On June 6, horror legend Robert Englund will celebrate his 74th birthday with the release of the documentary Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story on the horror streaming service SCREAMBOX. The film provides an intimate look at the man behind the Freddy Krueger makeup and will be released on the same day as Englund’s birthday.
Directed by Gary Smart and Christopher Griffiths, two veteran genre filmmakers, Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares traces Englund’s journey from a classically trained stage actor to one of horror’s most famous faces. Featuring interviews with Englund himself as well as his wife Nancy, the film includes conversations with many other horror icons like Tony Todd, Kane Hodder, Lance Henriksen, Bill Moseley, Eli Roth, Lin Shaye, Heather Langenkamp, Mick Garris, Andrew Divoff, William Katt, Jeffrey Reddick, Corey Taylor, and more.
“This old veteran character actor was surprised and flattered to find he was the subject of the documentary Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares,” Englund said. “Collaborating with directors Gary Smart and Christopher Griffiths and the rest of the team was a joy as they are genre fans like me.”
Although known for portraying the villainous Freddy Krueger in the Nightmare on Elm Street series, Englund was first and foremost a classically trained stage actor. Born in Glendale, California, Englund attended California State University, studying theatre and appearing in several plays. He got his start in film with small roles in movies like Buster and Billie and Rolling Thunder. Englund originally auditioned for the role of Han Solo in Star Wars but lost out to Harrison Ford. However, it was his chilling performance as the infamous Freddy Krueger that catapulted him into the spotlight.
The documentary explores how Englund landed the role that would come to define his career and launch him into horror superstardom. Featuring footage from many of Englund’s earlier films – like Eaten Alive, Galaxy of Terror, and Dead & Buried – as well as his most well-known performances, Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares provides a glimpse at the breadth of Englund’s acting talent, which often extended far beyond the horror genre. Englund has appeared in over 100 films and TV shows in his decades-long career.
To celebrate the release, SCREAMBOX will feature several of Englund’s films in June, including A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Mangler, Night Terrors, Galaxy of Terror, and The Funhouse Massacre. The documentary Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story.
