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Overall Rating : 8/10
Directed By : Wes Craven
Robert Englund (2001 Maniacs)
John Saxon (Black Christmas)
Heather Langenkamp (A Nightmare On Elm Street 3)
Johnny Depp (Pirates of the Caribbean)
Supplied By : New Line Cinema
Film Reviewed By : Rick L. Blalock
Date Reviewed : Sept. 19, 2006
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| PLOT A hellish, razor-fingered monster enters the dreams of the teenage residents of a bucolic town and systematically slaughters them in their sleep--until one courageous young woman does battle with the predatory fiend. |
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| THE REVIEW With the new two disc Infinifilm Special Edition DVD, New Line has released their definitive Horror classic, it a way that it has never looked or sounded before. Having owned the A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET boxset prior to this release of the original film, I will say that to a casual viewer of the film, it may not appear to be an improvement visually, but believe me, the film has never looked better. The colors are vivid and crisp and any dust and scratches that may have appeared are seemingly eliminated here. Sound-wise, just like the picture, is in tip-top shape, There's nothing like blaring the film's "killer" soundtrack in a darkened room on a rather boring day, and the new Dolby Digital 5.1 EX track will amplify that experience. Normally in my reviews, I make it a point to jot down my interpretation of a film's plot, however with a classic like A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET. is such an introduction necessary? A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET will forever be known as a classic, simply because it opened the doors for many things, Robert Englund went from small time character actor in TV shows such as V and in small films such as Tobe Hooper's campy EATEN ALIVE, to a legendary, world renowned Horror icon, while Wes Craven gained much more respect as a director with Elm street after his two previous films were less received by the public audience.... But most importantly it made a name for New Line Cinema itself, New Line started as a up start company that only had enough money to purchase independent films rather than produce originals, and after the release of A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, many offers came in from big named companies wanting to get New Line's name on their products, as a result, many films followed, such as the likes of CRITTERS. The greatness of the Elm Street series can be further proven by the fact that after the film's success many other studios rushed to make similar films and one that comes to mind, as it is almost the same in nature is BAD DREAMS, starring A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 3's own Jennifer Rubin. A the time of the film's release, films like HALLOWEEN and THE TEXAS CHAINSAW already existed, and sure all 3 films have a stalking villain as it's focal point, but Elm street delivered it's scares, differently....through suspense, shock, and and even supernatural elements, and at the time it had never been done quite like it before. Many a kid had nightmares after seeing this film and I credit it to the fact that every kid, while in their growing stages has a "Boogeyman"...and, well this film gave him a face in the form of Fred Krueger. The acting in A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, was one of those reasons as to why it succeeded. Many of the actors were newcomers(even a very green Johnny Depp), but they all do very well in making the characters seem as realistic as they could be. Had the characters not grabbed the viewers attention and connected with them, this film could very well have been a disaster - which is the case with many of the Horror films being released today. Robert Englund shines here as Freddy and always has, the reason no one else has played the role of Krueger( many other franchises uses a different actor in every film) is that Englund is perfect for this role - no one can pull it off....it's as simple as that. John Saxon was also a standout here as Lt. Donald Thompson, I have always been a fan of John Saxon - he has played many character parts on TV shows over the years, and no matter how small the role, he always leaves an impression you, as he did in BLACK CHRISTMAS, and then this film. Overall, I have nothing more to say other than, this film will always be one of my favorites as it is to many fans, everyone knows A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET unless you live under a rock. Now with this Special Edition of the fan favorite, now is your chance to see it in all of it's immaculate glory! |
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| GORE
METER 6.5/10 A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, has always impressed me with the way that the crew took a tiny budget, and with the use of props and camera tricks produced some very innovate gore scenes. My favorite scene in the film is Johnny Depp's death scene, in which the bed "throws up" so to speak. This scene was actually filmed upside down( a reverse set was built and everything.....) and later flipped. |
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| MUSICAL
SCORE 8/10 The score is actually one of the best things about the film! Richard Bernstein, used sort of a HALLOWEEN like formula, he used one theme through out, and used it in different variations. I absolutely love the score it is a chilling one, you remember well after the film is over. |
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| DVD SET FEATURES - The, The House That Freddy Built”, featurette is terrific and tells of New Line's rise to Horror supremacy, with interviews with founders Robert Shaye, and Sarah Risher, composer Richard Bernstein, "friday the 13th" Creator, Sean S. Cunningham, stars, Heather Langenkamp and Robert Englund, Cinematographer Jacques Haitkin, Elm Street 3 Director, Chuck Russell, Mark Ordesky, Film Historian David Del Valle and FINAL DESTINATION Screenwriter Jeffrey Reddick. The interviews shed some light, on what the people involved think about the brand of Horror entertainment that New Line provides, often reminiscing on what got them there. Every film is talked about briefly and also a few other films that "Freddy" paved the way for like ; CRITTERS, BLADE, and FINAL DESTINATION, are also mentioned. - The "Night Terrors" feature examines the origin and history of dreams, why we have them and the theories of where they come from, and what NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET Director used as inspiration for his Horror hit. Also included are deleted scenes as well as an alternate ending to the film. •“All-Access Pass” documentaries: o “Never Sleep Again” – the making of A Nightmare on Elm Street o “Freddy’s Coming For You” – trivia challenge • Beyond-the-MovieTM documentaries: o “The House That Freddy Built” – the legacy of New Line horror o “Night Terrors” – the origins of Wes Craven’s nightmares • infinifilm interactive features: o Exclusive Nightmare video clips • Feature-length audio essays with Wes Craven, Robert Englund, Heather Langenkamp and more • 16x9 widescreen (1.85.1) version of the film • Dolby Digital 6.1 and Stereo Surround Sound • Closed captions |
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| OVERALL
IMPRESSION OF THE FILM A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, like I said is a classic, and this Special Edition from New Line is the most comprehensive release of the film yet, as the film as you all know is great, but it is the special features that make this one worth the purchase, they offer great insight. I highly recommend, and lets just hope that the rest of the series gets this special treatment - more importantly, A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 3 : THE DREAM WARRIORS! This DVD will be released on September 26, 2006 |
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