A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

Director:

Wes Craven

Writer:

Wes Craven (written by)

Release Date:

16 November 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

She is the only one who can stop it... if she fails, no one survives.

Plot:

In the dreams of his victims, a specteral child murderer stalks the children of the members of the lynch mob that killed him.

Plot Keywords:

Dream | Nightmare | Freddy Krueger | Death | Victim

Awards:

2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

John Saxon	...	Lt. Thompson
Ronee Blakley	...	Marge Thompson
Heather Langenkamp	...	Nancy Thompson
Amanda Wyss	...	Tina Gray
Jsu Garcia	...	Rod Lane (as Nick Corri)
Johnny Depp	...	Glen Lantz
Charles Fleischer	...	Dr. King
Joseph Whipp	...	Sgt. Parker
Robert Englund	...	Fred Krueger
Lin Shaye	...	Teacher
Joe Unger	...	Sgt. Garcia
Mimi Craven	...	Nurse (as Mimi Meyer-Craven)
Jack Shea	...	Minister
Ed Call	...	Mr. Lantz
Sandy Lipton	...	Mrs. Lantz
David Andrews	...	Foreman
Jeff Levine	...	Coroner (as Jeffrey Levine)
Donna Woodrum	...	Tina's Mom
Shashawnee Hall	...	Cop #1
Carol Pritikin	...	Cop #2
Brian Reise	...	Cop #3
Ash Adams	...	Surfer #1 (as Jason Adams)
Don Hannah	...	Surfer #2
Leslie Hoffman	...	Hall Guard
Paul Grenier	...	Tina's Mom's Boyfriend
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Richard Petersen	...	John, Kid in Classroom (uncredited)
Antonia Yannouli	...	Girl in Nancy's English class (uncredited)

Directed by
Wes Craven

Writing credits
Wes Craven		(written by)

Produced by
John Burrows	....	associate producer
Stanley Dudelson	....	executive producer
Sara Risher	....	co-producer
Robert Shaye	....	producer
Joseph Wolf	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Charles Bernstein

Cinematography by
Jacques Haitkin

Film Editing by
Patrick McMahon		(co-editor) (as Pat McMahon)
Rick Shaine

Casting by
Annette Benson

Production Design by
Gregg Fonseca		(as Greg Fonseca)

Set Decoration by
Anne H. Ahrens		(as Anne Huntley)

Costume Design by
Dana Lyman

Makeup Department
Kathryn Fenton	....	makeup artist (as Kathy Logan)
RaMona Fleetwood	....	key hair stylist (as RaMona)
David B. Miller	....	special makeup effects artist (as David Miller)
Mark Wilson	....	makeup effects assistant
Louis Lazzara	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)
Mark Shostrom	....	foam latex technician (uncredited)

Production Management
John Burrows	....	production manager
Amy Rabins	....	production supervisor
Rachel Talalay	....	assistant production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Nicholas Batchelor	....	first assistant director (as Nick Batchelor)
Peter C. Graupner	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Dorree Cooper	....	set dresser
Don Diers	....	art department assistant
Bill Kroyer	....	storyboard artist
Kara Lindstrom	....	assistant props
Michael Listorti	....	swing gang (as Michael E. Listorti)
Timaree McCormick	....	assistant props
Gavin McCune	....	swing gang
Barbara Metzenbaum	....	art department assistant
Mix	....	set carpenter
John Krenz Reinhart Jr.	....	construction coordinator (as John Reinhart)
John Stadelman	....	prop master
Craig Clark	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Jack Cooley	....	sound re-recording mixer
James LaRue	....	sound mixer
Al Nahmias	....	sound editor (as Albert Nahmias)
Greg Nave	....	boom operator
Abe Nejad	....	assistant sound editor
Jess Soraci	....	supervising sound editor
Karen I. Stern	....	looping editor

Special Effects by
Tassilo Baur	....	special effects assistant
Charles Belardinelli	....	special effects assistant
Lou Carlucci	....	special effects assistant
Jim Doyle	....	mechanical special effects design
Peter Kelly	....	special effects assistant
Larry Lapointe	....	special effects assistant
Christina Rideout	....	special effects assistant
Jim Rynning	....	special effects assistant
James Upham	....	special effects assistant
William Guest	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)

Stunts
Cynthia Brannon	....	stunts
Bruce Carson	....	stunts
Tony Cecere	....	stunt coordinator
Tony Cecere	....	stunts
Kerrie Cullen	....	stunts
Jeff Habberstad	....	stunts
Leslie Hoffman	....	stunts
Christina Johnson	....	stunts
Maggie Koehnen	....	stunts
Larry Phillips	....	stunts
Don Pike	....	stunts
Christina Rideout	....	stunts
Tanya Russell	....	stunts (as Tanya Lee Russell)
Paul Shaver	....	stunts
Jim Stern	....	stunts (as Jim Stearns)
Cindy Wills	....	stunts
Sandy Wilson	....	stunts
Debby Porter	....	stunts (uncredited)
George A. Sack Jr.	....	stunt driver (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Joseph Adolph	....	best boy grip
Scott Buttfield	....	gaffer
Anne S. Coffey	....	first assistant camera (as Anne Coffey)
Stephen Crawford	....	gaffer: second unit (as Steve Crawford)
Nelson Elwell	....	grip
Rowdy Herrington	....	best boy electric
Warren Kroeger	....	grip
Cindy Lagerstrom	....	key grip: second unit
Joyce Rudolph	....	still photographer
Henning Schellerup	....	camera operator: second unit
Toni Semple	....	electrician
Thomas Vanghele	....	second assistant camera (as Tom Vanghele)
Craig Horwitz	....	set lighting (uncredited)

Casting Department
Lauren Roman	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Lisa Jensen	....	costume supervisor
Terence McCorry	....	costumer

Editorial Department
James Flatto	....	apprentice editor
Kevin Krasny	....	editorial assistant: Los Angeles
Alison Paul	....	apprentice editor
Valerie Schwartz	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Michael Arciaga	....	music supervisor (uncredited)
Jeff Vaughn	....	score mixer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Chuck Clarke	....	transportation coordinator
Brian Delahanty	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Stephen Abramson	....	production executive
Steve Cassling	....	production assistant
Lisa C. Cook	....	production coordinator
Lillian Fuentes	....	craft service
Steve Harris	....	production assistant
David B. Householter	....	set production assistant (as David Householter)
Sheridan Liu	....	assistant accountant
Anita Luccioni	....	assistant to producers
Steve McAfee	....	production assistant
Dan Perri	....	title designer
Jim Picciolo	....	animal wrangler
Craig Pointes	....	location manager
Wally Uchida	....	production assistant
Kathryn Weygand	....	script supervisor (as Kathy Weygand)
Benjamin Zinkin	....	legal consultant
John Burrows III	....	blood sweeper (uncredited)
Sean S. Cunningham	....	director: chase scene (uncredited)
Don Wyse	....	fire safety (uncredited)

Thanks
Sean S. Cunningham	....	special thanks (as Sean Cunningham)
Sam Raimi	....	special thanks
Jack Sholder	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• New Line Cinema (presents)
• Media Home Entertainment (presents)
• Smart Egg Pictures (presents)
• Elm Street Venture, The (copyright owner)

Distributors

• New Line Cinema (1984) (USA) (theatrical)
• Succéfilm AB (1985) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Senator Film (1985) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Image Entertainment (1985) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Image Entertainment (1995) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Elite Entertainment (1996) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• New Line Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• New Line Home Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• New Line Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Alliance Atlantis Home Video (2006) (Canada) (DVD)
• New Line Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Tele 5 (2006) (Germany) (TV)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Lucernafilm - Gama (1992) (Czechoslovakia) (theatrical)
• Pan-Canadian Film Distributors (198?) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Abril Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Alliance Atlantis Home Video (19??) (Canada) (VHS)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Asso Film (video)
• Astral Films Limited (1985) (Canada) (VHS) (with Media Home Entertainment)
• CBS / Fox Video (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox Home Video (19??) (New Zealand) (VHS)
• Fox Video (199?) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Media Home Entertainment (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• RTL2 (????) (Germany) (TV)
• Video Treasures (19??) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Cinema Research  opticals
• Cinopticals  opticals
• Glen Glenn Sound  production sound
• Gomillion Sound  looping and adr
• Leonetti Cine Rentals  grip and electrical equipment
• Magno Sound  sound re-recording
• Magnofex  sound editing
• Optical House, The  opticals

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:MA (2005 re-rating) | Portugal:M/18 | Iceland:16 | Germany:16 (re-rating) (2007) | West Germany:18 (original rating) (1984) | Singapore:PG (heavily cut) | New Zealand:R16 (DVD rating) | Netherlands:16 | Singapore:M18 | Italy:VM18 (original rating) | South Korea:18 | Argentina:18 | Australia:R (original rating) | Canada:R | Finland:K-18 | France:-12 | Ireland:18 | Italy:VM14 (re-rating) | Mexico:C | Peru:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Norway:18 (video premiere) (1987) (cut) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

1419 N. Genesee Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

New Line Cinema

Trivia:

An omen that Johnny Depp's character is about to die occurs as he is laying in bed listening to his radio. The broadcaster announces, "It's midnight and you're listening to station KRGR." KRGR can be interpreted as meaning "Krueger."

Goofs:

Continuity: Before Nancy goes to sleep, when Glen is suppose to be watching her, her blue phone is on the left-hand side, next to the chair. When Nancy wakes up screaming, it's on the right.

Quotes:

Nancy: [to her father] The killer's still loose, ya know.
Donald: You're saying somebody else killed Tina? Who?
Nancy: I don't know who he is, but he's burned and he wears a weird hat and a red and green sweater, really dirty. And he uses these knives, like giant fingernails...
Donald: [Cuts her off and guides her into the car]
Donald: [to Marge] You better keep her home, for a few days, until she really gets over the shock of this.
Marge: I've got something better. I'm going to get her some help.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Blast (2004)

Soundtrack:

Nightmare

A movie that rejuvenated the slasher genre

By 1984, the slasher genre was wearing thin. Halloween bombed out with number 3, and Friday the 13th was falling into the dreadful mix of completely cliché horror. Without A Nightmare on Elm Street, that could have been it for the slasher film. With it, however, the genre was brought off the respirator for another 10 years when Craven did it again with Scream, but I digress. Wes Craven delivers a very original, creative, and well played out horror film that has the perfect level of plot, fright, gore, and imagination. The balance of these elements is key, as it gives you the best of all of them, without becoming too cliché, too bloody, or too silly. The movie keeps you with the characters throughout, who, unlike in the Friday the 13th series, aren't there only to be lined up for slaughter. To top all that off, there's the smart, fear-inspiring bogeyman Freddy Krueger, who is one of the greatest villains in cinema history. The combination of all these factors makes A Nightmare on Elm Street easily recognizable as a landmark in classic horror.

Nancy and Tina are a little upset. They both are having terrifying nightmares of someone they can only describe as a man in a dirty sweater with knives for fingers, and Tina is having some guy issues. In fact, this nightmare shook Tina up so much that she has her friends over to keep her company, and has some great makeup sex with her man, Rod. Well, the man with the dirty sweater visits her subconscious once again, and she is inexplicably dragged to the ceiling and butchered, in an incredibly brutal, horrifying scene. Rod is arrested for the crime, and one by one, this mysterious specter assimilates Nancy and her friend's dreams. She keeps being stalked by this bogeyman, and after several episodes (that nearly puts her in the nuthouse), Nancy learns of a certain child murderer, Fred Krueger, who happened to use a glove with knives to kill the kids, and was also burned to death by the parents of the neighborhood. Now knowing what she's up against, Nancy prepares for battle, but how do you fight your dreams? An interesting approach is taken by Craven to solve that problem, leading to the final show down between the lion and the lamb. The whole ordeal ends with a twist so bizarre that you can't help but love it.

When this movie was made, Halloween had set the stage, and Friday the 13th turned into what is now known as a cliché slasher. Wes Craven picked up on the psychological terror of Halloween, and the gore in Friday the 13th, and made it a psychologically chilling gory movie, while not turning to exploitation just to keep your interest. It stays terrifying by unbelievably violent and scary scenes while not going over-the-top. What makes these scenes effective is not only Craven's imagination, but the movie has a good, fear-inspiring villain. Freddy Krueger is the perfect horror villain because he's so brutal that it's terrifying. He hits home with everyone's idea of the bogeyman, but instead of hiding in your closet (where you can be safe from), he gets you in your dreams. There's virtually no way to stop him. How do you resist sleep? How do you resist dreaming? Of course, the idea is so outrageous that no one believes Nancy, which leaves the audience and the characters frustrated. The problem is, the person with the power is the person whose in control, and that's him. That's what allows Craven to build the tension in the movie. Again, like Carpenter's Halloween, Craven gets you attached to Nancy and her friends, instead of presenting characters in hopes of you being scared when they die, or just to pad the body count (and he still makes it gory without that factor). They're ordinary teenagers that a young audience can relate to, which is the target audience for this film.

If you think about it, the movie is kind of goofy. A clown-like bogeyman who haunts your dreams with various wisecracks. I guess we needed something less cliché. This is one of the most original horror movies I've ever seen, and is one of my favorites. Craven brings the evil, scar faced bogeyman that was considered a flop by Hollywood into one of the scariest, most memorable movie villains of all-time. The acting by relatively new actors is pretty good (holy crap, Johnny Depp's first!), especially for Heather Langenkamp as Nancy and Robert Englund as Freddy. The screenplay is very well written, as the dialog isn't cheesy and it goes with the time period. No event is put in only for exploitation (like random strip poker in Friday the 13th), so the atmosphere stays chilling and doesn't turn stale. Not just a great horror movie, but a great scary movie. A real gem from Wes Craven (who gets to be called the master of horror for this epic) that arguably saved the slasher genre from itself.