Don’t fall asleep! Horror enthusiasts won’t want to miss the premiere of “Hollywood Dreams and Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story,” an upcoming documentary chronicling the storied legacy of veteran horror film star Robert Englund, best known for his role as Freddy Krueger in the “Nightmare on Elm Street” franchise.
Cinedigm acquired North American rights to the film and will give it an exclusive theatrical run before the documentary hits the Bloody Disgusting streamer Screambox in late spring, tied to Englund’s 75th birthday on June 6.
The project was shot over two years by co-directors Christopher Griffiths and Gary Smart, who also penned the story alongside Neil Morris. The doc features interviews from Englund, his wife Nancy and other renowned actors of the genre like Lin Shaye, Eli Roth, Kane Hoodder, Tony Todd, Adam Green, Bill Moseley and Heather Langenkamp.
“Both Chris and I have been fans of Robert since we were children, and now to have the opportunity to not only become friends with Robert but to also celebrate his amazing career in this love-letter documentary is truly a ‘dream’ come true for us,” Smart said.
Aside from his role in the $450 million-grossing “Nightmare” franchise, Englund’s earlier credits date back to films like 1974’s “Buster and Billie” and 1976’s “Stay Hungry,” where he performed on-screen alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger. By 1988, the actor had released his directorial debut with the film “976-EVIL” and went on to direct two episodes of the TV series “Freddy’s Nightmares” the following year, which he also starred in. Beyond his embodiment of the clawed serial killer, Englund’s other notable roles include appearances in shows like “Stranger Things” and “Bones.”
“Hollywood Dreams and Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story” is produced by Smart and Griffiths along with John Campopiano, Adam Evans, Michael Perez and Hank Starrs. The film is executive produced by Adam F. Goldberg, Corey Taylor, Costa Theo and Laurence Gornall. Gornall negotiated the film’s acquisition on behalf of Unannounced Film Company with Brandon Hill, director of acquisitions at Cinedigm.
“This old veteran character actor was surprised and flattered to find he was the subject of the documentary ‘Hollywood Dreams and Nightmares,’” Englund said of being approached for the documentary. “Collaborating with directors Gary Smart and Christopher Griffiths and the rest of the team was a joy as they are genre fans like me. For Yours Truly, watching the film is a bit like Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn attending their own funeral. Gary, Chris and Adam (Evans) managed to find old movies and TV shows I’d forgotten I was in. I’d come back from the dead! All kidding aside – it’s an accurate memory of a working actor’s journey – dreams can come true.”
