15 behind-the-scenes 'Nightmare on Elm Street' facts from Wes Craven himself

A Nightmare on Elm Street is a perfect example of a classic '80s horror flick. It took the traditional slasher formula that started with Halloween and turned it on its head, taking what had become a tired genre and made it unique. Sure, the sequels got more and more goofy as the franchise continued, and the remake did absolutely nothing to reinvigorate the series, but the original film will always be terrifying. After all, everyone has to go to sleep sometime.

It's been almost 30 years since the original premiere of A Nightmare on Elm Street. That's more than enough reason to celebrate, but on top of 30 years of Freddy, Halloween is almost upon us. It's just good timing, and series creator Wes Craven seems to agree: the original film's director has been taking to Twitter all month to let fans in on all the behind-the-scenes secrets that made the movie such a classic.

Going by his tweets, Wes Craven had a horrifying childhood. Not only was the idea of dying after falling asleep inspired by actual events, but so was Freddy Krueger himself:

Freddy's iconic claw may be the villain's killer weapon of choice, but that doesn't mean he himself is immune to it or the makeup artists:

The film was known for its groundbreaking special effects at the time. They looked amazing, but they certainly weren't easy to pull off:

It just wouldn't be the same Nightmare on Elm Street if Craven didn't include a bunch of Easter eggs or Johnny Depp:

What's most amazing out of everything is that Wes Craven revealed that A Nightmare on Elm Street, despite being considered a classic today, almost didn't happen in the first place:

...but in the end, it all worked out for the best:

Even now, 30 years after the villain's debut and countless sequels, Freddy Krueger and A Nightmare on Elm Street stand as iconic horror masterpieces. Here's to another 30 years of terror!