"I don't see why you can't just give me a pill to keep me from dreaming."

Rating: 9/10 (17 October 2015)

Wes Craven's classic about a killer named Freddy Krueger who attacks teenagers in their dreams because of something their parents did years before. One of the best and most creative horror films of all time. It's often lumped in with movies in the slasher subgenre, and it does use many of those tropes, but it's much more interesting and imaginative than 99% of the slashers out there. Freddy Krueger, wonderfully played by Robert Englund, became a pop culture phenomenon like nothing that had been seen with horror movies since maybe the Universal movie monsters of old. The guy was on lunchboxes, for crying out loud.
The cast is pretty good, with Englund a standout for obvious reasons. Heather Langenkamp is one of horror's best "final girls." She has a relatability and normal quality about her that is rare for Hollywood. Compare her to any of today's young horror movie actresses, who are almost always glamorous bimbos who are aspiring pop music stars or at least look like they are. Admittedly she's not the strongest actress but she does well with the role of Nancy. John Saxon is good as Nancy's father. Johnny Depp makes his film debut as Nancy's boyfriend and does a fine job. The only stinker in the cast really is Jsu Garcia (billed here as Nick Corri). Every scene with him is a little cringeworthy as he seems to be trying to be the James Dean of horror. The movie's full of memorable scenes and striking images, such as Freddy's face coming through the wall above Nancy's bed or his glove reaching up between her legs in the bathtub. Wes Craven's direction is excellent in what is arguably the highlight of his long career. The script is smart and inventive. Charles Bernstein's iconic score deserves more praise than it gets. It's an atmospheric and influential horror film that gets better with each viewing. The sequels, TV show, and remake that followed only served to highlight how great this first Nightmare on Elm Street film is. If you haven't seen it yet, please do yourself a favor and watch it. For the love of all that's sacred, please watch it before you even think about watching the 2010 remake.