Directed by Wes Craven [Other horror films: The Last House on the Left (1972), The Hills Have Eyes (1977), Stranger in Our House (1978), Deadly Blessing (1981), Swamp Thing (1982), Invitation to Hell (1984), The Hills Have Eyes Part II (1984), Chiller (1985), Deadly Friend (1986), The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988), Shocker (1989), The People Under the Stairs (1991), New Nightmare (1994), Vampire in Brooklyn (1995), Scream (1996), Scream 2 (1997), Scream 3 (2000), Cursed (2005), My Soul to Take (2010), Scream 4 (2011)]
While not the best horror movie ever made, this classic comes pretty damn close. A Nightmare on Elm Street is one of my favorite 80’s horror flicks. You get good gore (both Tina’s and Glen’s deaths), you get memorable characters (Nancy, her mother and father, along with Freddy), unforgettable quotes (“Up yours with a twirling lawnmower”), creepy scenes (the whole dream sequence before Tina’s death) and a fantastic villain, in Freddy Krueger.
Performance-wise, you can’t go wrong with such individuals as John Saxon, Heather Langenkamp, Ronee Blakley, Amanda Wyss, an early Johnny Depp (though admittedly he is somewhat weak here), and of course, Robert Englund. Even from a non-nostalgic viewpoint, it’s a very strong cast that helps bring this movie together.
Truth be told, I won’t speak much more about this film – it’s one of the finest horror movies out there, and while not the best, it’s a likely top ten contender. There are a few flaws (some of the special effects, especially to the modern eye, look a bit hokey, and the acting isn’t always that stellar), but nothing that can’t be brushed away without too much difficulty. Truth be told, while this review is short, not much needs to be said – it’s a great movie, and one of the best horror films made.
9.5/10
This classic was covered on episode #27 of Fight Evil’s podcast, so listen to Chucky (@ChuckyFE) and I discuss this one.
Jiggy's Horror Corner 
31 thoughts on “A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)”