One, two.....

Rating: 9/10 (1 November 2015)

"One, two, Freddy's coming for you", I have to start my review with that eerie rhyme that is heard throughout this movie, it not only strikes fear but also lets us know that Freddy Krueger is near. A Nightmare on Elm Street is a horror movie classic and one that years after it came out is still watched constantly and ranks highly among horror movies out there. What is there not to like about this movie, it's scary, the villain is scarier and the way in which it sets itself up is fascinating from start to finish, basically just don't fall asleep. Wes Craven is the man behind this and what a job he does, he seem to make a teenage slasher movie different from others out there because this is just so damn interesting, you want to learn more about Freddy but also see if there is anyway out of this nightmare.
The plot of course is about Freddy, he jumps between dreams and haunts the people who dream about him, chasing them usually through his own dream boiler room, until he finally kills them as they keep dreaming. The story does play out a little basically but I mean listen this isn't 100% perfection, it is though an excellent piece and one that is very near to being perfect. Nancy Thompson is the girl who everyone thinks it a little crazy, she's been chased by Freddy, she even has evidence with a cut on her arm, but no one believes in her crazy rants. The plot see's teenagers dealing with Freddy and different people keep meeting him throughout, Nancy is in a race against time to save her friends from this maniac with knife fingers.
The movie is not the scariest out there, the jumps do come thick and fast but you won't be hiding your eyes from this one. The real scare factor comes with Freddy himself, it's the way in which he runs and looks at the people in this and that makes him one of the most sinister looking villains ever. Robert Englund does a fine job as Freddy and his movements are insanely good, he reminds me of some kind of weird goblin type thing, the way in which he arcs his back slightly and yet lurches forward, and the hat, the damn hat is for me the scariest thing about him!
As for the rest of the cast Craven picks, we see Nancy played by Heather Langenkamp and she is well in her role, we also see a young Johnny Depp playing her boyfriend Glen and he is similar, he does well. It's hard for any of the cast members to become truly memorable because of Freddy, Robert Englund just creates this character from himself that overshadows anything anyone else does and all throughout you just want to see more of Freddy because he makes this such thrilling fun.
I'll mention Wes Craven again because he wrote this movie too, memorable quotes dotted throughout the entire script and that makes this movie yet again different from some other horrors because it has decent dialogue. Jacques Haitkin's cinematography is wonderful, he and Craven create a sense of fear around every corner and the shots just make you think Freddy can come out of anywhere, some top top stuff.
Overall you can't deny the popularity of this movie, spawning so many sequels as well, it goes to show also that this is still so highly rated decades on. So yes, A Nightmare on Elm Street is a well known example of how to do horror and do it well too, in fact if anyone ever claims that they "don't like horror movies", well make them watch this because this is some of the best stuff around.