One of the best 80s horror films!

Rating: 10/10 (31 March 2000)

After "Halloween" (1978) there were many horror films trying to be successful. Many succeeded. But the people who were making the imitations also tried to be original. Nearly no one succeeded. A Nightmare on Elm Street was one of the rare exceptions. Sure, there are similarities between "Halloween" and this one. But A Nightmare on Elm Street was far more original than any of the other slasher horror films. The idea of a mass murderer killing people in their dreams is very exciting and very original. Freddy Krueger is one of the best and most sadistic persons in the history of horror films. Unfortunately they turned him into a comedian in most of the sequels.
Robert Englund is great in the role of Freddy. He was born to play this part (that's why they never replaced him). Heather Langenkamp is very believable and not one of these blond and dumb girls that can be seen in other films of this genre (Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode was an exception). The opening sequence shows us right at the beginning what the film is about. There are no flaws in the film and it never gets lame. It is unpredictable because you can never be sure if you are in a dream sequence or in real life.
The film is very intense and scary and the special effects are gripping. I still wonder how Wes Craven and his crew were able to shoot this film and the effects in it on such a small budget.
A must-see for any true fan of the horror genre and anybody else who likes being scared and entertained at the same time.
My rating: 10/10 (I don't recommend Part 2: Freddy's Revenge to anybody who is not a passionate fan of the series)