80's Horror Movie News & Reviews!

Monday, April 12, 2010

A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET

"Whatever you do, don't fall asleep!"

Inspired by a story in the LA Times about a guy in Taiwan who stayed awake for several days, then died in his sleep after experiencing horrific nightmares, Wes Craven introduced a whole new kind of fear to a generation. What Jaws did for the water, this film did for dreams.

We've all experience the moment when you wake up after a dream where you are not sure if what you were dreaming is real or not. I think this is what makes the concept so successful. The urban legend that if die in a dream, you die for real is a persistent one, and it brings the fear home on a personal level.

Freddy is a icon of horror, and his motivation for killing is one of the best ever... a despicable child molester taking revenge on the children of the parents who burned him alive... Pure genius. The fingers for knives... brilliant. Scene after scene, filled with fresh imagery... the bath tub scene with Freddy's hand... or how about the scene where Freddy's face pushes through the wall?

Lets not forget this was Johnny Depp's screen debut - which is almost a little distracting now, knowing he would later become Capt. Jack Sparrow.  And though not Craven's first film, this certainly put him on the mainstream map. Is there a director who has created more consistent horror hits than Craven? Hills Have Eyes, Last House on the Left, Nightmare on Elm Street, and my personal fav, Scream!

A Nightmare on Elm Street is a rare and thought provoking treat, and the new Blu-Ray transfer is nothing short of stunning. Like Friday the 13th and Halloween, this classic helped define 80's horror and influenced a generation of filmmakers.  This definitely belongs in anyone's collection.

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