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4. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984 / 122 points)
Directed / Written by: Wes Craven
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Why Its Significant - If being a box office smash, introducing one of the worlds most iconic villains, and establishing a mega-franchise isnt enough for you, hows about it also being responsible for establishing New Line Cinema as a successful film studio, being chosen by the Library of Congress for preservation, and debuting blockbuster actor Johnny Depp to audiences everywhere? You cannot overstate ANOES influence and success enough. The film debuted a unique concept, blurred the lines between reality and fantasy, whilst exploring the dark underbelly of suburbia and establishing that a final girl, like Nancy Thompson, could be more than just a survivor - she can be resourceful and fight back in her own right. As a whole, the film made the slasher genre more personal as Freddy was a lot more animated & communicative with his victims, rather than the more stoic, inhuman stalwarts represented by his peers. The films influence can be felt all over b-movie horror in its wake (too many to name), as well as media more well-known and wide-ranging as Inception, Paprika, Stir of Echoes, Stranger Things, & The Babadook, and that only scratches the surface really. A Nightmare on Elm Street will continue to influence horror for decades to come.

The Ranker
Snake - 1
Bitto - 2
Fortybelowsummer - 2
Karo - 5
Lightning - 7
Mythiot - 7
Johnbobb - 8
Jcgamer107 - 9
Seginustemple - 11
Plasmabeam - 14
Inviso - 16
Rockus - 19
Evilordexdeath - 21

Snake - Freddy has been my overall favorite horror antagonist since I can remember. He's a twisted nursery rhyme, a subconscious saboteur, a dream-demon who redefined the genre. Burned flesh, razor-tipped fingers he's a walking nightmare, a living punishment for those who wronged him. Robert Englund's portrayal is iconic. The raspy voice, the manic glee, the way he uses humor to disarm you before the kill it's chillingly charismatic.

And the concept? It's ingenious!

The film taps into a primal fear: vulnerability in sleep. Teenagers, on the cusp of adulthood, are a perfect target. They grapple with identity, societal pressures, and emerging sexuality. Elm Street becomes a microcosm of teenage anxieties, amplified by the Freddy Krueger threat. Nancy Thompson, the heroine, embodies this struggle. She's intelligent, independent, and harbors a distrust for authority figures a reflection of teenage rebellion against parental control. Nancy and her friends are haunted not only by the physical threat of Freddy but also by the trauma of their neighborhood familys pasts, the film becoming an exploration of the psychological ramifications of generational trauma.

Visually, A Nightmare on Elm Street is a tour de force of inventive and haunting imagery. Craven employs a variety of practical effects to bring Freddy's dreamworld to life, blurring the line between fantasy and reality in truly unsettling ways. From the iconic scene of Freddy's glove emerging from Nancy's bathtub to the surreal landscapes of the dream sequences, the film is a visual feast that leaves a lasting impression on the viewer's psyche. The one that always sticks with me though is poor Tinas death, an absolutely violent thrashing that serves as a visceral introduction to Freddy Krueger's malevolent power. Craven's direction in this scene is nothing short of masterful, as he creates a sense of escalating tension that culminates in a shocking display of brutality. As Tina's friends watch in horror from the safety of the real world, they are forced to confront the terrifying reality that their nightmares have become all too real. Its truly the stuff fear is made of.

The film's sound design also deserves praise for its contribution to the overall atmosphere of dread. The haunting melody of Charles Bernstein's score, combined with Freddy's sinister whispers and the eerie sounds of the dream world, creates an immersive auditory experience that intensifies the sense of unease.

Perhaps what makes A Nightmare on Elm Street truly timeless is its ability to tap into universal fears and anxieties. At its heart, the film is about the fear of the unknown, the vulnerability of sleep, and the power of the subconscious mind. These themes resonate with audiences across generations, ensuring the film's enduring legacy in the annals of horror cinema. With its blend of psychological depth, inventive visuals, and iconic villain, the film remains a touchstone of the genre and a testament to the enduring power of nightmares and truly a film I can watch again and again and try to ensure my night remains sleepless in the process.

Bitto - Rating: A

Hell yes, this movie owns. Nancy and Freddie are both captivating to watch, the cinematic moments of the movie really sing, the pacing makes the movie flow so well, it balances humor and tension really well, and it even lands the ending. If there's any flaw in the movie, it's that the other kids are...not that interesting. Johnny Depp's character is just baffling all around. I could not get any grip on what his character is even supposed to be like. Figuring out Freddie's origins and existence also takes some time, but it does get me to really connect with Nancy, who seems the be the only one taking it seriously. The Looney Tunes-esque traps in the end are wild. They're stupid enough to be funny again. And she does all of this in 10 minutes! What!

Fortybelowsummer - Although Ive always liked Jason more than Freddy, the better of their first movies is most definitely Nightmare. While the idea of an unseen killer stalking around in the rainy darkness is scary, the idea of one that can get you in your dreams is terrifying. While other circumstances might have at least the illusion of being able to escape, theres pretty much no escaping the dream world. Of course, Nancy does figure out how to foil Freddy and avoid the fate of her friends, at least temporarily, and in the process she becomes arguably horrors greatest final girl. As far as our antagonist, Freddy speaks for himself (literally, he flips the silent stalker trope on its head) and is probably the most iconic character on this list. Wes Craven took horror in a new direction with the gleeful, wisecracking psycho with supernatural abilities, making it massively influential and a mainstay in the genre.

Karo - A serial killer brutally murdered by vengeful parents returns years later as a dream phantom to exact a blood price on their teenage offspring.

All of the kids have parents that are incomprehensibly stupid as well as deaf, and are always like 'don't worry dear, just relax and get some sleep :)' even as everyone around them is dropping like flies.

Freddy is memorable in a way most other slasher killers are not, and his modus operendi is both original and truly terrifying. Michael and Jason prey on the kind of fucking idiot who wanders off alone into the woods at midnight with no weapons. But your dreams, your very mind... there is no way to defend against that, not even if you are President of the United States.

It is a brilliant concept even if one not executed perfectly, it may not have the profound examination of dreams that an Inception or Paprika has, but it manages to stand out in its time and in a subgenre that is known for being almost ubiquitously the opposite of quality.