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The online film magazine Combustible Celluloid offers new movie reviews, DVD reviews, film reviews, actor interviews, actress interviews, director interviews, film books and all things cinema related for the thoughtful and passionate. Online for ten years! Over 3000 reviews!

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A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

Rating: 3 Stars (out of 4)

Freddy, Steady, Go!

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

Though he has made better films throughout his career, this is still one of Wes Craven's most popular. By 1984, the slasher film had already been done to death, but Craven added a fresh take with his amazing, primal idea of a killer that attacks in dreams. His presentation is purely sensational, rather than dreamlike, with creative visual effects driving the dreams and nightmares.

Actor Robert Englund created an enduring beastie with his Freddy Krueger, clad in a black-and-red striped sweater and adorned with scraping, steel claws. Some of the teen stars lack charisma, however, and even a young Johnny Depp didn't appear to have much of a future.

New Line's spruced-up 2010 Blu-Ray comes with tons of extras (two commentary tracks, featurettes, trivia track, etc.) though most of them were created for previous releases.

Buy DVD | Buy Blu-Ray | iTunes Download

Trailer | Poster | Soundtrack

Starring: John Saxon, Ronee Blakley, Heather Langenkamp, Amanda Wyss, Nick Corri, Johnny Depp, Robert Englund
Written by: Wes Craven
Directed by: Wes Craven
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 91 minutes
Date: October 20, 2006