Freddy Krueger's A Nightmare on Elm Street

A Nightmare on Elm Street
Directed by	Wes Craven
Written by	Wes Craven
Produced by	Robert Shaye
Starring	Heather Langenkamp, John Saxon, Ronee Blakley, Robert Englund
Cinematography	Jacques Haitkin
Edited by	Rick Shaine
Music by	Charles Bernstein
Production company	New Line Cinema
Distributed by	New Line Cinema
Release date	November  9, 1984 (1984-11-09) (US)
Running time	91 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$1.1 million
Box office	$57 million

A Nightmare on Elm Street is a 1984 American supernatural horror film written and directed by Wes Craven. It is the first installment in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise and stars Heather Langenkamp, John Saxon, Ronee Blakley, Robert Englund as Freddy Krueger, and Johnny Depp in his film debut. The plot revolves around several teenagers who are stalked and killed in their dreams by Freddy Krueger, a disfigured killer with a bladed glove. The teenagers are unaware of the cause of this strange phenomenon, but their parents hold a dark secret from long ago.

Plot

The film is set in the fictional town of Springwood, Ohio. Teenager Nancy Thompson and her friends, Tina Gray, Rod Lane, and Glen Lantz, begin experiencing terrifying nightmares involving a mysterious, disfigured man wearing a glove with razor blades attached to the fingers. Tina is the first to be attacked in her sleep and is brutally murdered. Her boyfriend, Rod, is arrested for the crime, but he insists that he did not kill her.

Nancy begins to experience similar dreams and realizes that the man in their dreams is Freddy Krueger, a child murderer who was burned to death by the parents of his victims after being released on a technicality. Freddy is now seeking revenge by killing the children of those who burned him, attacking them in their dreams where they are most vulnerable.

Nancy's mother, Marge Thompson, reveals the truth about Freddy's past, and Nancy devises a plan to confront Freddy and bring him into the real world. With the help of her boyfriend, Glen, Nancy sets traps in her house to capture Freddy. In the final confrontation, Nancy manages to pull Freddy out of the dream world and into reality, where she defeats him. However, the film ends with a twist, suggesting that Freddy may still be alive and capable of haunting their dreams.

Cast

• Heather Langenkamp as Nancy Thompson
• John Saxon as Donald Thompson
• Ronee Blakley as Marge Thompson
• Robert Englund as Freddy Krueger
• Johnny Depp as Glen Lantz
• Amanda Wyss as Tina Gray
• Nick Corri as Rod Lane

Production

A Nightmare on Elm Street was produced by New Line Cinema, which was then a small independent studio. The film's budget was approximately $1.1 million. Wes Craven was inspired to write the screenplay after reading several newspaper articles about young people who died in their sleep after experiencing severe nightmares. The character of Freddy Krueger was named after a bully from Craven's childhood.

The film's special effects, particularly the dream sequences, were groundbreaking for the time. The iconic glove with razor blades was designed by special effects artist Jim Doyle. The film's score was composed by Charles Bernstein, adding to the eerie and suspenseful atmosphere.

Reception

A Nightmare on Elm Street was released on November 9, 1984, and was both a critical and commercial success. It grossed $57 million worldwide and received positive reviews for its originality, special effects, and performances, particularly that of Robert Englund as Freddy Krueger. The film has since become a cult classic and is considered one of the greatest horror films ever made.

Legacy

The success of A Nightmare on Elm Street spawned a franchise consisting of several sequels, a television series, a crossover with the Friday the 13th franchise, and a 2010 remake. Freddy Krueger has become an iconic character in popular culture, known for his distinctive appearance and dark sense of humor.

See also

• A Nightmare on Elm Street (franchise)
• Freddy Krueger
• Wes Craven
• New Line Cinema
• List of horror films of 1984