Plot: What’s it about?
Nancy Thompson (Heather Langenkamp) has been having some horrific nightmares, ones that involve an eerie figure with razor sharp blades instead of fingers. She isn’t alone in these unusual dreams however, as she soon learns her friends have also had similar nightmares. The terror moves from the realm of dreams into real life however, when her friend Tina (Amanda Wyss) is murdered in brutal fashion. Although her boyfriend was there at the time, he insists he is innocent and claims some very odd things unfolded. Nancy believes him and starts to think Tina’s death was somehow related to the nightmares. She tells her father about the dreams, but he brushes her off and questions her sanity. But Nancy still believes the nightmares are more than mere dreams, especially when more young people start to turn up dead. If she and her friends are to survive, they need to stay awake at all costs. If they are killed by the dark figure in their dreams, they won’t wake up in a cold sweat and in fact, they won’t wake up at all. But who is this horrific stalker that slashes through their dreams and is there anything they can do to survive his wrath?
This is a true horror classic and the start of one of cinema’s most extensive franchises, not to mention one of the all time great horror creations, Freddy Krueger. While Freddy would be best known for his one liners and dark humor, those elements aren’t on showcase here. Although later installments would blend black humor with the horror, the original film takes a more serious approach. Freddy is more villain than comedian in this first film and as always, the twisted slasher was played by Robert Englund. Englund is great in the role, as usual, but reins in his performance more here, for a more effective result. I don’t mind his over the top antics in later films, but this is my personal favorite kind of Freddy, as he is much more eerie. The concept of a dream world is well executed and used to create some impressive tension, so the atmosphere is excellent. You can never be sure what is real and what isn’t, which keeps the audience in constant suspense. In my opinion, A Nightmare on Elm Street is one of the all time classics of horror cinema, a film no horror collection can be without. No, this isn’t a dream, so if you’re even a casual fright fan, this is one release you simply can’t live without.
Video: How does it look?
A Nightmare on Elm Street is one of New Line’s cash cows and has seen nearly a dozen incarnations in VHS, LaserDisc, DVD, Blu-ray and now 4K. That said, for a movie that’s four decades old this 1.85:1 HEVC 4K transfer ups the ante with a new restoration and is easily the best the film has ever looked. The palette is very dark, but yet has a “cooler” sense about it. Black levels are right on the mark and detail level is bumped up from previous installments. Yes we all know that Freddy’s face is nothing to look at, but darn it if I couldn’t keep my eyes from trying to count every single scar I could. By now we know what to expect with 4K offerings and this one looks the part.
Audio: How does it sound?
What are new Blu-ray’s without a new uncompressed soundtrack? Well, nothing! Only kidding, new Dolby Atmos soundtrack does sound good, though let’s be honest here – the movie came out in the mid 80’s and a lot of the music sounds a bit on the hollow side. What I mean by that is that the surround effects are there, but they sound artificial and manufactured (which they were) and by no means does this soundtrack compare to those of new films (or the new “Nightmare on Elm Street” movie). Dialogue is sharp and crisp, so you’ll have no trouble hearing all of Freddy’s one-liners. It’s a nice mix and will test your system in some instances, but sometimes less is more.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Unfortunately, there’s nothing new here. But what we’ve got is more than enough supplemental content to keep the average viewer entertained. Still, it’d have been nice to have at least something new.
- Ready Freddy Focus Points – An odd feature that allows the user to be taken to various points in the film with a simple click.
- Audio Commentary – Wes Craven heads up the participants, which include various cast and crew members, quite a few folks when all told. A decent session, with several perspectives on the production, but don’t expect to learn a lot of new information here.
- Audio Commentary – Wes Craven, Heather Langenkamp, John Saxon, and Jacques Haitkin. This is similar to the above track, albeit with less people.
- Alternate endings – A few alternate endings are included, three to be exact. I never liked the theatrical ending, personally.
- The House that Freddy Built: The Legacy of New Line Horror – A look at the film in question as well as the path it paved for future horror films from New Line Cinema.
- Never Sleep Again: A Nightmare on Elm Street – We’re treated to a fifty minute documentary that takes us inside the production of this horror classic. The piece starts with how the concept was developed, moves through the various stages of production, and ends with coverage of the film’s success.
- Night Terrors: The Origins of Wes Craven’s Nightmares – Some psychiatrists discuss the origin of dreams and how they play into the film.
The Bottom Line
I recently read that A Nightmare on Elm Street was voted the best horror film of the 80’s. And I think it’s a fitting title. I personally prefer They Live, but that’s just me. This new 4K edition offers up superior sound and video all the while keeping the supplements. Oh and those few extra seconds on the “Unrated” cut as well…
