Chicago-area Horror Fans: Robert Englund dons his Freddy Krueger make-up for the first time in more than a decade, and helps save a Drive-In Theater in the process!!!

Hey everyone. Capone in Chicago here.





If you’ve been reading Ain’t It Cool News for many years, you’ve probably noticed that once a year, I help emcee a wonderful horror convention here in the Chicago area called Flashback Weekend, which this year is happening August 8-10. I’ll have a full rundown of all the great guests and events happening this year a little closer to the show (and you can always go to the Flashback Weekend site for updates), but I wanted to give you über horror fans a heads up about something truly special that’s happening on the opening night of this long-running event.

One of the guests at this year’s Flashback Weekend is iconic horror actor Robert Englund, who will be on hand celebrating the 30th anniversary of the original A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET. Englund is something of a staple of the convention circuit (he’s been to Flashback Weekend several times, in fact), but for the first time at a horror convention, he’s doing something he’s never done before, and he’s doing it for a really good cause.

On Friday, August 8 ONLY, Robert Englund will be putting on his legendary Freddy Krueger make-up to take photos with fans. To be completely accurate, it will be horror make-up effects master Robert Kurtzman who will design and apply the make-up using the same extensive process used in the ELM STREET films. It’s my understanding that this is the first time Englund has worn the Freddy Krueger make-up since acting in FREDDY VS. JASON more than 10 years ago.





After the photos are taken, Englund (still in Freddy make-up) will join the Chicago horror host Svengoolie for a late night horror talk show, Friday Night Frights Live, which will also feature a few other celebrity guests, entertainment and other surprises.

All proceeds from this special event (and all of Flashback Weekend) will go toward the Midway Drive-In Digital Fund—a funding drive to buy the Dixon, IL drive-in a digital projector to go along with its 35mm set up, used to present classic horror film festivals and for the preservation and operation of the American drive-in experience. Tickets for the Englund events (he'll be around all weekend, but will only be doing the Freddy make-up on the first day), as well as all of Flashback Weekend, can be purchased now at the event’s site. Hope to see you all there for this one-time-only event. And keep an eye out for more details on the convention soon.





-- Steve Prokopy
"Capone"
capone@aintitcool.com
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