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A Nightmare on Elm Street

  • 19841984
  • RR
  • 1h 31m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
231K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
324
51
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
HD
Play trailer1:50
6 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Horror
Teenager Nancy Thompson must uncover the dark truth concealed by her parents after she and her friends become targets of the spirit of a serial killer with a bladed glove in their dreams, in... Read allTeenager Nancy Thompson must uncover the dark truth concealed by her parents after she and her friends become targets of the spirit of a serial killer with a bladed glove in their dreams, in which if they die, it kills them in real life.Teenager Nancy Thompson must uncover the dark truth concealed by her parents after she and her friends become targets of the spirit of a serial killer with a bladed glove in their dreams, in which if they die, it kills them in real life.
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
231K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
324
51
  • Director
    • Wes Craven
  • Writer
    • Wes Craven
  • Stars
    • Heather Langenkamp
    • Johnny Depp
    • Robert Englund
Top credits
  • Director
    • Wes Craven
  • Writer
    • Wes Craven
  • Stars
    • Heather Langenkamp
    • Johnny Depp
    • Robert Englund
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 899User reviews
    • 238Critic reviews
    • 76Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 5 wins & 6 nominations

    Videos6

    A Nightmare on Elm Street
    Clip 1:55
    A Nightmare on Elm Street
    A Nightmare on Elm Street
    Trailer 1:50
    A Nightmare on Elm Street
    A Nightmare on Elm Street
    Trailer 1:37
    A Nightmare on Elm Street
    'The Nightmare on Elm Street' | Anniversary Mashup
    Clip 1:04
    'The Nightmare on Elm Street' | Anniversary Mashup
    'Sonic the Hedgehog' Star Tika Sumpter Answers Life's Big Questions About Film
    Full Episode 2:46
    'Sonic the Hedgehog' Star Tika Sumpter Answers Life's Big Questions About Film
    Tika Sumpter of 'Nobody's Fool' Answers Life's Big Questions About TV and Film
    Video 2:50
    Tika Sumpter of 'Nobody's Fool' Answers Life's Big Questions About TV and Film

    Photos339

    Johnny Depp, Heather Langenkamp, Jsu Garcia, and Amanda Wyss in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
    Robert Englund and Heather Langenkamp in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
    Heather Langenkamp in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
    Ronee Blakley and John Saxon in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
    Heather Langenkamp and Jsu Garcia in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
    Amanda Wyss in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
    Robert Englund in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
    Ronee Blakley in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
    Ronee Blakley in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
    Johnny Depp in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
    Heather Langenkamp in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
    Robert Englund and Heather Langenkamp in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Heather Langenkamp
    Heather Langenkamp
    • Nancy Thompsonas Nancy Thompson
    Johnny Depp
    Johnny Depp
    • Glen Lantzas Glen Lantz
    Robert Englund
    Robert Englund
    • Fred Kruegeras Fred Krueger
    John Saxon
    John Saxon
    • Lt. Thompsonas Lt. Thompson
    Ronee Blakley
    Ronee Blakley
    • Marge Thompsonas Marge Thompson
    Amanda Wyss
    Amanda Wyss
    • Tina Grayas Tina Gray
    Jsu Garcia
    Jsu Garcia
    • Rod Laneas Rod Lane
    • (as Nick Corri)
    Charles Fleischer
    Charles Fleischer
    • Dr. Kingas Dr. King
    Joseph Whipp
    Joseph Whipp
    • Sgt. Parkeras Sgt. Parker
    Lin Shaye
    Lin Shaye
    • Teacheras Teacher
    Joe Unger
    Joe Unger
    • Sgt. Garciaas Sgt. Garcia
    Mimi Craven
    Mimi Craven
    • Nurseas Nurse
    • (as Mimi Meyer-Craven)
    Jack Shea
    • Ministeras Minister
    Ed Call
    • Mr. Lantzas Mr. Lantz
    Sandy Lipton
    • Mrs. Lantzas Mrs. Lantz
    David Andrews
    David Andrews
    • Foremanas Foreman
    Jeff Levine
    • Coroneras Coroner
    • (as Jeffrey Levine)
    Donna Woodrum
    • Tina's Momas Tina's Mom
    • Director
      • Wes Craven
    • Writer
      • Wes Craven
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      New Line Cinema was saved from bankruptcy by the success of the film, and was jokingly nicknamed "The House that Freddy Built".
    • Goofs
      In the full-screen version, during the first nightmare sequence right before Freddy pops up to scare Tina, you can see Robert Englund as Freddy crouched down and moving into place behind her; however, at the time of the film's release, director Wes Craven would assume that only the wide-screen version would eventually be available for home viewing. You can't see Englund behind Tina in the wide-screen version.
    • Quotes

      Children: One, two, Freddy's coming for you. / Three, four, better lock your door. / Five, six, grab your crucifix. / Seven, eight, gonna stay up late. / Nine, ten, never sleep again.

    • Crazy credits
      Film title logo as the end credits are finished.
    • Alternate versions
      The German television version is heavily cut, allowing for an earlier time slot. The cuts are:
      • When Tina is sliced by Freddy Krueger, we don't see how he slices her chest and is pulled to the ceiling.
      • In Tina's last dream we don't see when Freddy cuts his own fingers off his hand. Later, there is a scene where Freddy's face is pulled off by Tina. This scene is also missing.
      • When Nancy meets Freddy for the first time, we can't see when he slices his abdomen and when Nancy puts her arm on the hot pipe.
      • When Rod's neck is broken by Freddy Krueger, we only see Rod looking at the "snake", before it kills him.
      • The scene where the dead Tina is talking to Nancy while snakes are coming out her dress is also cut.
      • Glen's famous dead scene is also cut. We only see how he is sucked in his bed. The bloody, second half is cut.
      • When Nancy is burning Freddy, we only see the fire reach his feet, then it cuts to Nancy calling her dad.
      • The scene where Freddy is killing Nancy's mother by burning her is also cut.
      • These changes were also made in the German video version, which has a "not under 16 years" rating. The uncut version is sometimes shown on Pay-Per-View and is rated "not under 18 years."
    • Connections
      Edited into The Kill Count: A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010 Remake) (2018)
    • Soundtracks
      Nightmare
      Performed by 213
      Written and Produced by Martin Kent, Steve Karshner, Michael Schurig

    User reviews899

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    Genuine Horror Classic
    Wes Craven created Freddy Krueger and when he did the world of Horror welcomed a great new character to its screens (or should that be its Screams).

    Freddy, a child murderer in life, now hunts the children of the men and women that killed him, while they sleep.

    Very gory, tense and full of over the top deaths scenes A Nightmare on Elm Street brought something new to the Horror Genre, and will go down in history in recognition of this.

    The rarity of the film, is the character of Freddy, because he actually has character without distracting from the terror (in this outing at least)

    Thanks Wes

    9/10
    helpful•86
    20
    • mjw2305
    • Jan 26, 2005

    FAQ19

    • Was this inspired by the Atlanta child murders?
    • If Freddy can disappear and reappear elsewhere, why does he go through Nancy's obstacle course of booby traps?
    • Was Freddy abused as a child and eventually became a child killer for that possible reason?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 16, 1984 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Nightmare on Elm Street
    • Filming locations
      • 1428 N. Genesee Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • New Line Cinema
      • Media Home Entertainment
      • Smart Egg Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $1,800,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $25,624,448
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $1,271,000
      • Nov 11, 1984
    • Gross worldwide
      • $25,685,134
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 31 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

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