Back of Box:
From modern horror master Wes Craven (Scream, Scream 2) comes a timeless shocker that remains the standard
bearer of terror.
Nancy (Heather Langenkamp) is having grisly nightmares. Something monstrous
wants to kill her. Meanwhile, her high-school friends, who are having the very same dream, are being slaughtered in
their sleep by the hideous fiend of their shared nightmare. When the police ignore her explanation, she herself must
confront the killer in his shadowy realm.
Featuring John Saxon (Enter the Dragon) and Johnny Depp in his first
starring role as well as mind-bending special effects, this horror classic gave birth to one of the most infamous undead villains
in cinematic history. Reportedly naming Freddy Krueger after a kid who had bullied him in school, writer-director Craven
hatches a shock-fest from hell that "goes straight to the heart of terror" (Seattle Times).
Plot: I normally go by
NightmareManiac so it should be no surprise that the plot of this film makes me want to touch myself...okay, I don't
take it that far, but you get the idea. This film is the reason I am a horror, let alone slasher, fan. It's ridiculously
inventive and darkly sinister. Definitely slasher gold.
Acting: Robert Englund
virtually takes over with his portrayal of Freddy Krueger, however, that's not to say the rest of the cast didn't do well.
Heather Lagenkamp takes on the role of the heroine, Nancy, like a real pro, she kept me cheering for her. The rest of
the cast is assembled quite nicely, with great supporting roles played by John Saxon and Ronee Blakley as Nancy's parents,
and Johnny Depp as Nancy's boyfriend, Glen, his first starring role.
Gore: Body Count (4)
For a relatively small body count this one still packs a punch in this department. There's a pretty sweet hanging/neck
break, a chest gets ripped open, and then, of course, there is the infamous inverted blood-waterfall. Totally worth
it just for the waterfall.
Suspense: Most of the dream
sequences have an eerie feel to them accompanied by a very unreal atmosphere. The film's villain only adds to this feel,
he brings the undead creepiness. Oh, how could I not mention Tina slowly decaying in a body bag, that always manages
to get a chill out of me.
Directing: I like how Wes
directed this one. Not only does he set up some nice shots, like the shot above the tub when Nancy almost drowns or
the close up of Freddy reciting the line, "This...is God," he also makes a distinction between dream and reality.
There are many more moving shots in dreams opposed to the more still shots of reality. The camera work really brings
a lot to the overall dream feel.
Tech: The lighting, as
well as the camera work, differs between reality and dream. The dreams are darker, moodier, with more shadows opposed
to the bright all-around lighting, even at night, in reality. The sound and the music really bring this film together.
I mean, come on, the nightmare theme doesn't add anything but creepiness. I'd also like to add that the Freddy make-up
was absolutely amazing.
Other: The best slasher
weapon, without a doubt, originated in this film. Claw-tastic. I also like the opening sequence that shows how
the glove came to be. Oh, on another note, the Freddy nursery rhyme never fails to get caught in my head.
Final Word: My favorite film of all time,
hands down. Everything about this film draws me to it, even it's faults. A true blessing to horror, without
it I don't think I'd be the horror fan I am today. What else can I say? Perfect.
