Talk us through itI really shouldn’t have to make an entry here, but just in case someone from rural Nepal is reading this is what goes down. Nancy and her crew are all having nightmares about some dude who wears a red and green striped jersey, a tattered hat, and who has a glove with knifes built into it. Said Dude is stalking them in their dreams and we find out that injuries suffered in the dream world are for real. When Nancy’s friend Tina is murdered and Tina’s boyfriend the JD Rod is blamed she starts to wonder if there’s more to the story than she knows. With help from her boyfriend Glen it’s up to Nancy to work out the puzzle, and put the dream demon Freddy away for good. A dark secret is harboured by the Parents on Elm Street and this is the cause for the current situation. Can Nancy discover the secret and more importantly combat Freddy? A classic 1980s horror movie ensues. Of course it could all be just a dream within a dream. Welcome to Wes’s Nightmare, think you are going to like it!
Review“I'm your boyfriend now, Nancy.” – Fred KruegerFirst let’s clear up some of the confusion that surrounds this arguably Wes Carven’s best movie to date. In the closing credits Freddy is listed as Fred Krueger, the better known name would eventuate due to fan demand in later movies in the series. Equally as the closing credits finish the movie is listed as “Nightmare on Elm Street”, hence why you will occasionally run across that title being used rather than the full title which includes the “A” in front of the listed title. Okay that was incredibly geeky and no one really gives a toss right? Well excuse me, I’m simply clearing up a couple of minor irritants that some people seem to have with A Nightmare on Elm Street (ANOES). So let’s break it down and shake it all around. With ANOES Wes Craven introduced the third of the great trilogy of horror icons from the 1980s, the one and only Freddy Krueger a.k.a the Dream Demon. Whereas Michael and Jason were simply remorseless killing machines, Freddy had personality and a fine collection of one liners to taunt his victims with. ANOES is not focused on the kills as such, but is more concerned with Nancy’s identification of the dream assassin and learning how to deal with a supernatural entity. Besides being a great series in and of itself, if we excuse Freddy’s stand up comedy routines in later entries in the Franchise, New Line isn’t know as “the house that Freddy built” for nothing. These movies were huge and entirely innovative at the time. Wes Craven opens his movie with the infamous glove being made in a pretty disgusting looking work room. At the time audience members would have been on edge over just what the glove would be used for. They didn’t have long to wait. Following a nightmare sequence we quickly learn all four of our focal characters have had similar dreams about the same supernatural stalker. Craven is very precise in getting this across before presenting victim one’s demise in a pretty graphic and shocking scene. Have sex and die is trotted out quite quickly and yes the groans would have been audible from audience members as Craven appears to be heading down the by now then well wandered slasher path. But it’s here that Craven diverts from slasher expectations, heads off the beaten track, and finds all sorts of delights in those dark woods next to the mythical track. There be tigers in there, and they are hungry. Craven presents four distinct personalities in his protagonists and takes time to develop each character, hence the seemingly straight focus on Tina till her fatal night time romp. Even more care is given to our antagonist, we get to know Freddy on a pretty intimate level. It’s in this aspect of the movie that Craven demonstrates just how fine a movie maker he can be when he puts his heart into a project. Because we get to know our protagonists we are right behind them as they confront the evil Freddy. Craven is going for the main pulse with ANOES and knows exactly how to get under his audience’s skin. What’s really cool about ANOES is that Freddy can pop up anywhere; if a victim falls asleep you can bet the gloveman won’t be far away. Hence he tries pushing himself through a wall over a bed, in what has to be a scene that screams out Freudian interpretation Nancy falls asleep in the bath with that glove slowing rising out of the water between her legs, and more problematically, given the second movie in the franchise, from within Johnny Depp’s bed. Craven even introduced Freddy’s utilisation of day to day regular objects that became more prevalent in later movies in the series. Here Nancy gets a phone call from Freddy, and the scene is striking in a simple but powerful effect. Craven distorts reality and the dream world, which one are we in and which one should we view the movie from is the question the Director/Writer poises for us? 
The relationship between Nancy and her estrange parents is central to the movie, and perhaps explains one theory used to describe why slashers became so popular. Neither of her parents believes her pleas on the subject of Freddy, and Nancy is forced to work out her own solution. Perhaps, as the theory goes, this is a subtext about growing up and learning to do things without your parents having to provide all the answers. On a side note for the blokes reading, get married that solves that dichotomy, women know all the answers and yes you did whatever you did before starting to read this review wrong. What really works in ANOES, and something which was completely missed by later franchise Directors, is Cravens ability to keep you guessing whether you are in the dream world or the real world. On occasion he smudges the lines there, so the audience are constantly on the edge of their seats wondering if Freddy is going to pop up like a demonic jack-in-a-box in each and every scene. Simple marvellous stuff and I was grinning ear to ear during the entire movie. So considering I’m saying all these good things about the movie why didn’t I hit a ten out of ten in the rating? Simply put Wes let me down with his resolution and the tacked on final scene. You see the colour of the car’s roof! Nancy overcomes Freddy in a pretty trite resolution that doesn’t really pay off the time spent getting there. It’s almost too easy and I was expecting something a little more difficult. Craven’s final scene simply screams out “sequel” in the works, unnecessary addition to the movie what were you thinking Mr Craven! Of course there's that whole pesky dream within a dream thing, but hey let's not go there. Robert Englund (Fred Krueger) is Freddy and no one else can play the role. Englund simply nails his scenes, all about body language, and the ability to hit the one liners is spot on. Englund’s voice drips with malice and it is still quite chilling to hear Freddy taunt his potential victims. Heather Langenkamp (Nancy) was an excellent choice for Freddy’s nemesis. She has those “girl next door” looks and manages to bring across her character’s desperation and tiredness. Langenkamp would go on to reprise in the third movie and the lamentable seventh entry in the franchise. The one and only Johnny Depp (Glen) got a break with this movie, and although making a promising debut should be up on crimes against fashion charges. Simply too preppy, and Depp isn’t as adept (teehehe) at horror as say a Kevin Bacon is. Depp turns in a fine performance but looks to be slightly lost as to how his character should react. Genre favourite John Saxon adds some necessary clout to proceedings, and does well as the Adult unable to comprehend just what’s going down. The rest of the cast are doing okay, with Ronee Blakely (Marge Thompson) turning in a sterling performance as the alcoholic mum. Actually guess we are meant to register Nancy’s parentals going down the tube as a direct result of actions taken against Fred Krueger prior to events in the movie. Charles Bernstein hammered the score which is working for ANOES. From the instantly recognisable Freddy theme to incidental music Bernstein is backing Craven’s visuals on the sound front. Great soundtrack, was working for me.
Summary ExecutionI was jiving to Craven’s beat in ANOES and am left wondering just what happened to the Director’s mojo with recent movies. Craven hits the horror high notes, injects a tad of humour (“I look twenty”), and presents a classic horror flick that still works today. Problems noted, the resolution and that final scene, but overall I had a good time.ANOES grossed around $25 million, which must have been a decent return on investment as the movie has generated six sequels to date. Johnny Depp of course went on to fame and future, while his fellow thespians remain by and large unknown outside horror circles. The movie is supposedly based on real news stories Craven read prior to writing the script. Big recommendation on ANOES one of the classic 1980s outings that helped put horror into the cinematic spotlight. The movie has something for everyone and although darker than other entries in the franchise still has a sense of fun and doesn’t take itself overly serious. I would suggest revisiting the movie for those who have already seen it, or definitely catching a viewing if you haven’t. Freddy says welcome to my nightmare, and we thank the dream demon for the offer.
ScaryMinds Rates this movie as ... A horror classic that keeps winning new convert down the ages.
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