Horror's favorite neighborhood!

Rating: 10/10 (21 January 2006)

The 80's biggest horror landmark was this smash-hit that brought director Craven into mainstream film and gave birth to an unstoppable horror icon!
Young lady discovers that she and her friends are having the same terrifying dreams about a scar-faced maniac, who's about to transcend into murderous life!
Wes Craven's biggest claim to fame, A Nightmare on Elm Street was a far more imaginative slasher film than the numerous others that flooded the 80's cinema scene. Craven's clever premise and inventively shocking story added a kind of dark fantasy element that made this film so much more engrossing (and frightening) than the average slasher flick. It also turned villain Freddy Kruger into the biggest horror icon since the monsters of 50's horror cinema. Craven's direction is truly great, giving this film plenty of feverish atmosphere, tight suspense, and a share of good scares! Adding even more to the movie is the occasional touch of dark humor, who could ever forget that 'tounge phone' bit. The movie also has lots of gruesome special FX as well. The Elm Street theme by Charles Bernstein is a nicely chilling touch too.
The cast is quite good. Heather Langenkamp makes for a terrific and likable heroine. John Saxon and Ronee Blakley are both great as Langenkamp's disbelieving parents. Amanda Wyss, Nick Corri, and Johnny Depp (in his debut role) are also great as some troubled Elm Street youths. Robert Englund is a power-house villain as Freddy Kruger.
A modern horror classic all the way, A Nightmare on Elm Street is still making folks afraid to sleep all these years later!
Followed by numerous sequels.
**** out of ****