An absolute classic

Rating: Null/10 (5 February 2003)

"A Nightmare on Elm Street" is done somewhat of a disservice by most of the sequels that followed it. They are cheesy horror films whose main device is special effects-layden dream sequences. They are not scary. The original film was truly terrifying to me when I first saw it. I didn't want to go to sleep for rear that that awful creature who lurked in the shadows of Nancy's dream whould get me next. I asked my parents "you didn't murder any child killers did you?" Freddy was a serious villain who said very little and mostly just gave out that sinister high pitch laugh which is lost in the later films. He's terrifying instead of corny. The final sequel comes closest to the original in it's plot line, bringing back the old cast with the idea that their imaginary tormenter had somehow found his way into the real world. It is much better that the other 5 sequels. No matter how cheesy or stupid you might thing the sequels to "Nightmare" are" don't let it detract from the original. It's a classic horror film, largely because it deals with something that can terrify all of us from time to time, our worst fears come to life in our dreams. It will always be a classic and it will still be scary 30 years from now.