A Nightmare on Elm Street

R

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1 hr. 31 min.

Horror

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List

95%

58 Reviews

Tomatometer

84%

250,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

In Wes Craven's classic slasher film, several Midwestern teenagers fall prey to Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund), a disfigured midnight mangler who preys on the teenagers in their dreams -- which, in turn, kills them in reality. After investigating the phenomenon, Nancy (Heather Langenkamp) begins to suspect that a dark secret kept by her and her friends' parents may be the key to unraveling the mystery, but can Nancy and her boyfriend Glen (Johnny Depp) solve the puzzle before it's too late?

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Critics Consensus

Wes Craven's intelligent premise, combined with the horrifying visual appearance of Freddy Krueger, still causes nightmares to this day.

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CCgothgirl

it's Freddy! I love him! So glad my buddies invited me. It was very random.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

11/05/23

Full Review

Charlie

I enjoyed my visit to the theater to watch this classic movie. The price for the movie was very reasonable because if it was the same price as the New movies then I would just go see a new movie and stream the classic at home. And I also appreciated that there was previews B4 the movie and it didnt just start at the exact time so I had time to hit the snack bar. Maybe it could be more Fun if there was previews from that time period just to make it more authentic or the previews of the up coming classic movies that will be shown. But thank you so much for the new memories with old friends. We already booked tickets to see another classic movie

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/18/23

Full Review

adelmar E

wouldn't let me wear my Freddy costume.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

06/06/23

Full Review

Jnatan P

To say the least, this is a cult classic. The film introduces one of the most iconic and memorable horror characters of all time: Freddy Krueger, a disfigured man with a bladed glove who haunts the dreams of his victims—I mean who could of asked for a bigger asshole than that? The film explores the idea of nightmares as a realm where anything can happen and where death is permanent, like what in the actual f? Like you would think a striped shirt serial killing disheveled Freddy Kreuger is not scary enough? I love my sleep, just the idea of not looking forward to sleeping anymore is a nightmare in of itself. The film also plays with the audiences perception of reality and fantasy, blurring the lines between the two and creating a sense of dread and uncertainty. The film features some impressive special fx and makeup for its time, yo fam the scene where Freddys face stretches through the wall or the scene where Tinas body is dragged across the ceiling had me shook dawg. The film also has some memorable and quotable lines, such as "One, two, Freddys coming for you" or "Whatever you do, dont fall asleep" like Wes Craven needs to chill bro Overall, youre going to see some nostalgically meme-worthy flaws, such as some cheesy acting and dialogue Tinas boyfriend when he says, why are you looking at me like Imm some sort of fruitcake? Like Bro you have your shirt off half way through the movie, sexuality is a spectrum. A Nightmare on Elm Street is a horror masterpiece that deserves its status as one of the greatest horror films ever made. It is a must-see for any horror fan or anyone who enjoys a good scare.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

05/13/23

Full Review

Dusty P.

Always love watching this horror classic!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/09/22

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Lloyd S

The story and the kills were fine, but the acting was awful.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

04/23/24

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Wes Craven

Director

John Saxon

Lt. Thompson

Ronee Blakley

Marge Thompson

Heather Langenkamp

Nancy Thompson

Amanda Wyss

Tina Grey

Johnny Depp

Glen Lantz

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43%

33%

A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge

67%

68%

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors

23%

32%

Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare

31%

31%

A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child

79%

66%

Wes Craven's New Nightmare

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A Nightmare on Elm Street: Trailer 1

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Chris Stuckmann

ChrisStuckmann.com

Great build-up, the suspense and apprehension, getting you invested in a sequence...this movie has that.

Rated: A

Nov 2, 2018

Full Review

Paul Attanasio

Washington Post

The script is consistently witty, the camera work (by cinematographer Jacques Haitkin) crisp and expressive.

Jan 2, 2018

Full Review

David Jenkins

Little White Lies

A smart, streamlined slasher with plenty under the bonnet.

Rated: 4/5

Oct 31, 2013

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Craven employs some startling horror setups and knows how to make his audience jump

Rated: 3/4

Aug 18, 2023

Full Review

J.A. Conner

Santa Cruz Sentinel

Craven treats us to a garish visual trip into the dark side of dreamland.

Mar 24, 2023

Full Review

Rachel Wagner

rachelsreviews.net

There is something chilling about being haunted through your dreams- a space you have no control of and can only put off for so long.

Rated: 9/10

Oct 20, 2022

Full Review

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Synopsis

In Wes Craven's classic slasher film, several Midwestern teenagers fall prey to Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund), a disfigured midnight mangler who preys on the teenagers in their dreams -- which, in turn, kills them in reality. After investigating the phenomenon, Nancy (Heather Langenkamp) begins to suspect that a dark secret kept by her and her friends' parents may be the key to unraveling the mystery, but can Nancy and her boyfriend Glen (Johnny Depp) solve the puzzle before it's too late?

Director: Wes Craven
Executive Producer: Stanley Dudelson
Screenwriter: Wes Craven
Distributor: Media Home Entertainment, New Line Cinema, New Line Home Video [us], Image Entertainment Inc., Anchor Bay Entertainment
Production Co: New Line Cinema
Rating: R
Genre: Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 9, 1984, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 24, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $57.3M
Sound Mix: Mono

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