Elm Street Movies -

The franchise is also known for its use of symbolism, including:

In that first film, Freddy is not the quipping, celebrity-roasting clown he would later become. He is a shadow. He is a guttural rasp. He is the blurred figure in the alleyway stretching his arms out to impossible lengths. He is a violation. The kills were surreal and artistic—Johnny Depp getting swallowed by a bed and regurgitated as a geyser of plasma; Tina dragged across the ceiling by an invisible force. It was Craven operating at the height of his powers, turning suburban nightmares into a surrealist’s Grand Guignol. elm street movies

For many, this ruination of the character’s mystique is the franchise's low point. But there is a fascinating argument to be made for it: the movies became cartoons because the audience stopped being scared. By turning Freddy into a dark Bugs Bunny, the franchise acknowledged that we were watching for the spectacle, not the suspense. The special effects ballooned into Cronenbergian body horror and Alice in Wonderland absurdity, creating a unique sub-genre of "funhouse horror." The franchise is also known for its use