Many fans of horror, amateur and professional alike, have devoted themselves to blogging about the thrills, chills, and no-frills side of the genre as seen in cinema and print. In this ongoing series that highlights the writers behind the blogs, we meet the unique personalities and talents that make the online horror scene so engaging. Up close and personal.
In this installment, blogger Johnny Boots of Freddy In Space reminds us of when colorful VHS tapes ruled the shelves, and all the straight to shelf DVD crap crowding the shelves today was only a twinkle in a lucrative genre’s eyes.
My earliest horror memories pretty much all revolve around one character; Freddy Krueger. I have many fond memories of watching the Nightmare on Elm
Street movies with my mom when I was probably far too young to be watching a burnt-faced razor-gloved man in a Christmas sweater slice and dice horny young sleeping teens. But that was my childhood and I cherish it to this day. Thankfully none of the movies ended up damaging me too bad, although I know some people that would disagree with that…
I can remember going into Blockbuster, what seemed like several times a week, and perusing the selection of sun faded horror VHS tapes, tapes I still hold on to and collect. My eyes would inevitably always end up on the section of flicks adorned with the image of Freddy Krueger and I would actually try and convince myself that I hadn’t seen all of ‘his’ movies yet. I knew deep down that I had, and several times over a piece at that, but I wanted so badly to believe that one day a new Freddy adventure would magically pop up on the shelf. Sadly, it wouldn’t be till many many years later that my wish actually came true. And you better believe that in 2003 when Freddy vs Jason came out, say what you want about the movie, it made me feel like that little creepy antisocial Freddy loving kid again, albeit in a much less appealing Blockbuster environment. That’s what it’s all about for me.
I guess it’s kinda strange that horror movies remind me of my childhood, perhaps more than anything else, but it’s nevertheless the truth and it’s one of the main reasons I have had and will always have such a love for the genre in my heart. I thank my parents for allowing me to watch those kinds of movies at such a young age and I will certainly allow my future children the same privilege. Contrary to popular belief, horror movies don’t create bad people; they just entertain good people.
Freddy In Space, that story is very similar. It was while I was in that very same Blockbuster, the one that now sells books and t-shirts and anything else it can push to try and stay in business, that the idea of creating a little corner on the internet to share my thoughts on the genre came to be. I went over to the horror section and was shocked at what I saw. Not only was it relegated to a tiny sub-section of the action shelf, but it was stocked with nothing but new age direct to DVD crap, movies that are nothing but total rip offs of classics I grew up loving. Gone were the massive rows of hundreds of beautifully drawn cover arts, gems just waiting to be discovered. This is what was left of my childhood. All I had left were memories. So I decided to take to the internet and create a place where I could share all those great memories with anyone who would listen. And it seemed only fitting that that place would have the name Freddy in the title.
And in case you’re wondering what Freddy In Space means, it’s a symbol of the horror genre not being what it used to be. I’ve always said that if Freddy were ever sent to outer space it would be the ultimate sacrilege and the end of the horror genre. Thankfully, it has not happened yet and until it does, the horror genre will still be alive and kickin’ and I’ll still be taking to my blog to talk about it.
Cool T-shirt design. Kudos on the post.