Wes Craven’s classic horror movie terrified a generation of cinemagoers and has managed to attain its cult status despite the last sequel appearing in cinemas over a decade ago (excluding Freddy vs. Jason).
The premise pits terrified teen Nancy Thompson and her friends against a deceased child killer who has returned to haunt the kids of Elm Street in their dreams, effectively turning them into nightmares.
Robert Englund proves how vital it is to the success of your movie to cast an actor as the villain as opposed to a random stuntman, as he brings Craven’s demonic killer to life with gusto.
Heather Langenkamp provides the kind of performance that leaves you wondering why we haven’t seen more of her, and the rest of the kids including Johnny Depp in his first film role, are all now recognizable faces within the horror genre and beyond.
The film is most notable for its highly imaginative set pieces, which include Johnny Depp disappearing through his bed and reappearing as a geyser of blood, and that infamous first death which sees Amanda Wyss dragged across the ceiling as she desperately tries to hold her innards in.
As with the rest of the films in the series, there are plenty of subtleties and metaphors to be found, but this film for one reason or another is probably the only time Freddy was truly scary, as he soon became a part of pop culture, and fans soon began rooting for him as opposed to his victims.
OVERALL SUMMARY
Definitely one of Craven’s better works, in fact I would actually go so far to describe it as a modern masterpiece. It may have aged a little, but taken with the spirit intended and remembering when it was made, it’s no wonder this captured the imagination and hearts of horror fans across the world.
