10 Mind-Blowing Facts You Never Knew About Freddy Krueger
4. His Look is Based on A Klaus Kinski Character
This claim comes from actor Robert Englund rather than director Wes Craven, but it’s pretty obvious upon noting the resemblance.
The actor claims Freddy’s distinctive appearance is based on that of Klaus Kinski’s version of Dracula in the then-recent 1979 Herzog flick, Nosferatu the Vampyre—between the pointed ears and bug-eyed stare, it’s a pretty unmistakeable likeliness.
Meanwhile, Englund himself made the decision to imitate early screen icon/ White Heat star James Cagney in his loping gait and shoulder-squaring stance. But what about Freddy’s distinctive dragging of his arm, a strange touch which lends a lopsided look to the character?
Er—that part was actually just an accident, one caused by the fact that Englund found the hefty bladed glove prop too heavy to hold up at all times. As a result, the actor left his weaponised arm loose by his side, a detail kept in because of how creepy it made the character look.