Review of A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) by Thenewspielberg — 01 May 2011

This 1984 horror classic was and still is a milestone in the history of horror cinema and is the best film of Wes Craven's career, in my opinion. The plot concerns a group of teenagers who are having terrifying nightmares about a strange man who wears a fedora hat, striped sweater and has a knifed glove on his hand.

When they ask their parents, they get no response and instead an alarmed look. The main character is Nancy Thompson, who after the death of her best friend Tina pieces together the puzzle and finds out that the "strange man" in her dreams is a child killer named Freddy Krueger, who was burned alive at the hands of grieving parents who took the law into their own hands after he was set free from prison on a technicality.

As all of her friends are slashed to death one by one, Nancy must find a way to stop Krueger once and for all. It may sound like the stuff of schlock, but it tells it to you in a way that makes you believe the idea is credible.

All the actors are good, but Freddy steals the show. His evil laughter, famous one-liners and his sick sense of humor have all become the stuff of legend. Another notable mention is that a certain Johnny Depp had his first screen role thanks to this film.

As you would expect from a 1980s horror movie made on a low budget, the effects look dodgy today but that cannot be helped. Add into the mix an atmospheric musical score and some great direction and you have a recipe for one of the most intelligent and terrifying horror films of the 1980s.