5 RIP OFFS OF FREDDY KRUEGER

It's no secret that there is a long list of films that have either drawn inspiration for scenes influenced by or flat out ripped off our fearsome razor gloved nightmare haunting friend Freddy Krueger; there are plenty of em' and you can find them all in a quick Google search. In this segment, I'd like to venture beyond films; into some of my personal favorite Freddy Krueger rip offs in pop culture including music, cartoons and bootleg action figures.

SHARP HAND JOE

From SUNGOLD comes a line of bootleg MONSTER action figures including BLOODY MUMMY, GREEN FRANKIE, KILLING BEAST, MIDNIGHT WOLF, KING OF VAMPIRES (who looks like a mix of CAPTAIN PLANET and DRACULA) and, last but certainly not least, SHARP HAND JOE. While all the others focused on the UNIVERSAL MONSTERS lineup, SHARP HAND JOE was almost an exact replica of FREDDY aside from his WHERE'S WALDO colored long sleeve. I'm not sure if he's coming for us or if we're trying to find him; either way, as odd as it is to put a slasher among UNIVERSAL MONSTER wannabes, SHARP HAND JOE is easily the best in the bunch.

You'd typically find knock off toy items like these at drug stores waiting to be bought by that one aunt who rarely visits and has absolutely no clue what to buy you for your birthday. Although they were cheap toys before, knock off and bootleg figures like SHARP HAND JOE and the likes are slowly reaching towards triple digit price tags on EBAY with their cult status like following. And with beautiful bright colored packaging like this, who could argue the price? I want a framed print of SUNGOLD SHARP HAND JOE to slap on my living room wall where it would surely become a heated conversation piece.

NIGHTMARE FEDDY

Yet another bootleg toy, this time in a 12" fully clothed style complete with loafers good enough to finangle with any of your BARBIE DOLLS. This Chinese knock off comes in a sweet window cut box that features absolutely beautiful die cut artwork of "FEDDY" as well as this blood dripping spooky type for the title; truly an amazing figure all around.

I have no fucking clue what company made these or where you could have originally purchased a NIGHTMARE FEDDY doll but I do know that if you check the EBAY last sold listings, the prices are all over the place for mint in box listings. At the moment, the last one sold on exactly October 19, 2020 for $106.50 and $18.47 shipping from Australia. Before that, we can see listings sold for $165.69, $75 and $10 shipping, as well as a whopping $259. The conditions all look relatively similar so I'm just assuming a few got lucky and others just absolutely needed the item no matter the cost.

CREEPY EDDIE

In 1992, the TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES also had their even share of FREDDY knock off-ery with an episode from season 6 entitled "NIGHTMARE IN THE LAIR." Donatello, the dude who does machines, creates his latest invention; the DREAM-O-VISION which turns a persons dreams into a 3D hologram. After a few test runs, a character with a striking resemblance to KRUEGER, named CREEPY EDDIE, appears and threatens to take control of RARPHAEL'S dreams. DON shuts the machine down and deems it too dangerous to use as is. So, of course, MICHELANGELO decided to mess around with the DREAM-0-VISION helmet while the other turtles were out and gets attacked by a squid monster and is chased by a tidal wave monster that CREEPY EDDIE creates.

Playmates toys, the toy making machine who quite literally drowned 80s and 90s kids in TURTLE MANIA, made just about every single turtle villain from the cartoon that you can think of accept for a very small handful including CREEPY EDDIE. I'm assuming they decided against it in fear that either parents would link the likeness to the horror franchise or the franchise itself would notice the likeness which would possibly lead to a copyright battle? I mean, aside from a quick shirt color switcheroo, the absence of the classic glove and the fact that EDDIE is a floating entity; there is absolutely no mistaking where they got the idea for this character. Here's to hoping NECA fills some more gaps in my shelves and empties more money from my wallet.

A NIGHTMARE ON MY STREET

Released as a single on their second studio album "HE'S THE RAPPER, I'M THE DJ" from DJ JAZZY JEFF & THE FRESH PRINCE, A NIGHTMARE ON MY STREET hit the scene in 1988 and saw a vinyl and cassette release. According to WIKIPEDIA, it was considered to be featured as the ending song for the film A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 4: THE DREAM MASTER. How rad would that have been? Unfortunately, it was not included in the original soundtrack for the film. Instead of being included, NEW LINE CINEMA turned around and burned the 80s hip hop duo for copyright infringement even forcing them to destroy a music video created for the single (which has been made available on YOUTUBE somehow, thank goodness!). Eventually, they did settle in court and now there are certain disclamers on the singles as well as the music video making sure we know that it is no way shape or form part of the original NMOE4 soundtrack.

What an awesome representation of FREDDY in this one! He's got this sweet bleach blonde flat top hair and a black leather jacket. If you look close, his glove is made of turntable needles rather than knives; the swap I didn't know I needed. NECA, if you saw my TMNT request above, while you're at it.... I need this particular FREDDY too. Please and thanks!

SCARY TERRY

Wubalubadubdu... *cough cough*... anyways. One of the newest FREDDY KRUEGER rip offs happens to do be in one of my favorite new cartoon series; RICK AND MORTY. In episode 2 of season 1 entitled "LAWNMOWER DOG" we see a green and blue shirt wearing, purple rinkly skinned monster sporting not one but two gloves with knives for fingers named SCARY TERRY. Also, he says "bitch" at the end of just about every sentence and has a pair of testicles on his chin. When RICK and MORTY first encounter SCARY TERRY, RICK describes him as a "legally-safe knockoff of an '80s horror character with miniature swords for fingers instead of knives." And that really is the just of it. He haunts dreams but is also somewhat misunderstood. When RICK and MORTY enter TERRY'S nightmare they notice he has a load of pressure on his shoulders when it comes to being his scary self. MORTY offers TERRY a pair of pants in TERRY'S nightmare where he isn't wearing any and they become friends.

I'm not sure exactly how much SCARY TERRY merch exists but I do know that FUNKO, who took care of the entire RICK AND MORTY action figure line, did make a SCARY TERRY action figure. It's not SHARP HAND JOE, but until I manage to find one, he'll do for now.

So, there you have it! 5 of my favorite FREDDY KRUEGER rip offs. Do I have a favorite among these 5? If I had to choose, I think I would probably go with either CREEPY EDDY from TMNT or FREDDY from the A NIGHTMARE ON MY STREET music video. It's really too close of a tie to tell you which one wins.... okay, it's A NIGHTMARE ON MY STREET. Thanks for reading!