Director: Wes Craven
I had mentioned a few things about "A Nightmare on Elm Street" in yesterdays post about Wes Craven. I had discussed how "The Dream Warriors" was basically my first horror film when I was about eleven, about how Freddy Krueger had almost certainly became the most recognizable and iconic figure in horror fiction, and about how the original film had revolutionized the industry at the time.
It's going to be somewhat tough to expand on that. I'm taken off guard because, as I had also mentioned in that post, I had intended to start with "The Exorcist" and had for weeks now. So, to start here-already feeling a little weird about it because, well, I'm not going to be doing the whole franchise all at once, instead skipping to "New Nightmare" in my quest to start this off with Wes Craven films-is already somewhat taking me off guard.
Also of note is that this is my first blog in this undertaking...and I'm not entirely sure how these will end up manifesting. I don't know how this will look in the end, and I don't know exactly where to start.
A good starting point, I suppose, would be to mention that I don't have any specific memory of seeing the original the way I do "Dream Warriors" and "Dream Master." I can't imagine it would have been too long after seeing those that I got around to seeing the original, I just don't have a clear memory of when and where it was, which is kind of funny considering how important it is to me. I guess the original just couldn't quite compete with the action-starved mind of a 11 year old Nathaniel.
But, the film has started and so I guess I could start making observations.
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It's cliche by now, but I still get a kick out of young Johnny Depp here. It's so amazing that little sickly looking Johnny Depp went one to become a major mega-star...and then become sickly looking again. I can never tell if I like Depp or not. I mean, for every "The Ninth Gate" there's a "Dark Shadows." And "Dark Shadows" was terrible. Depp has some good moments in this movie, though. After Tina's death he walks into the room, and takes this weird staggered step back and bumps into the wall. It's a really honest moment. He's not screwing around with hair in this movie, either. Holy cats.
I don't think Amanda Wyss or Jsu Garcia (at the time named Nick Correy) are given enough credit for their performances in "Nightmare." There's a lot of nice moments from Wyss particularly from the first twenty minutes or so of this movie. After she "wakes" in the nightmare, she looks out the window and hears Freddy whisper to her, and she says "Who do you think you are?" It's a great line read. The film really does a good job of getting the viewer to buy her as the decoy protagonist.
The alleyway sequence in Tina's nightmare is one of my favorites in the entire series, really. "THIS. Is God!" and his weird run after her, looking like some crazed midget...it's very effective. Actually, I'm always surprised how good her entire nightmare death sequence actually is. It's a helluva introduction to the premise, all in all. The revolving room scene really is a work of genius.
John Saxon! What a legend. Lieutenant Thompson is an interesting character. I like him walking into the station and, instead of being really freaked out by the murder, is mad that his daughter was at a sleepover.
Man, how effective is the scene where Tina's body is dragged in a body bag through the hallways of the school?! I'm not sure any moment in the franchise ever had such a strong feeling of overworldlyness. I'm aware that's not a word, but screw it. The boiler room scene that follows also a wonderful grunginess to it. It's also probably the closest the series really ever gets to really addressing Freddy's child molestation past. The way he beckons to her, "Come to Freddy" and his flicking his tongue around...creepy stuff.
Are we sure this doesn't take place in Wisconsin or North Dakota? Nancy's Mom says "Ya could drown ya'know" in a very Wisconsin way...Nancy then says "Oh, for pete's sake." Suddenly it's "Fargo" for a minute.
I was just thinking the other day about how Nancy watches "The Evil Dead" while in bed. The sound doesn't match up, but it's definitely on the TV. Calls into question the continuity of those "Freddy Vs. Jason Vs. Ash" comics. But I won't be THAT kind of nerd to throw a fit about the continuity paradox.
"I'm into survival" should be a bumper sticker or something. I like it as a response to small talk. I think Women should use it when a guy says something like "So...what's your deal?" "Oh, I'm into survival." It'd be rad.
I find it interesting that the horror of Freddy Krueger basically exists only because the Springwood Police Department kinda sucks at their jobs. Who signs a search warrant improperly? And how does that guy a guy off? I mean, I guess it could get you off, or at least get you a mistrial...but still. Probably the smartest thing the series ever did was boil that down to "a technicality" without actually mentioning what that technicality was.
Kinda sad that you can't do the "Phone ripped out of the wall still rings" gag anymore. I don't think "Cellphone with dead battery still rings" has quite the same effect.
I know I shouldn't, but I can't help but think of Nancy's Mom inadvertently setting off Nancy's booby traps. Like, she walks through the door saying "Whatcha doin', sweety?" and BAM! Sledgehammer to the face. Or she goes to the bathroom, flips on a light switch and the light bulb explodes.
Nancy does a pretty awesome job of out maneuvering Freddy. She sets him on fire. It's pretty bad ass. Also, as a wrestling fan, I really appreciate the chair shot.
Final Thoughts: I really do understand why there are remakes. As amazing as this film really is, it is a bit dated and hasn't really aged well. But, yeah, what else is there to really say that hasn't been said a million times before? It's a classic and forever will be. Excellent performances, very strong pacing, good effects work and just a truly clever and memorable piece of horror fiction.
Rating: 4 stars.
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