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Unfilmable 37: A Nightmare on Elm Street
🕑 Added 2022-03-23 21:00:03 +0000 UTC1, 2, Freddy's coming for you. 3, 4, the gates are open. This slasher classic bucked the trend of wordless, stoic villains in favor of a killer with a distinct personality who was obviously having fun. The teens of Elm Street don't know what's coming for them, as Freddy Krueger invades their dreams, attacking, killing, and sexually menacing them. That is until one girl gets the idea to fight back. We kind of wondered whether or not this would hold up, and we're happy to report that it does.
Comments
Richard Van Deusen
In the sleep clinic: that “pervert” is Roger Rabbit
Matthew Orr
I find the comment about the potential inaccuracy of the science around dreams very funny. Yes, it does seem like we should know more about dreams. However, I am a sleep scientist and have worked on dream studies and can confirm that we do not really know anything about why people dreams. The current theories are, at best, well-informed speculation.
Andy Donnachie
That Epstein comment was hilarious!
Barac Wiley
I'm glad you guys enjoyed. I agree it holds up really well but not so much with the idea that 2 and 3 do. But given that you were sad that Freddy isn't a quipmeister in this movie, I think maybe we're looking for slightly different things in the franchise, which is cool. For me, the original movie is really, really scary, to the point where when I originally watched it some years back (but as an adult, long after its debut), I had trouble sleeping for multiple nights thereafter. It doesn't quite hit that level for me these days, but it's still so atmospheric and creepy. For me Freddy's wisecracks take me *right* out of that mood (though admittedly I remembered him as being mostly silent and menacing, Jason-style, in this one and no, he's maliciously taunting them, it just feels very...sadistic...rather than standup routine.). To say nothing of some pretty goofy moments in the later movies, like the evil parakeet in 2. (Which is really the only bit of that movie that's stayed in my brain.) If you're just there to appreciate some inventive kills and goofs, then it's probably a series that stays watchable a lot longer. But I wanted fear, and I don't get it after the first one. (I have similar feelings about the later Evil Dead movies, although those lean hard enough into comedy that they work for me on that basis.) My candidate for the second best movie in the franchise wouldn't be 2 or 3, but Wes Craven's New Nightmare, which takes Freddy metafictional and has him haunting the actual cast and crew. It's full schlocky quips by that point so it's nowhere near as compelling for me but it's still a great premise.
Tracewidth
'Gremlins', yes!
Tom Jacques
The Nightmare movies after 3 get progressively dumber and dumber (I have a soft spot for the particular 90's schlock of Freddy's Dead but I am sick) but the effects setpieces get cooler and cooler
Nicholas Basile
You guys should do It Follows. Also Gremlins.
Christopher Hilson
As someone that has watched the 4-hour+ documentary on this franchise multiple times to the point that my wife actively enjoys it while hating the series, this is exactly my shit.
Duckfeed.tv
Sure did. It's a bop too
Kyle C.
Dokken!
Ipoop4U
Didn't Nightmare 3 had that ridiculous hair metal theme song.
Kyle C.
There is a Nightmare on Elm St 2 documentary called Scream Queen! thats definitely worth a watch. The main actor in that film was closeted at the time and the obvious gay undertones for the era basically destroyed his career and caused huge emotional turmoil. The script writer still to this day denies there are any gay themes in the film. Regardless, glad that Nightmare 2 has been reclaimed.
Tracewidth
Lemme just go watch Elm Street 2 real quick, on the basis of your ... recommendation.
TheEarthquake
Every time I smoke weed and go to sleep, I don’t dream. It feels like a long blink followed with waking up fully rested. Yet whenever I slept sober, I’d have super vivid dreams that I’d remember for days. I don’t know the science behind it but hearing you guys talk about preventing dreams felt like a 4th wall breaking moment. Great work as always!
Malek Douglas
Never really thought about how guys like Jason and Leatherface (he just squeals) and Michael never really talked but Freddy always talks. A true duality. I guess the guy in Black Christmas talked but I mean. I don’t know his name.
Stephen Veilleux
Just in time for my commute home! One of the sequels that might be fun for you to either watch or just read the wiki synopsis is Wes Craven’s New Nightmare. Very meta and seems like a loving send off to Freddy.
