Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

June 21st, 2010 in Articles by Justin0 Comments

Its probably been about 15 years since I last watched this film, and after seeing the remake just last month I have been really wanting to sit down and give this one another watch, so I borrowed the complete set from a friend and have been working on them since. So this is part one of my series of Nightmare on Elm Street write ups.

First and foremost let me say that Wes Craven is amazing. His early stuff was a bit better than his later works but still, his mind is a dark, dark place. If you want to visit it, you should be warned.

Now watching the original and getting to judge it against the remake they made this year, I would say we are dealing with apples and oranges.  They are two totally different movies. When you take a classic like this with the perfection in musical score and the introduction of the true Nancy and Freddy and then look at the remakes “in your face so the kids don’t loose attention” you can see why both Wes and Robert nailed the original.  Not that the remake was a flop by any means it was a very dark and gritty Nightmare movie, I’m just saying it can’t touch the original.

Wes Craven took this world where in your nightmares are haunted by Freddy Kruger a child murder who was torched by the families of his victims.  The best part of the entire universe that Wes created is that since the horror lives in your nightmares you have free reign, your wildest ideas or creations are perfectly acceptable in a dream world.  This means when Freddy’s arms stretch to twelve feet you don’t even go “yeah right” you just go “uh ohh, she is toast”.  This makes the movie so much fun for me.  It makes everything seem that much more believable.

Lets talk about the cast just a little. Did you remember that Johnny Depp was in the first Nightmare on Elm Street movie. I didn’t, not until his name appeared in the opening credits.”Oh YEAH!!”  He was so young but still so very Johnny Depp.  Nancy Thompson played by Heather Langenkamp makes her debut in the Nightmare series and does it very well. Now keeping in mind that a lot of the acting in the mid eighties was not quite amazing at times.  Heather really seems to do a good job of loosing herself deeper and deeper into Freddy’s grasp as the movie progresses.  Speaking of Freddy, I don’t think that this movie, or the series wouldn’t be what is was without Robert Englund.  I’m very glad that Wes Craven took the leap of faith and cast him in the role.  Robert really put his own touch on the character and it stuck, through the entire series even. Thank you Robert for staying with it.

So I will boldly say that for not seeing this movie for 15 years, I can honestly tell you it holds the test of time.  The idea the music, the whole thing works. It did in 1984 and it still does now. No wonder they wanted to do a remake. But really do your self a favor, if you haven’t seen the original, or you haven’t seen it in a long time. Get it, watch it, and enjoy. Then come back and tell me what you think.  Now its on to watch number 2.

Author: Justin

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