1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die- A Nightmare on Elm Street

#741- A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Starring: Robert Englund, Heather Langenkamp, Johnny Depp
Directed by: Wes Craven


Plot Summary: The teenagers of Springwood are haunted in their dreams by a mysterious man named Freddy Krueger. His burnt face, red and green sweater, brown hat and glove with razor sharp knives for fingers have the kids fighting to stay awake because if he kills them in their dreams, they will stay dead and never wake up. Nancy Thompson is Freddy's toughest challenge, as she goes to any length to stay awake, as well as uncover the mystery of why Freddy is haunting Nancy and her friends. With her friends being picked off, and her parents turning a blind eye, Nancy knows that she must confront her fears and fall asleep, to fight Freddy Krueger and win.


As a fan or horror, I have seen my fair share of horror movies throughout numerous decades. From the silent era to the modern era, it's become easy for me to see a horror movie and decide if it will leave a lasting impression or not. A Nightmare on Elm Street is one of those films that has left a long lasting impression on me, in terms of horror and film in general. Freddy Krueger was a face and name that I knew of growing up, but had never seen the movie until my teen years. With numerous sequels and a remake, A Nightmare on Elm Street has proven to be one of horror's most popular franchises, as well as being one of my personal favorite horror movies. After looking at the movie again, I can understand the appeal from most fans, as well as its contributions to horror.

The biggest contribution the film has is the introduction of Freddy Krueger, played by Robert Englund. Freddy was a very special face of terror in the '80s because he was different from other slasher villains. Unlike silent killers in masks like Michael Myers or Jason Voorhees, Freddy has a voice and face to add personality to his character, that I feel only Robert Englund could have given to Freddy. His appearance is one that has stuck in the minds of viewers for decades, but I like how the original movie tones down his appearance and keeps him in the shadows for a lot of it, adding more mystery to his overall presence. While his humor became over the top in sequels, his humor is more subtle in A Nightmare on Elm Street, making his appearance in the first film his scariest and easiest to secure his spot as one of horror's greatest villains that has fans wanting more.

Freddy's biggest challenge is Nancy Thompson, played by Heather Langenkamp. Nancy is very different from the traditional heroines in other horror movies. Rather than just running to escape, she is a stronger character who knows that she has to fight, both in the dream world and the real world. Nancy has the most connections with the other characters, including her parents, her friends, her boyfriend and, of course, Freddy. Nancy has become a true icon of horror characters because of how different she is from the usual girls in horror movies. Langenkamp plays her to be both vulnerable at the beginning, and stronger and more courageous by the end, and that to me is what's most effective about her, that her development naturally progresses throughout the film.

Nancy's boyfriend, Glen Lantz, is played by none other than Johnny Depp. In his first movie role, Depp is able hold his own with the other teenagers. Normally, I wouldn't mention a character like Glen because he isn't that significant of a character that goes through a massive amount of development. He's your stereotypical boyfriend character in most horror movies, but the difference with Glen is that he's remembered thanks to Depp's career as a leading man.  Also, Glen is featured in one of the greatest horror movie deaths of all time. What happens to him? I'm not even going to bother spoiling it here, it won't do it justice, but let me just say that it is absolutely disgusting and the practical effects for it are amazing.

Director Wes Craven had earlier success with other horror movies, but it was A Nightmare on Elm Street that labeled him as one of Hollywood's best horror directors. He got the original inspiration for the concept through news reports of children trying desperately to stay awake, and when they finally fell asleep, they died. When Craven heard it, he thought that it was too perfect of an idea to not be on film, so he made sure to use it. Many executives didn't believe that the idea was scary enough, that people would know the difference in a dream and could wake themselves up. And while the dream sequences follow a pattern that many dreams would have, it's Freddy who invokes the fear in the dream scenes, because he uses the dream world to his advantage, and you know he's just toying with the victims before he finishes them off.

Overall, A Nightmare on Elm Street should best be remembered for its contributions to the horror genre. It came out at a time where the slasher genre was a very formulaic genre. But Wes Craven's vision helped make the film stand out against other horror films. It had a strong female lead, instead of a damsel in distress. It had a killer with personality, instead of a silent stalker. And most importantly, it added a supernatural element that created new fear in its audience. At a time where horror movies were based solely on an independent market, Freddy Krueger became a household name and A Nightmare on Elm Street became a huge hit in the '80s, even if the audience was afraid to fall asleep after watching it.


Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Providing twists to the slasher genre, A Nightmare on Elm Street is iconic for providing the face of horror in the '80s. Thanks to the film debut of Freddy Krueger and its innovative horror concept, I recommend that all horror fans check it out at least once.

Comment below to share your thoughts on the movie or to discuss a topic that I left out of my review

A Nightmare on Elm Street and movie images are copyrighted by New Line Cinema