Englund obviously is best known for his portrayal of Freddy Krueger in Wes Craven’s immensely popular “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” a role he reprised in many succeeding installments, including “A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge” and “Freddy vs. Jason.”

Krueger’s character is considered iconic for many reasons, the key being his ability to traverse into the world of dreams, which spills into reality with horrific effects, along with being the representation of adolescent trauma that spans from the familial to the psychosexual. Englund’s rendition of Krueger is menacing in a strange, twisted way, and some of the films in the series still manage to stand the test of time (while other aspects fall remarkably short). Bladed gloves will forever be associated with Krueger, as the mere image of a feral man wanting to slash you with his sharp claws is enough to evoke nightmarish terrors, which ties in well with what Krueger essentially stands for.

Englund has obviously gone beyond the horror mold — however, his strengths definitely lie in being involved with narratives that touch on the macabre, as evidenced by his performance as Phantom in 1989’s “The Phantom of the Opera,” wherein he managed to elevate a dull, listless script to a considerable extent. Krueger also collaborated with “Texas Chain Saw Massacre” director Tobe Hooper in “The Mangler” and Tim Sullivan in “The Maniacs,” which were both flawed gorefests, albeit in distinct ways. 

Throughout the course of his career, Englund has displayed his affinity for horror and its many genres, appearing in a bunch of films, such as “Sanitarium,” “The Funhouse Massacre,” and “Inkubus,” among others.