Horror Cinema Gold

Rating: 10/10 (17 September 2009)

By the late 70s and early 80s, the slasher film genre was at its peak. With then-new special effects, they were always sure to have the audience on the edge of their seats. In this genre in particular, you had the Father (Michael Myers of Halloween), the Son (Jason of Friday the 13th), and last and most importantly, the Holy Spirit; none other than Freddy Krueger of A Nightmare on Elm Street.
A Nightmare on Elm Street is on a slightly different level than the other gory slasher films of the 80s. It delves into a different part of the viewer's psyche that a lot of other films have ignored. Freddy, our villain, is as gruesome as our other horror movie monsters, (although he's acquit with slightly more witty banter) but he can only attack you one way--- in your dreams.
Having the dreamworld as Freddy's playground is one of the smartest, and scariest ideas film maker Wes Craven could have come up with. Sleep is a thing that all humans have to do, no matter how hard we try to stay awake. Caffeine and cold showers can only take you so many days before you eventually drift off into slumber, where a real-life nightmare awaits you.
As far as the acting goes in this film, you can't get any better for a number of reasons. Freddy's (Robert Englund) sly and sometimes perverted remarks bring a sense of comic relief into the script, a thing many other horror films don't have. Also, this was Johnny Depp's first role in a feature-length film. And let me tell you, the 17 year old Johnny made being torn in two look pretty realistic. Our heroine of the film, (Heather Langenkamp) played a very believable, strong role. She made the audience root for her the whole way through, and made viewers feel her frustration when no one would believe her about her night stalker.
Along with a great musical score that made The Nightmare on Elm Street theme famous, a great cast, and a very talented director, Nightmare is safety one of the slasher genre's greatest films. With six sequels to follow, a television show, and various merchandise, it is obvious that this was one of horror's biggest franchises. With its cult following, this movie will be loved for generations to come.