Overcomes flaws to become a classic

Rating: Null/10 (11 January 2004)

Yes, it has an incredibly shlocky premise, as bad as Craven's "Shocker", but all of its logic problems are inevitably overcome by the sheer, all powerful battering ram of a villain that is Freddy Kruger. Aside from being drawn by its famous killer, I think A Nightmare on Elm Street really gives us a fascinating look inside Craven's psyche. A noted psychologist once stated that "in the dream, you are everyone" which I believe is also the case with narrative arts from novels to films, and even comic books. I think Nancy is representative of Craven in his formative years, trying to free himself from a domineering mother (his father left when he was four, and here Nancy's father is notably absent for most of the movie's events). He was denied to access to movies, growing up in a strict Baptist household; I imagine that he wanted to break free from this kind of sheltered existence, hence the bars on Nancy's house. The "caging" of Nancy against her will from the outside world for "her own good" by an overprotective mother is an interesting parallel to Craven's own life. Freddy himself may be a vehicle for him to vent his dislike (hate?) of his father, as Craven himself once stated that Freddy was the "ultimate bad father punishing the children", that of course, in addition to the other threatening men he may have encountered in his life (like the bully named "Freddy", or the disfigured hobo who giggled at him. "I can see you!" and chased after him) Craven, a intellectual filmmaker whether or not you'd like to believe it, arrived at the creation of Freddy's infamous glove by such a beautifully simply process (so it seems to me, who thought for years that such creative gems could truly spring from nothingness). Thinking over man's most primal fears, still imbedded in our collective psyches after many millennia of evolution, he remembered that early man was afraid of bears snatching him out of the caves where him took shelter with clawed paws. Fantastic! I wish I could think of something like that. I highly recommend Nightmare on Elm Street, inspite of the fact that it might not be for everyone. For all of the disdain it may inspire in certain viewers, it has a kind of subtle genius intertwined with the standard slasher elements that I know others will see.