A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988)

Freddy Krueger returns once again to terrorize the dreams of the remaining Dream Warriors, as well as those of a young woman who may be able to defeat him for good.

Director:

Renny Harlin

Writers:

Wes Craven (character), William Kotzwinkle (story)

Stars:

Robert Englund, Rodney Eastman, John Beckman

2 wins & 9 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Beckman	...	Coach
Kisha Brackel	...	Friend
Brooke Bundy	...	Elaine
Wanda Bursey	...	Friend in Mourning
Hope Marie Carlton	...	Pin Up Girl
Kristen Clayton	...	Little Girl
Duane Davis	...	Jock
Rodney Eastman	...	Joey
Robert Englund	...	Freddy Krueger
Richard Garrison	...	Doctor
Danny Hassel	...	Dan
Andras Jones	...	Rick
Tuesday Knight	...	Kristen
Jeff Levine	...	Paramedic
Joanna Lipari	...	Nurse

Storyline

Following up the previous Nightmare film, the dream demon Freddy Krueger is resurrected from his apparent demise, and rapidly tracks down and kills all three of the surviving Elm Street kids. However, Kristen Parker (who has the ability to draw others into her dreams) wills her special ability to her new best friend Alice Johnson before her demise. Afterwards, she soon realizes that Freddy is taking advantage of that unknown power she now wields to pull a new group of teenage children into his foul domain. Can Alice embrace her new power to finally defeat Freddy or is it already too late?

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Plot Keywords:

freddy krueger | freddy krueger character | sadistic murderer | monster | graphic violence | 

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Taglines:

The biggest nightmare of them all.

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Genres:

Horror

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Wes Craven and Bruce Wagner came up with a concept for this film that involved time travel through dreams. However, producers Robert Shaye and Sara Risher felt that this was too high a concept for A Nightmare On Elm Street sequel and didn't think it fit the formula that Craven created with the first film.

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Goofs

The scene where Kristen is in the quick sand one frame you see her arm reached up and her head is completely covered but in the next scene you can see some of her hair.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Alice: Hello.
Kristen Parker: Do you live here?
Alice: Nobody lives here.
Kristen Parker: Where's Freddy?
Alice: Heh, heh. He's not home.

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Crazy Credits

A text before the opening credits reads as follows: "When deep sleep falleth on men, fear came apon me. And trembling which made all my bones to shake" -Job IV, 13-14

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Alternate Versions

The dialogue from the film playing inside the movie theater when Alice first walks in and sits down can be heard in the original theatrical version and on earlier VHS editions, but the dialogue has been dubbed out from later VHS and DVD releases so that you can only hear the background piano music instead. The missing audio can be heard on Blu-ray if you select the "English Original Theatrical" audio track, but is missing from the "English DTS-HD Master Audio" track. Oddly enough, if you play the film with the closed captions or subtitles features, the dialogue will still appear on screen, even though nobody can be heard talking. The missing dialogue is as follows:

• Man: See ya, Alvin.
• Boy: Hey, he ain't no paper man.
• Girl: Why, don't you know him? That's "Hot Fingers" Curly.
• Boy: Boy, he really swings out hoppin' with a jive. You want to dance?
• Girl: Do I?

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Connections

Referenced in At the Movies: Die Hard 2/Ghost Dad/Days of Thunder/May Fools (1990)

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Soundtracks

Under the Night Stars
Performed by Sea Hags
Available on "Sea Hags"

User Reviews

The plot was like a cheesy TV series

A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master, the fourth installment in the Nightmare on Elm Street series. I was lucky enough to get the boxed DVD set of Nightmare on Elm Street series and I just finished all the sequels and while the fourth isn't a bad sequel or continuation of the story, it was pretty silly. It was cool to continue on with the dream warriors who were clever enough to defeat Freddy in the third Nightmare on Elm Street. But Freddy's back and he is more ticked off than ever and you know that's not good. But while the story was a good idea, the way it was executed, I wasn't really that into it, just the acting I think is what killed it for me. The way the movie was made was what made it feel like it was more of a cheesy TV show like on the Sci-fi Channel than an actual movie.

We start off where the third installment of the Nightmare on Elm Street series left off, the kids from the hospital are now grown up and are all on their own. But they are quickly killed off by Freddy hoping to get Kirsten back to help them, but they are too late. But when Kirsten finds a girl, Alice, she finds out that Alice has the same powers as she does. She has the ability to pull other people into her dreams and of course Alice is scared to find out how to use her powers, but she may just have to use them since Freddy is now after her and other kids too.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master was a good enough sequel, but it just could have been better. I liked it, but so far it's not my top favorite sequel. Again, we've got some very cool deaths, don't think I could choose one, I think the water bed one was very cool. But once again, I don't wanna spoil it. Of course if you wanna see the Nightmare on Elm Street sequels, this is recommended, but as a horror movie on it's own, it's OK.

6/10

Details

Official Sites:

Nightmare On Elm Street

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 August 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master

Filming Locations:

Café Laurent - 4243 Overland Avenue, Culver City, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$13,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$12,833,403, 21 August 1988

Gross USA:

$49,369,899

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$49,369,899

Company Credits

Production Co:

New Line Cinema, Heron Communications, Smart Egg Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min 99 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1