‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ Review: Revisiting 40 Years of Nightmares and Fears

40 years ago, moviegoers were introduced to horror cinema’s most examined object and the supernatural thriller inspired by a new kind of nightmare. 1984’s A Nightmare on Elm Street is a horror classic directed by Wes Craven, the film was not just the beginning of a new chapter in horror film history; it also saved New Line Cinema from the brink of bankruptcy.

A Nightmare on Elm Street was a turning point that would bring nightmare films to a whole new level. The film remains vivid in both the genre and the audiences today. So, as we celebrate the 40th  anniversary of the film, it’s good to look back and identify what makes this film memorable and why it is still haunting the general audience.

From its very inception, A Nightmare on Elm Street develops a profoundly new idea. The story concerns the small pack of teens living in Springwood, Ohio who are being hunted by Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund), a charred and disfigured serial killer who only appears in their dreams. The fact that Freddy fights in the dream world opens up space for a mix of psychological horror with serious, sometimes almost sadistic imagery, which sets him far apart from other classic horror villains in the 80’s. The storyline resourcefully exploits the malleability of the dream world with its freedom to innovate the exploration of fear and vulnerability. 

Nevertheless, unlike the traditional ones where threat comes mainly from material goods, Freddy’s playground is the unconsciousness, where he can manipulate reality and use the deepest fears of his victims. Such a beginning serves not only as a mechanism for the heightening of the tension but more importantly as an intellectual aspect of horror, which makes the viewers wonder whether there is a line between the virtual and the real world.

The introduction of Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) stood out as a major accomplishment in the film, and he has even turned into a cultural icon over the years. Robert’s performance has not been anything less than legendary. Looking at his disfigurement, striped sweater, and knife-fingered glove, Freddy’s visage comes to the viewer’s mind, and it is both irresistible and nauseating. 

Wes Craven’s contribution to the film is equally significant in its lasting influence. Craven is renowned for his ability to fuse psychological complexity and horror, and A Nightmare on Elm Street is no exception. Craven demonstrates efficient use of suspense and fear through practical effects and experimental, dream-like cinematography to evoke a surreal and nightmarish quality.

His ability to tap into a dream logic provides his story with a fluidity that unsettles the audience. The film effortlessly navigates shifts between the dream world and reality, persistently fostering disorienting dread. Craven’s innovative and considered approach to describing horror, with this film in particular, uses the form to examine deeper themes, such as guilt, trauma and fear, in a very broadly accessible way.

The special effects in A Nightmare on Elm Street are key to the film’s success. During the 1980s, many filmmakers were relying on the simple blood and gore; Craven and his team worked hard to create unique, yet often garish effects for the film. The famous scene where the character Glen Lantz (Johnny Depp) is pulled into his bed to erupt with a fountain of blood, highlights the creativity and ingenuity of the VFX crew. 

Furthermore, notable practical effects like the dream sequences help create a sense of unreality and pleasure. The film features reverse footage, animatronics, and elaborate make-up effects, all of which helped create the film’s over-the-top visual style. The effects create a pleasurable shock, but they also allow the audience to become entrenched in the nightmarish world created by Craven.

The success of A Nightmare on Elm Street is aided by the movie’s performances. Heather Langenkamp (Nancy Thompson) provides a strong, great performance as the quintessential and well-known “final girl.” As a smart, capable, and self-sufficient woman, Nancy adds depth to the character, not only acting as the audience’s entry point into the world of Elm Street, but also as a character to relate to.

The rest of the supporting cast, from Nancy’s father (John Saxon) to her friend Tina Gray (Amanda Wyss) and the memorable film debut of Johnny Depp as Glen Lantz provides compelling, believable performances. While certainly contributing to events in the movie, each character is well-developed, which adds to the feeling of realism and emotional weight within the film. The strong performances serve to ground the film’s surreal elements while at the same time create a sense of immediacy of horror.

The ramifications of A Nightmare on Elm Street extend far beyond its initial premiere. It revitalized the horror genre by introducing an entirely different style of horror that would serve as a touchstone for countless motion pictures and horror picture franchises. Freddy Krueger became an iconic trend in pop culture with sequels, a television program, and multiple references in mass media. Freddy also appeared in a 2003 crossover film Freddy vs. Jason with another 80’s classic horror villain, Jason Voorhees from the famous Friday the 13th franchise.

The influence of the film can also be seen in how it forever altered the slasher genre; whereas much earlier films focused on more standard killers, it combines supernatural aspects with psychological horror to redefine the genre. This film also allowed for future filmmakers to passionately explore new and variant frameworks for horror and psychological horror and inspired a new generation of horror filmmakers. 

As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of A Nightmare on Elm Street, we must acknowledge the position this film occupies in the history of horror cinema. With its fierce originality, nightmarish iconic villain, and careful craftsmanship of direction, A Nightmare on Elm Street stands in a class of its own. Although we are four decades past its premiere, its brand of influence is still evident in cinema today. As we have said about any horror film, it is an exercise of criticism to identify any faults in filmmaking, because A Nightmare on Elm Street proves the rare exception in the realms of originality, vision, and acute audience reaction to fear. A Nightmare on Elm Street remains a seminal work that continues to centrally work its way into the viewership of modern-day audiences.

A Nightmare on Elm Street is written and directed by Wes Craven. The film stars Heather Langenkamp, Robert Englund, John Saxon, Ronee Blakley, Amanda Wyss, Johnny Depp, and more. A Nightmare on Elm Street celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.