Before the infamous Jigsaw killer in the SAW films, before any of the modern horror guys, there was the man who started it all: Freddy Krueger. It has been over 22 years since Freddy first started giving teens all over the world nightmares. It has been over 22 years since kids have done their best to stay awake to avoid this dastardly villain. This is the film that started numerous, numerous Freddy sequels and also the infamous Freddy Vs. Jason release a few years back.***

Wes Craven is a horror master and this is the film that really brought him into the mainstream. He did previous films such as 'Last House On The Left' and 'The Hills Have Eyes', but this is the film that really brought him into focus and made him a household horror name. His previous films were more cult classics. This is also the film that proved horror could be mainstream and have drawing power in the general public. It was not just something that creepy people viewed at run down theaters.***

Tina (Amanda Wyss) is having some pretty bad nightmares. She is being terrorized in these dreams by a man named Freddy Krueger. He has a hat, plaid sweater, knives for hands, and one deformed face. She chalks it up as just a bad dream and nothing more, nothing less. Nancy (Heather Lagenkamp) and her boyfriend played by Johnny Depp in his first film role decide to stay with her one night in hopes of helping her during her horrible nightmares. She ends up being killed in her dreams by Freddy and since no one can see him, the blame is put on Tina's boyfriend who then attends jail. He is innocent, but no one believes him.***

Pretty soon, Freddy starts showing up in the dreams of young Nancy. She does her best to stay awake. Even taking pills that make you stay awake. She finally discovers the truth behind Freddy Krueger. He was a child killer and molester and was burned and killed by angry parents. They thought he was gone, but he still shows up in kids dreams. He is targeting Nancy and her boyfriend. Can they stay awake long enough to combat Freddy?***

This is the film that really started it all. Having great musical scores, top-notch cinematography, intense acting, and some brains to the horror genre. It really got inside your head and stayed there. It still has staying power even 22 years later. It just refuses to age. The remakes were not the best, see the original and it done right.***

Image & Sound:

We have remastered picture and sound via Infinifilm and it is a noticeable and large improvement from the original DVD release. It is really like night and day. No grains, splotches, or smudges. It is clear and looks like new.

Where to start?

You have so many great features on this disc. I'll start off with The Making of A Nightmare on Elm Street. This is a detailed documentary which documents everything you ever wanted to know about this film. From Craven having the idea, to casting, to getting the funding for the film, to how it was received by audiences, to the aftermath of the film. Almost all of the cast talks for this along with Craven. This is a must view!***

The House that Freddy Built talks about The Legacy of New Line Horror. Everyone thinks of Lions Gate Films with horror films, but the masters and the people who started it all were New Line Cinema. The film that started it all was also A Nightmare on Elm Street. A lot of New Line publicists and the founder of New Line Cinema Robert Shaye discuss the Freddy series, Seven, Blade, Final Destination and all of the films that have started a legacy of horror for New Line. It is good to get a business feature and the mind-sight behind the films.***

Night Terrors: The Origins of West Craven's Nightmares discusses with therapist and others about dreams and the affect they have. What dreams mean, where they came from, why we have them, and Craven discusses how he used this for his film. An interesting feature that is something different.***

Audio commentary is also included with Wes Craven, actress Heather Lagenkamp, actor John Saxon, Cinematographer Jacques Haitkin and a few producers and special effects people join in on this. Everyone gets ample time to talk and share some stories on the film and how they filmed the great visual shots. It's a great round table of discussion between everyone. I was glad they were able to get so many people on his track.***

Alternate endings are also included. I don't usually recommend alternate endings, as you could see why they were left out, but this one is worth checking out. I don't wanna give too much away, so check it out.***

The DVD also has interactive features that can be accessed via your computer. You have Pop-Up prompts, Nightmare Fact Track, and Video Clips. Also other great ROM content.*** ---

Final Words: