If the concept at all appeals to you, do yourself a favor and get this... or at least sleep on it

Rating: 8/10 (30 July 2010)

I've been wanting to watch this for years, and I finally found it(and the rest of the series) on sale. This was as great(right from the opening credits up to the *excellent* ending) as I thought, and better. And no, the fact that this is the first thing I put on after going to Inception is basically a coincidence. This builds up an atmosphere(and Freddy himself) immensely effectively, and it is unbelievably terrifying and shocking. With smart use(that is not excessive) of disgusting and sexually suggestive content, we are repulsed by the monster of this. It's interesting to note that he barely talks in this; that part of his image comes from the sequels, evidently. This is incredibly creepy, eerie and mysterious(nicely helped by the spot-on music), and truly does evoke the feeling of being in a nightmare. What helps it all a ton, in addition to how creative and inventive the dreams are(honestly, they are utterly unforgettable), is how full of surprises this is. We are continually led to believe that we know what will happen, and then the carpet is pulled out from under us. This is intense. The FX hold up astonishingly well, including make-up. This is all the more impressive in virtue of the fact that *this was actually low-budget*. Wes directs it all so well that you really can't tell. While a lot of these films, especially from this period, have obnoxious characters, this one has likable and reasonably developed ones. The relationships between them are credible, as well. This is well-cast, as well, and our lead is cute and attractive. The acting is good. There is a lot of bloody, brutal violence and disturbing content, as well as a bit of strong language in this. The Ultimate Collector's Edition 7-Disc DVD set comes with an informational and funny commentary track with Langenkamp, Saxon, Haitkin and Craven, a self-explanatory feature entitled Jump To A Nightmare and a theatrical trailer. I recommend this to every single fan of psychological fantasy horror. 8/10