Wicked Weapons: The Krueger Claw

I know I've been scarce with my posting lately. Sorry gang, but life has been really rough in the gory kingdom. I'm gonna try and get back into the swing of things, and I thought I'd do that by catching up with some of my other columns I left hanging while doing my Creepmas stuff.

And since I recently just watched an amazing 4 hour documentary on Freddy Krueger called, Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy I said to myself, "Kweeny, you gotta do the Freddy Claw for Wicked Weapons! And you really need to stop talking to yourself out loud. It makes your housemates worry."

(And in case you are wondering, here's a quick and dirty review: YES IT IS AWESOME! It goes through the entire series, including Freddy vs Jason but not counting the remake because the documentary came out before the remake. THANK THE MAKER! The remake is TERRIBLE. And I just ate some McDonald's fries and would like to keep them down, so I'm gonna move on and not think of that remake anymore if that's okay...)

*clears throat* What better tribute than to talk about the weapon that is as famous as the killer who wears it? I can't think of a reason not to add to the list of Wicked Weapons the Freddy Krueger Claw. If the Chainsaw is the rockstar of the horror weapons world, the Claw Freddy Krueger wears is a movie star. Two different, but equally awesome things. And when I say movie star, I mean it's a big time star. The Brad Pitt of weapons! It's the most recognizable weapon in horror history. It's flashy and has loads of style. When you see it, you know what it is, who it belongs to, and that you're in for a ride. You know the signature of this weapon is going to be gruesome, bloody, and leave a trail of slashes in it's wake.

The Claw itself is iconic, and carries it's own story. Like Sweeney Todd's razor, there is an intimacy with Freddy's Claw. Sure, other movies use weapons in the same vain, but Freddy's Claw is different. It's not as generic for one thing. Freddy's Claw is homemade, which gives it that rustic, slapped-together look. Someone took the time to create it's sharp blades, and set them into the frame of the glove. It also has a feral quality reminiscent of animal claws. Ever see a bears paw? Those claws can swipe the troll face off of any man!

So to put it simply Freddy's Claw is animalistic, intimate, brutal and personal all in one.

There is also the otherworldly component. Freddy is a supernatural creature. While he's not the first supernatural killer in the biz, he sure is a king of the nightmare realm. Freddy, and his Claw, live on beyond the realm of flesh. The Claw is made to be nightmare fuel. Freddy made it while he was alive to stalk and kill his prey, but it carried over with him once he died. The thing that makes Freddy so frightening is that he is a character that pushes those boundaries. Unlike some of the stalkers of other slasher films, Freddy reaches into the personal terror of our dreams with those rusty, dagger fingertips. He grabs a hold of more than just our lives, and toys with our subconscious. Freddy's Claw is an extension of his twisted will, carving it's mark on us until all that is left is a puddle of bloody chunks.

Sometimes, the last thing a person sees is the claw.

There is also another component to the Freddy Claw that makes it special and adds to the mental manipulation Freddy is fond of using: The sound it makes. You can hear him play with it on metal pipes before he comes for you, or hear it scratch down a wall like a calk board. Freddy loves to make you twitch before he kills you. He feeds on fear. So if he can draw out your suffering, he will. The claw helps him do that.  More often than not you'll hear it before you see it, accompanied by a wicked laugh from the man himself.

Usually at this point I show you different films and series that showcase the weapon in question, but since this is a weapon unique to one series, I thought I'd show you in pictures the difference between the different versions of the Freddy Claw, so we can have a lively debate! Sound fun? AWESOME! Then we can all bitch that Robert Englund is the best Krueger and the remake is a shit sandwich with stinky cheese that smells like my husbands feet! YAY!


Here we got the regular "old school" Freddy Claw, which held up through most of the series in this style and shape:

Then we got an extra crispy version in Wes Craven's New Nightmare (which I'd like to add, I really liked. The movie had interesting layers and depth to it.):

Then we got the DC version. But he has the double claws in the game and he's the NEW Freddy from the crappy remake! (To make up for how bad the film was right? Two claws will make it better right DC?):

And then we got Wolverine! They could be cousins right?

Okay so maybe not...moving on...

So what's your favourite Claw? I'm old school all the way, though I do think a close second is the organic-looking claw. There's just something neat about the bone look. But double claws is stupid. Only Wolverine pulls off the two claws.

And in closing, I'd like to say, watching Freddy VS Jason was and still is one of the most awesome things I have ever experienced.

Who won? We did my friends. We the fans did.