven was responsible for creating arguably the pivotal horror movies of the 70s (Last House On The Left), the 80s (A Nightmare On Elm Street) and the ’90s (Scream). 
As well as these classics, Craven was also responsible for, amongst others, films like The Hills Have Eyes, The Serpent And The Rainbow, The People Under The Stairs, Cursed and the big screen adaptation of DC Comic’s Swamp Thing. 

A well-known face in front if the camera as well behind it, Craven was known for making cameos not just in his own films, but in those of others such as Kevin Smith’s Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back, with his last onscreen appearance in an episode of ABC’s Castle in 2013. 

2013 also saw the publication of Liquid Comics Coming Of Rage, a graphic novel written by Craven with 30 Days Of Night’s Steve Niles.

The TV adaptation of his Scream series is running now and was originally slated to have its pilot directed by Wes, but he had to withdraw.

A true master of horror, Wes Craven has left not just a back catalogue of classic movies, but a legacy as one of the most beloved and influential horror directors of all time. He didn’t just scare us, he made us laugh, he made us think, he made us cheer. Craven was a filmmaker who never phoned it in, instead he always pushed for not only what he could do, but what the horror genre itself was capable of becoming. 

He will be greatly missed. 

Sleep easy, Wes.

  

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The Writer of this piece was: Jules Boyle
Jules tweets from @Captain_Howdy

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