A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984) 30th Anniversary: 13 Nerdy Nights of Horror - Day 13

 We have finally arrived at the final day of these 13 nights, as well as the end of Halloween. So I figured, what better way to end this month of horror films than a review of one that's celebrating its 30^th anniversary this year. I am of course talking about Wes Craven's “A Nightmare On Elm Street.”

In the 80's, horror films were starting to make a new name for themselves. Not just in terms of ghosts or haunted houses, but more onto the slasher genre, which technically started with the Alfred Hitchcock 1960 film, “Psycho.” It was well known for pushing the boundaries past what the movie code was known for, allowing other films to follow suite, resulting in the MPAA's rating system. While “Psycho” may have had partial credit in getting it out there, it wasn't until the 70's, with film like “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and “Halloween” that it started rolling. Since then, other films like “Friday the 13^th” have attempted to follow in the success as well, getting successful franchises too.

It wasn't until 1984 that Wes Craven gave us one of the scariest and most original horror films ever made. The story tells of four teenagers, who start dreaming about a murderer. He has a old fedora hat, an ugly Christmas sweater, a burnt face, and a glove with knives on the fingers. This man is known by the name, Freddy Krueger, and when the main girl, Nancy, is the only one left, it's up to her to finally put a stop to Freddy and his doings.

When it comes to slasher films of this time, no film manages to get my skin crawling better than this one. It has the proper amount of haunting imagery and atmosphere to keep one on the edge of their seat. You're most vulnerable when you're asleep, so dealing with a villain like this was a creative idea, and adds to the film's charm of it all. It was even said that Wes Craven was inspired by tragic events, making the film seem all the more realistic.

The characters, while the typical horror type teens, manage to be likable. Heather Langenkamp as Nancy is regarded as one of the most recognizable horror heroines, much in the same vein as Laurie Strode in “Halloween.” The big difference is that Nancy is a bit more calculative and has an understanding of what she's doing and how to handle situations. Amanda Wyss as Tina also give out a good performance as well, even when at the brink of death. That scene where she sees Freddy down the ally, and her getting sliced at while floating still sends chills down my spin, going down as one of the most uncomfortable death scenes to watch. Jsu Garcia as Rod was the typical rebel bad boy, but he does show that he does have more to him than just that stereotype, but not much can be said about that.

Then we got to Glen Lantz, played by Johnny Depp. Yes, the same Johnny Depp, we all know and love, started his film career with this movie. For a film that was already unique for it's creative setting, it's made even more of a treat for which actor they had for it. At the time, Depp was already a high school dropout trying to get a musician career going, so this film was able to help him get recognition, especially since he later landed the main role of Tom Hanson on “21 Jump Street.”

Now for the main event, Freddy Krueger, played by Robert Englund. What can you say about him? He's scary, he's funny, he has a great backstory, he has a signature weapon, and he has a face and voice, unlike most slashers at the time. That's one major key factor he has, is his backstory and motivation for why he's doing this. He was a child murderer who managed to get off not guilty, and so takes his revenge on the children of those said parents who burned him alive. It's much like how Mrs. Voorhees in the first “Friday the 13th” wanted to kill the people at Crystal Lake, because they did nothing to help her drowning son. Freddy is an icon, and that's how it's going to be. Another thing that “Nightmare” did that other slasher films haven't, is they kept Robert Englund as Freddy, even in the TV spin-off show that it got.

After about 30 years, how does it hold up? Very well. “A Nightmare on Elm Street” not only remains one of my favorite horror films, but one of my all time favorite films, with Wes Craven being one of my favorite directors in the horror genre. It's a fascinating film that never gets old, no matter how many times I watch it. So if you're looking for a slasher classic, I highly recommend it.

Rating: 10/10

While we're on the subject of “Nightmare,” let's talk briefly about the sequels and its remake. The sequels are a bit...meh. The only ones I would actually recommend are “3: Dream Warriors,” “Wes Craven's New Nightmare,” and “Freddy vs. Jason.” Now for the remake, produced by Michael Bay. At first, I did hate the film, but as I got older with a more mature mind and better understanding for film...it's okay. I didn't quite like the CGI, some of the characters were pretty uninteresting, and the make-up they use for Freddy was a bit overkill, but it could have been worse. I do think it's a better remake than “Rob Zombie's Halloween,” but not by much. Jackie Earl Haley is a good Freddy, and he does try his best, and does have a few funny lines here and there, but he's no Robert Englund. Is it the worst of the “Nightmare” franchise? No, that goes to “Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare.” Is it the worst Platinum Dunes movie? Uh...did you SEE “Ouija?” Compared to that, this film is a miracle. If you're curious about it, then you might find something to enjoy.

Rating: 5/10

I hope you've all enjoyed my month of reviewing horror films. I might do this again next year, but who knows? I know I certainly wouldn't mind doing it again. Well, now that Halloween's arrived, enjoy the festivities, enjoy the scares, eat candy if you feel like it, and have a wonderful night!