Wes Craven - August 2, 1939 – August 30, 2015
Monday, August 31, 2015
The announced death of film director Wes Craven made me
remember a few things about my life. The first and scariest horror film I ever
saw was with my father in Buenos Aires in 1950 (I was 8). The movie was Abbot & Costello Meet
Frankenstein. The sight of Bela Lugosi, playing Dracula, opening the coffin lid
from the inside made me go to the shelter of both my hands on my face.
Since that unpleasant experience I have not been a fan of
horror movies. But I did get to photograph one of its masters, Wes Craven who
died yesterday. I worked with then Vancouver Sun writer John Armstrong who did
not like Craven’s venture into writing novels.
As a former punk-rock singer and band leader (The
Modernettes) Armstrong as Buck Cherry spent many sleepless nights (after gigs)
watching TV. He became an expert in horror films and film noir. Since Armstrong
left the Vancouver Sun his sort of writing has all but disappeared.
And most of these years I have slept well as I have eschewed seeing horror films.
Samuel Z. Arkoff
And most of these years I have slept well as I have eschewed seeing horror films.
Samuel Z. Arkoff
