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Wes Craven

Birth Name:
Wesley Earl Craven
Birth Place:
Cleveland, Ohio, United States
Profession
Director, Writer, Producer, Actor, Editor, Soundtrack, Cinematographer, Camera department
Wes Craven

Fast Facts

  • Created "Scream," which parodied many of the horror conventions that he helped establish
  • Majored in literature and psychology at Wheaton College and earned his master's in philosophy from John Hopkins University
  • Gained his first job in the entertainment industry as a messenger for a postproduction company
  • Made his writing and directorial debut with the 1972 cult classic "The Last House on the Left․"
  • Worked as a college professor before deciding that he wanted to be a filmmaker
  • Quote: "Horror movies have to show us something that hasn't been shown before so that the audience is completely taken aback․ You see, it's not just that people want to be scared; people are scared․"
  • Quote: "If I have to do the rest of the films in the [horror] genre, no problem․ If I'm going to be a caged bird, I'll sing the best song I can․"
  • Directed "A Nightmare on Elm Street" and the "Scream" franchise
  • Went outside the horror film genre to direct the inspirational drama "Music of the Heart" in 1999
  • At the time of his death, he was completing a five-issue comic book series called "Coming of Rage․"
  • Authored a regular humor column in his high school's newspaper

Awards

  • 1977Prize of the International Critics' JuryWinner
  • 1982Grand PrizeNominated
  • 1985Grand PrizeNominated
  • 1985Critics AwardWinner
  • 1987Grand PrizeNominated
  • 1990International Fantasy Film Award - Best Film:Nominated
  • 1991Chainsaw Award - Best Screenplay:Nominated
  • 1992Special Jury AwardWinner
  • 1992Grand PrizeNominated
  • 1992Pegasus Audience AwardWinner
  • 1994Chainsaw Award - Best Screenplay:Winner
  • 1995International Fantasy Film Award - Best Film:Nominated
  • 1995International Fantasy Film Award - Best Screenplay:Winner
  • 1996Honorable Mentions (The Next Ten Best Picture Contenders) - Honorable Mentions:Nominated
  • 1997Saturn Award - Best Director:Nominated
  • 1997Top 10 Film Award - Best Film:Nominated
  • 1997Grand PrizeWinner
  • 2005Rondo Statuette - Best Film:Nominated
  • 2005Best Film - Secció Oficial Fantàstic:Nominated
  • 2006Un Certain Regard AwardNominated
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