One of the most inherently frightening and interesting cinematic concepts ever conceived; a fantastic slasher.

Rating: 8/10 (25 February 2018)

The scariest thing about 'A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)' is its fantastic concept, one of the most inherently frightening and interesting cinematic ideas ever conceived, which paves the way for some superb surrealist imagery (created using wonderfully inventive practical effects that still hold up) and a general off-kilter feel that perfectly provoke a pervasive and persistent nightmarish vibe that makes the film really stick in your mind long after the credits roll. The mysterious villain, a sadistic scarred serial-killer who's become incredibly iconic despite only having seven minutes of screen-time (though his presence is always keenly felt), relishes in the terror he causes his teenage victims and his design expertly plays upon several primal fears to feel like something straight out of a bad dream; we're also never spoon-fed his motivations (though some back-story is given which allows us to infer his incentives) or given a clue to exactly why he occupies the so-called 'dream world'. It's the ending that causes the most concern as the darker take, pushed for by a producer who essentially vetoed Craven's well thought-out 'happier' finale, basically ruins a killer reveal seen just moments prior and doesn't even really make sense in the context it itself presents. Still, the film isn't ruined by this and remains one of the best 'slashers' of its time. 8/10