A Nightmare on Elm Street

Name: A Nightmare on Elm Street
Genre: Horror
Released: November 16, 1984
Duration: 91 min
Rating: 76
Cast: Heather Langenkamp, Johnny Depp, Robert Englund

1984

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 12 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 521 Ratings

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8.6

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8.6	User Score Universal acclaim based on 521 Ratings

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A Nightmare On Elm Street

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Movie Details & Credits

New Line Cinema | Release Date: November 16, 1984 | R

Starring: Heather Langenkamp, Johnny Depp, Robert Englund

Summary: Nancy Thompson is suffering from violent nightmares about a badly burned man wearing a glove made of knives. She quickly learns that this man – child molester Freddy Krueger – is also terrorizing the dreams of her friends and boyfriend, Glen. As they begin to die one by one in their sleep, Nancy learns, that years prior, the parents of ElmNancy Thompson is suffering from violent nightmares about a badly burned man wearing a glove made of knives. She quickly learns that this man – child molester Freddy Krueger – is also terrorizing the dreams of her friends and boyfriend, Glen. As they begin to die one by one in their sleep, Nancy learns, that years prior, the parents of Elm Street burned Krueger alive – and now Freddy is back to claim their children’s lives as revenge! As the teenagers of Elm Street fight to stay awake, Nancy must save their lives and her own by bringing Freddy out of their dreams and back into the real world to destroy him forever. (New Line Cinema)… Expand

Director: Wes Craven

Genre(s): Horror

Rating: R

Runtime: 91 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Empire Simon Braund

What makes Freddy truly terrifying, and an inspired invention on Craven's part, is that he exists not in the real world but in the shadowy realm of dreams. Read full review

Paul Attanasio

For such a low-budget movie, Nightmare on Elm Street is extraordinarily polished. The script is consistently witty, the camera work (by cinematographer Jacques Haitkin) crisp and expressive. Read full review

James Berardinelli

A Nightmare on Elm Street is tailor made for those who like their gore leavened with thought-provoking ideas - something that is a rarity in this genre. Read full review

J.R. Jones

Here the idea of sleep as the ultimate threat is still fresh and marvelously insidious, and Craven vitalizes the nightmare sequences with assorted surrealist novelties. Read full review

(Staff Not Cretdited)

A Nightmare on Elm Street is a highly imaginative horror film that provides the requisite shocks to keep fans of the genre happy. Read full review

Nick Schager

Nightmare’s skill wasn’t that it invented such associations—which had already been thoroughly mined by its ’70s predecessors—but that it refined them in uniquely disturbing ways, drenching itself in an atmosphere of unreality positioned somewhere between waking and slumbering states. Read full review

Bill Cosford

A decent ride. It has a boogeyman, exploding teen-agers and blood by the vat; it's part of the oeuvre. It is also, alas, no significant advance of the sub-genre some of us feel, however improbably, attached to. Teens-and- slash may be a form full ofhack work and dim bulbs, but so long as that form stays within reach of young and relatively unsullied directors, there is hope. [6 March 1985, p.C5]

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User Reviews

MovieGoer14

Jul 20, 2013

A Nightmare on Elm Street is really creepy and masterful with inventive and original ideas. The visual effects are amazing, first rate intense ideas. The plot is horrifying and scary as hell, with twists and thrills that you will stay with you for a long time. The acting is above mediocreA Nightmare on Elm Street is really creepy and masterful with inventive and original ideas. The visual effects are amazing, first rate intense ideas. The plot is horrifying and scary as hell, with twists and thrills that you will stay with you for a long time. The acting is above mediocre but not perfect. Overall, it is funny, scary and great.… Expand

30 of 30 users found this helpful300

sdumers

Sep 18, 2020

This horror film remains as my personal favorite slasher horror film from the 1980's! With it's great nightmarish special effects, and brilliantly told plot, A Nightmare on Elm Street gives the serial killer horror key a taste of the supernatural.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

DravenatorLives

Jul 22, 2011

I love every bit of this picture. This is not only a masterpiece of horror cinema, but a masterpiece of indie cinema. Whether you're a budding filmmaker, a horror-freak, or both (I happen to be both), this film is a must-see.

4 of 4 users found this helpful40

TracyD.

Apr 30, 2010

Loved the movie. I have been reading what critics have been saying and I think it is a bit of a joke. I see how one can objectively judge this movie without seeing the original, but wanting it to "say something" or "send a message" is asinine. It would be a bigger issue if the story got Loved the movie. I have been reading what critics have been saying and I think it is a bit of a joke. I see how one can objectively judge this movie without seeing the original, but wanting it to "say something" or "send a message" is asinine. It would be a bigger issue if the story got away from the original. For those who right articles and reviews without seeing the original miss that point. I was happy to see an updated version of a great horror flick. I would nudge my wife, which hasn't seen the original as well, at which scenes were derived from the original. I didn't see this as another Jennifer's Body or some other horror film that takes all the 17 years olds… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

Le__Xenomorph

Dec 28, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I don't care what anyone says, this film is hilarious. It has really campy acting and especially bad acting from Johnny Depp. The funniest part of this movie is when the main female antagonist is fighting Freddy. But, not to say this movie has its creepy scenes as well. The creepiest parts being when Freddy is dragging his nails alongside the walls. I am giving this movie a 9/10 for how scary it was back in the day. 9/10 (Awesome)… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

CasperLew

Sep 17, 2019

When most people think of 70s-80s horror films they either think Halloween, Friday the 13th or A nightmare on elm street. The first film in the series is unarguably the best (as is usually the case). The primary element that elevates A Nightmare on Elm Street above many of its contemporariesWhen most people think of 70s-80s horror films they either think Halloween, Friday the 13th or A nightmare on elm street. The first film in the series is unarguably the best (as is usually the case). The primary element that elevates A Nightmare on Elm Street above many of its contemporaries is that the storyline invites intellectual participation. In addition to offering the visceral thrills that are necessary in a genre entry, Craven's screenplay works on another level. He wants viewers to think about the division between dreams and waking, between fantasy and reality, between other worlds and this one. He also warps expectations - at times, we're aware that the characters are trapped in a dreamscape, but there are times when we're not. And there are occasions when we think they're dreaming and they're actually awake. And of course, we got Freddy Krueger. (rousing horror by Wes Craven)… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

harvdog03

Oct 31, 2018

I'm not really in to horror movies but this one was slightly entertaining while still be creepy. It does make you not want to go to sleep.

0 of 12 users found this helpful012

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