The Elm Street Retrospective: Wes Craven's New Nightmare

It's been awhile since we visited the town of Springwood. I honestly thought I had finished all of my Retrospective on the Elm Street films. However, that appeared to be wrong. So let's rectify that, shall we? 

*For those interested, I have covered Freddy vs. Jason and Elm Street 2010. Feel free to check them out.*

After the failure of Freddy's Dead, it seemed like the Elm Street franchise had been put to rest. New Line had finally found a way to put Freddy to rest. They were ready to move on. However, something interesting happened. The fans weren't ready to say goodbye. They still were hoping for more. 

To make this even more special, the 10 year anniversary of the original was right around the corner. Everything was coming together in just the right way. Members of the original cast were returning. And Wes Craven was happy to revisit his creation one more time. 

What a better way to go out than to have the one that created it to wrap it up? By this point, Wes had done so many different kind of films. He was so ready to make sure that this would be different than the more comedic entries. It was a return to its roots. It was a return in such a special way. It threw everything that fans were expecting out the window. Instead, Wes was trying such a different approach with the meta elements of New Nightmare. It was a prototype in a way to what he'd later go on to do with Scream. 

I have seen some people say that New Nightmare isn't great. For me, this was an entry I'd place on the more meaningful side of the franchise. Whenever I wasn't feeling the greatest and was home sick, I'd either put on Indiana Jones or New Nightmare. Sometimes I'd switch it up and watch the original Nightmare. So in a way, it became a comfort movie for me. When the news of Wes's passing happened, this was the first film of his I watched. 

New Nightmare was so unique. It blended the meta and film elements together in such a refreshing way. It allowed us to find a way to fear Freddy once again. Well, the entity that portrayed Freddy in the film. For some, I could see that as a cop out. However, this added a new feel of menace to the character. Especially considering that this was now the 'thing that the first caveman was afraid of' that Wes had talked about in the past. So immediately it set this into a more mythological approach in a way. This is immediately evident at the end of the film with the Lair. 

One thing that I will say is that I feel the 'Reel Freddy' design is a bit cheesy. Long trenchcoat probably is a large reason why. Why was this needed? I get that some may say it evokes the Witch from Hansel and Gretel. But partially, it feels dumb.  The new glove that he uses is cool though. It's a definite upgrade over the original. 

This film was a love letter to the original and the franchise. It was Wes way of saying thanks as well. All of the parallels between the original and this work together really well. 

Another high point for me was the cast. Heather Langenkamp and John Saxon's performances are super solid. Miko Hughes as Dylan was also great. This here was a character that felt close to my age. He was able to do so much. And the fact that the film does hang on whether or not it works is interesting. Robert Englund also steals the show with his performance. It's familiar yet eerily not. The thing that I wish we had more of was Robert Englund as Robert Englund. It feels like he was just dropped too early and was a missing plot hole. 

There is a bit of cheese, in my opinion, with the use of Hansel and Gretel. It just felt a bit convenient. It helped wrap the film up in a nice bow. But ultimately, New Nightmare was a very welcome addition to the franchise. 

Rating: 4 out of 5. 

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The Elm Street Retrospective: Nightmare On Elm Street Part 5 - The Dream Child/Freddy's Dead

 Welcome back. Sorry for the long absence between Part 4 and Part 5 of this Retrospective. I've been dealing with some things that have been popping up. Rest assured, we will be concluding our look at the Elm Street franchise. 

Now when someone usually talks about the Elm Street films, they may say they peaked with 3. "Everything after 3 just was the downfall of the franchise.". Typically, I may have agreed with them in the past. However, I don't see it like that anymore. This rewatch allowed me to change my perspective. 

With the success of 4, Freddy continued to prove that there was still gas in the tank. People had turned up for what I'd consider the James Bond blockbuster take on Elm Street. If that could happen, how else could Freddy be reinterpreted? 

Well, it's safe to say that Stephen Hopkins had a lot to try and overcome. A looming release date was something that overshadowed the production. Everything had to be done and completed in roughly a year. That is a huge issue. 

I definitely appreciate what Hopkins was going for with this installment. The idea of Freddy getting to his victims through the dreams of an unborn child. That's really frightening. And it's something that continues the themes of the films. It also gave the film a different tone compared to 4. Less blockbuster fluff and more cerebral to an extent. I mean ya can't really take the concept of Super Freddy that seriously. 

With this rewatch, I did notice that there were a few similarities between 4 and 5. Take a look at the group of characters. Outside of Dan and Alice, the characters in 5 feel similar to characters in 4. Greta feels like in the vein of Debbie, just more of a rich girl. Mark feels like he's close to Rick, just a comic artist instead of a martial artist. And Greta's dream sequence felt similar to Debbie's. I can definitely chalk up the quick production to this.

Robert Englund continues to deliver a fantastic performance. That's one of the high points with this franchise - with each installment, Robert's performance just helps make the film fun. By this point, Freddy was a little less darker than before. That's definitely thanks to Dream Master being a pop culture film. 

The Dream Child could be seen to some as a solid finale to this timeline. It manages to wrap things up in a decent way. Unfortunately none of the characters would be revisited in the next film. 

Now this brings me to Freddy's Dead. 

This is a film that was supposed to put the nail in the coffin. It was supposed to lay Freddy to rest. The films were running their course and people weren't exactly thrilled with The Dream Child. So, New Line was ready to do what Paramount had attempted with The Final Chapter. 

It was something that was an event. I mean if you can look at the pop culture around this time, you'll see lots of things labeling this as Freddy's end. But honestly this isn't an Elm Street film. It lacks the proper title to tie it in. 

No, this is a film that could be seen as a one off that separate from the previous five entries. It's something that could be considered a natural endpoint, especially considering that Freddy had mostly wiped out the children of Springwood save for one. 

Nah, this is the Looney Tunes of the franchise. It's a complete parody of what it once was. I mean come on, Freddy as Wicked Witch on a broom. If thats not a Bugs Bunny approach, I don't know what is. This was an installment that I rented a lot while I was growing up. Looking back, this was an entry that seemed to always be available. So I'd always watch this and Dream Master back to back. 

Seeing this film again, the issues are a bit more prevalent. It's very clear that there was no understanding of where to go following Dream Child. This was a direct response to fans asking for more. You want more, then you'll get more. This gave us glimpses into how Freddy became what he became. This could be interesting if we weren't seeing such a light hearted take on the character outside of the flashbacks. Hell, it's something that could work a little better now. Unfortunately, it leaves the film feeling like a fluff piece to me. 

The characters are mostly one note. Especially given Maggie. This was a character the whole film builds up to. Freddy had a child. Who is it? John? Nah. This just felt like the story running around not knowing where to go next. 

While this may have been one of my favorites growing up, sadly doesn't hold up well. 

Dream Child: 3.5 out of 5.

Freddy's Dead: 3 out of 5.

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The Elm Street Retrospective: Nightmare On Elm Street Part 4 - The Dream Master

    Welcome back to The Elm Street Retrospective. Much like Freddy after Dream Warriors, Springwood has gone eerily quiet. It's a time of peace as the boiler has finally run cold. The children can rest easy once again, right? After the massive success of Dream Warriors, it only made sense for New Line to deliver another film. This was the point where New Line saw exactly what they had - a massive cash cow.

    For me, I don't know how to feel about Dream Master. I grew up watching the hell out of it. Every chance I got, I would rent it from the local video store. I miss video stores. There are tons of fond memories I have of going and perusing the shelves. They would have a deal where you could rent 10 movies for 10 days for $1. I would always find a way of finding some films that I had never seen before or since. And almost an essential piece of that random movie marathon would be Dream Master. This was the installment that just clicked for me. 

    It also brought us a more interesting take on Freddy as the humor was ramped up to 11. Renny Harlin knew what he was doing with this installment. New Line were very keen on letting him make this distinctly his idea of an Elm Street movie as well. This is an Elm Street that is a blockbuster popcorn film. It's meant to be a fun ride. It definitely doesn't take itself too seriously as well. This is the wisecracker that we've all come to associate with Freddy Krueger. Robert Englund delivers an outstanding performance. 

    With this viewing, Dream Master felt a little different. I mean yeah, it's the summer blockbuster of the Elm Street series. That's something that is extremely unique with this series. Each installment is different from the previous installment. Yeah, there's a thing or two that may cross over into the next installment. But the tones of each of them are vastly different. The installments after this one definitely are not of the blockbuster variety. So the Dream Master stands alone. 

    Alright, first thing I want to say is that with this installment - it kind of puts the character of Nancy in a bad spot. I mean at the end of Dream Warriors, she sacrificed herself so that Joey, Kristen, and Kincaid could survive. But with the revival via dog piss of Kincaid's Jason, Freddy is brought back. This definitely made that sacrifice feel a bit hollow, especially as those three characters are quickly tossed aside. Now, it was a bit of a bold move of handling it that way. I understand that Patricia Arquette didn't want to return and that there was some disputes behind the scenes that led to that. For those that enjoyed those characters, it feels a bit like a slap in the face. On the other hand, it feels like a play on the horror trope of the survivors of the previous film to die in the beginning of the next. 

    Something I really enjoy about Dream Master is how it expands on the lore. It quickly establishes that there's more going on in the dream world than just Freddy. It begins to slowly suggest that what we've seen is only a small fraction of what's actually going on. Especially as it establishes that there's two gatekeepers and that Freddy's one of them. It is a bit of an intriguing concept. Basically something that could have just been developed a bit further if they had chosen to do so. I mean yeah, technically they did with the Dream Demons later on. But that could have been so much more. Maybe it's time to revisit that in a reboot. 

    Outside of Kristen, Joey, and Kincaid, all of the newcomers are great. Lisa Wilcox is great as Alice. Her performance is incredibly layered and does feel a bit like a throwback to Nancy. Each and every one of them are a bit sterotypical besides Alice. But they are believable and do well with what they were given. I do wish that some of them would have survived besides Dan. Was it necessary for Shelia? I honestly don't think it was. Imagine if they had let her live, she'd be serving the same purpose that Yvonne ultimately did. 

    The kills are a bit more fantastical in this installment. Poor Rick, if only he hadn't fallen asleep in the bathroom. That was a small detail that I hadn't really grasped till this time. One of the bigger highlights being the roach hotel segment. I mean look at the effects that were used. Pretty incredible. The makeup for Freddy continued to change as well and now we have more of a pepperoni pizza look to him. Interesting thing is how this seemed to become his more iconic look. 

    It's no surprise that this installment was a success as well. It's pretty easy to see why. This is a fun ride that you can turn your brain off to. There are some that may say it is a small retread. But the way I look at is it's the 'blockbuster' take on the original concept. It is the installment that I tend to return to the most as well. 

Rating: 4 out of 5. 

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The Elm Street Retrospective: Nightmare On Elm Street Part 3 - Dream Warriors

 

    Hello everyone. How's everyone's week going? Things going okay here. Little chaotic but nothing too far from the course for this time of the year. Seems like every year round this time is chaotic. Last time we talked about Freddy's Revenge, a film that one could consider to be a cult classic now. It gave a bit of a more sinister take on Freddy Krueger. And of course, it was a big hit.      

    After that point, it was a bit of a no brainer that we wouldn't be seeing the last of Freddy. I mean it was New Line Cinema's cash cow. Plus the audiences were still turning up for it. So if it's going to make money, why not keep the ball rolling with it? That was kind of the general consensus with the movie studios and their views on the horror genre at that time. At that point, we had gotten six Fridays at that point? When it released in 1987, Freddy was the only one of the top three horror icons to have a film in the theater. Jason Lives had been released in '86 and then Michael wouldn't return till '88. 

    It was also at this point that New Line was trying to distance itself at the time from Freddy's Revenge. In my opinion, that was something that was extremely unfortunate. Since Nancy was able to return in Dream Warriors, it would have been a fitting place for Mark Patton's Jesse to return as well. Instead, they chose to attempt to sweep the film under the rug due to the fan reaction at the time. In order to try and expand the world of Elm Street, New Line tapped Wes Craven to return. They had been hoping that he'd return to write and direct the film. Wes signed on to co-write the film alongside Bruce Wagner. What New Line Cinema received was something a bit darker and horror-centric than what we initially received in the final product. 

    I mean in the very beginning of this script, we see a baby Freddy emerging from a pregnant woman. Hmm...I wonder if it's something that would ever be featured later on in the series. Nah, probably not. But something that Craven and Wagner were on to was the idea of showing more of an effect Freddy has on the children of the world as it featured multiple missing children posters. Again, it was something that kind of makes sense in the long run of the franchise now as it seems like New Line picked some aspects out for other installments. One of the biggest things I noticed is that Nancy was front and center at the heart of the story. It definitely felt more of a continuation of the original film. It's really an intriguing read that if you wish to seek it out, you can find it available on the internet. 

    When New Line's offer to direct was rejected, they moved on from Craven and Wagner. They brought in Frank Darabont and Chuck Russell to deliver a film. The pair worked on the script while Russell would ultimately be the director of the piece. When New Line was delivered the final version, I'm assuming they were happy with what they received. While Craven and Wagner were a different take on the material, this new version was a bit lighter. It was something that played up the 'dream' aspects of Elm Street while also bringing a bit more humor to it. It's something that felt more like an event or a horror blockbuster film, if you will. It was an entertaining fun ride. 

    This was one of my most watched installments while I was growing up. I enjoyed the film a lot. It's one that I can always turn on and be entertained. It brought a lighter, humorous tone to the film series. I think one of the largest reasons that the film works so much is its cast. Everybody is fantastic. Englund again kills it as Krueger. This is the time where we begin to get the Freddy we are more used with his one liners. He's still savage but with more of a smile on his face. Heather Langenkamp returns as Nancy. It's always great seeing her back. Honestly, I could go on further listing off the cast because it's pretty stacked. I mean Laurence Fishburne and Patricia Arquette. That was the beauty of 80s horror - seeing actors and actresses that'd become big in their early roles. 

    Everything was a bit more inventive with the way that Freddy was portrayed and what he was doing in the dreams. That was a bit of a step up from the previous two films. But as the more out-there it got, the creepier Freddy gets. I mean come on, he lifts a girl and smashes her into a tv because she wants to be an actress. Or OD-ing someone that's recovering from use of drugs. That's all pretty savage. Oh, then there's the Freddy-worm. We'll call it that. It's a worm. Nothing suggestive or in subtext there whatsoever. 

    Over the years, my opinion of the film has changed a little bit. I still enjoy it a lot, mind you. I just find myself wondering what it would have been like if we would have gotten that initial Craven and Wagner script. Honestly, it'd be interesting if they were to do a Dream Warriors reboot - let's get the horror version of it. Give us something new and different with Freddy. That's something that I really just find myself saying a lot. Let's do something new. The Elm Street remake could have been very solid. It was setting itself up to be different and establishing an idea of 'What if Freddy was innocent? What if the parents had murdered an innocent man for something their children had said?'. But then they didn't double down on things and instead chickened out. This version feels a little like the studio was playing it a bit safe. And Nancy doesn't feel entirely as integral to the film as in the original draft. They did expand the lore of the world though with the introduction of Amanda Krueger and him being the son of 1,000 Maniacs. At this point, I tend to gravitate more towards the next installment if I want a fun Elm Street movie. 

Rating: 3.75 out of 5. 

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The Elm Street Retrospective: A Nightmare On Elm Street Part 2 - Freddy's Revenge (1985)

 

       Welcome back to The Elm Street Retrospective. Last time, we took a look at the original 1984 classic. It was a solid story that's become a classic for a reason. It unleashed Fred Krueger upon the world. And honestly, it was never the same again. So with the ending of that film still showing that Krueger is still haunting dreams, it made sense that there would be a sequel. 

    And a sequel there would be. Just for some people at the time not the one that they were expecting. A Nightmare On Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge was quickly put together and released in 1985. Honestly, that's a pretty quick turnaround. It's something that we have seen with the Friday the 13th franchise as well as something between Scream and Scream 2. 

    Originally, there was just one small issue at first. Well, I guess you could say one or two really. Wes Craven would not be returning for the sequel. He was very adamant that he just wished it to be a one and done. He told his story and was ready to move on. Especially as there was some misgivings between him and Bob Shaye concerning the original ending for '84 - it had to have a sequel hook. For the first week of production, Robert Englund wasn't even signed on to reprise the role that he made. How could this be? Well, it's safe to say that the studio had no idea what it had just yet. It was only the first sequel. So they didn't have an idea yet on what an Elm Street film should be. Thankfully, everyone quickly realized that Englund was quintessential to what Krueger would be and he was brought back. The downside though is that there was at least one instance of what I'd like to call Impostor Krueger still in the film. 

    When the film was released, it was a big success. However over the years, it felt like there were people that couldn't help but bash the film. They couldn't handle the story that was provided. It wasn't their Freddy. It wasn't their Elm Street. To them, I want to say screw you. The story of Freddy's Revenge is pretty bold. It literally took what worked in the first film and then turn it a little on its head. And those people just couldn't handle it. Why on earth would Freddy try to prey upon Jesse, the boy that was the next child that lived in the Elm Street home? If you think about the type of character that Freddy is, it makes perfect sense. There is no favoring one over the other. Freddy preys upon everyone for his own sick demented pleasure. He turns whatever dream or fantasies they may have and flips them upon themselves. So it makes perfect sense that he would prey upon Jesse. 

    I guess I put the cart before the horse a little bit. The synopsis for the film is as follows: A teenage boy is haunted in his dreams by deceased child murderer Freddy Krueger, who is out to possess him in order to continue his reign of terror in the real world. This whole concept of Freddy using Jesse as a way of enacting his desires in the real world - it's brilliant. Mark Patton kills it in this film. And no that's not a pun. He literally gives this film his all. He was an up-and-comer and delivered a performance that is incredible. Unfortunately at the time, he was shunned and picked on for it. It's a damn shame. But over the years, his performance continues to deliver everything and prove all those that were ill-speaking of him just how wrong they were. This film literally hinges on his performance. 

    Now don't get me wrong, the rest of the cast doesn't deliver bad performances. Far from it, everyone brings a solid performance. Englund upped the ante with this take on Freddy. It was a bit more sinister and darker. When comparing performance from Nightmare 1 with 2, I would say that in 2 he's a bit more ruthless. Robert Rusler and Kim Myers are both fantastic as well. I just don't know if the film would work if it had been anyone else besides Patton. Clu Galager is always a delight when see him in a film. And it's definitely no different here in his role as Jesse's Dad. Marshall Bell is the infamous Coach Schneider. Now, this is another performance that could have been very campy. But it's interesting as we begin to see the other side of Schneider. It's a performance with a few different layers to it. 

    The one thing that I don't know if it worked that well is the 'rules' for Freddy, especially in regards to the pool party. Did Freddy appear because Jesse fell sleep and he possessed him? Was that really Freddy? How did he get the disappear and appear abilities? There's a lot of different questions that could be asked regarding that scene alone. But again, it wasn't really established what Freddy's abilities were or how they worked. This second installment does do a good job of giving us more Freddy though. 

    There was also the talk for the longest time of 'subtext' with this installment. Honestly, I appreciate the film for all that it does. Cause it does do a lot. And it's something incredible to see that Freddy's Revenge is finally getting the appreciation it deserves. 

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

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The Elm Street Retrospective: A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)

 

    Hello and Welcome back to The Elm Street Retrospective. In our last installment, we took a look at what I would consider to be The Prequel of the Elm Street franchise with two episodes ("No More Mr. Nice Guy" and "Sister's Keeper") from Freddy's Nightmares. Both of those episodes work together beautifully to craft a unique lead in to the the original Nightmare. 

    Wes Craven. What is the first movie that comes to minds when someone mentions Wes Craven? Partially it all depends on when they had their first experience with one of his films. Some people will say Scream. But I wouldn't be surprised if a lot more go on to mention the original Nightmare On Elm Street.

    A Nightmare On Elm Street was written and directed by Wes Craven. It saw its release in 1984 by New Line Cinema. At the time, New Line Cinema was a bit down on their luck with the film business. However with Freddy at their side, they became the House that Freddy Built. Well, least till a certain franchise (Lord of the Rings) pushed them even further. Yeah, New Line would go back to their horror roots with the release of IT, The Conjuring franchise, and Malignant to name a few.  But it just isn't the same anymore. No one makes movies like the Elm Street or Friday the 13ths. And honestly that's a bit of a shame because these movies are solid comfort movies. I know I watched the Elm Street series a lot when I received them on DVD. They were there for me when I was dealing with the fact that my parents were getting a divorce. So I consider them to comfort movies and are among one of my favorite, if not my favorite, franchise. 

    Okay, okay. Sorry if that came across as a bit of a rant. At this point in his career, Wes Craven had made a few films -  The Last House On The Left, Hills Have Eyes,  Deadly Blessing, and Swamp Thing. Some of them were successful and some could be seen as missing the mark. Now, I may have seen one or two of these before. You can be sure that I'll be going back and maybe exploring more of his films. Wes had started seeing articles appearing in the "Los Angeles Times" regarding people dying in their sleep. Over the course of three years, Wes had seen enough that it had him asking what exactly was going on. What was happening to these people? Is there something after them? Wes then took it upon himself and crafted the story. 

    However it appeared that Hollywood wasn't ready for Elm Street as studios passed on Wes's script. Eventually Bob Shaye and New Line Cinema would find their way to Wes and give him a chance. It would be a little more time for the funds to be ready to film the movie. But it appeared as if things were lining up. At one point, they apparently had issues behind the scenes with the payroll and there were a day or two where everyone was unsure if they were going to get paid. Everything seemed to pay off when the film was released as Elm Street would become a success and save New Line Cinema from bankruptcy. 

    There is a reason that A Nightmare On Elm Street has gone on to become such a cult classic. It is a fantastic film that is filled with so many great performances from all of the performers. Yeah, one of the standouts is Robert Englund as Fred Krueger. He is just cold and calculated. He takes a sick glee to pursuing his prey. Robert Englund is Fred Krueger as he developed such a fantastic set of mannerisms and physicality that is so unique to the character. He's wonderfully balanced with Heather Langenkamp's Nancy. She is a solid foil to our Springwood Slasher. One of the interesting things is that if someone's watching the film for the first time - they may not know we are supposed to be following Nancy till after Tina's death. I hope that's something that isn't spoiled for newcomers to the franchise. All of the kids in this film feel real. They feel like kids. Especially kids that you would see in a high school at that time. It kind of is a solid time capsule of the 80s. 

    If I wanted to be super critical of Elm Street '84, I would say that one of the things that I find about the film is that it's a tad bit off in its pacing. The film moves very quickly to progress to focusing on Nancy. However after that, it feels a bit like it lags. I mean I get that the whole purpose of the Dream Clinic scene - to pull the hat out of Nancy's dream. But it feels a bit like padding. Something I do know is that there were deleted scenes. There were extra bits and bobs regarding the violence. I mean a lot of us have seen Never Sleep Again and know that Tina's death was initially a bit more graphic and that there were bits of seeing Freddy in Tina's POV. One of the things that I miss is a scene between Nancy and her Mom. It's not long after Tina's death and around the time that her mother reveal Freddy's glove. But it's an interesting concept where we are introduced to the idea that Nancy had an older sister. That each of her friends had an older sibling that was taken in the initial spree from Fred that resulted in his arrest. This is something that would line up with the Freddy's Nightmares story. I guess I get that then the question would beg: Why hadn't Nancy remembered them? It could have happened while Nancy and her friends were a little younger. 

    The effects are also another key aspect of the film. It just is a fresh reminder of how interesting practical effects can be. I know Fred's elongated arms can look a bit off if you linger on it too long. But it effectively plays up the dream aspect. One of my favorite effects is Fred emerging from the wall while Nancy sleeps in the bed. It is so beautiful. And it's such a simple effect. We've seen it redone in Elm Street '10 and they definitely failed to the understand the assignment. 

    A Nightmare On Elm Street is a film that I find to work really well. It's bold in the fact that it pushed the genre to a new limit. It brilliantly established that nothing can save you, not even your dreams. And it definitely wasn't playing things safe. There's a reason it has lasted these many years and continues to find a new generation. 

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

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The Elm Street Retrospective: The Prequel

    Hello everyone, Matthew here. We've been to Crystal Lake for the New Line Era, Haddonfield, Woodsboro, and to the outskirts of Texas so far. But I am happy to say that its time. Take a walk with me as we visit the streets of Springwood. Rumor has it, it's a town that nightmares are made of. It's time to visit Elm Street. 

    When people hear A Nightmare On Elm Street, they immediately begin thinking of the 1984 classic from Wes Craven. It's a fantastic film that set a new bar for the genre as well as one that helped build New Line Cinema. But for the Springwood Slasher, that's not where his story begins. I mean technically yes, it is. Nancy's Mom is able to share with her daughter the story of why Freddy was coming after them. But we never see it. 

    When New Line Cinema was riding the Elm Street train in the late 80s, they decided on bringing Freddy to the TV screen. It then shifted into something of an anthology series where each episode could serve as a standalone story and we would get some glimpses of Robert Englund as Freddy. His presence would serve the series like the Cryptkeeper was for Tales From The Crypt. The pilot for the series was then decided that it'd be the perfect time to tell the backstory that Nancy's Mom had mentioned in the film. 

    "No More, Mr. Nice Guy" is an interesting approach to telling a Freddy origin story. It was directed by Tobe Hooper. Yes, that Tobe Hooper of Texas Chain Saw Massacre fame. The story for the episode is fairly simple. It follows Timothy Blocker, a cop that was responsible for arresting Fred Krueger. In an interesting approach and the only time in franchise history, we witness the trial of Fred Krueger as the case is dismissed by the judge. The reasoning for it was because Fred wasn't read his rights. 

    Now if people were thinking that there would be more connective tissue in this episode between the series and the film, sorry to disappoint. We don't see Nancy's parents at any point. Honestly, I am okay with that. It doesn't really need to feature them. We know that they were there - so it doesn't need to bring attention to that. In fact, if they had featured them I feel like it would distract audience from the story. And we'd be wondering why we were following Blocker. 

    Blocker is a father of two teenage girls. He's a cop. Basically, he's serving as our stand in for John Saxon. That's pretty okay to me. He's not a very bland character. When Freddy is released, he tells Blocker that he'll be seeing his daughters soon. Of course, that's a very upsetting thing for Blocker. Immediately, Blocker ensures his family will be protected. But we all know that won't last. This story is a fairly simple one where the first half moves very quickly. Partially, I felt like it was a little too fast and would have appreciated a little more time for things to breathe. But I get it, it's a tv show. 

    There's a moment where I was taken out for a moment. Freddy returns to his 'lair' which is a rundown factory. It's meant to evoke the boiler room that we come to associate with the character so much. That is appreciated. But then, Freddy has an ice cream truck. I was like what? Why does he have that? He's never been mentioned having that. It just felt a little over the top. There's a distinct tone of over the topness that I feel was meant as a way of balancing things out. Cause I mean it is a bit dark themes with just Freddy's backstory in general. Something that I felt was missing from the episode was the Elm Street theme. It was something that just stood out a bit. I've seen this story in a fanedit originally that incorporated that theme back into it. But now, I had a chance to see it in its original form thanks to ScreamBox. 

    And then the story shifts gears when Freddy visits Blocker's family. In a pretty unique way, they are able to tell what Freddy does without showing it. This causes the mob of parents to form. They go to his 'lair' ready to confront him. Blocker goes to attempt to stop them as he believes Fred needs to be brought to justice. However, we all know at this point where the story is going to go. I mean how else could it go? Freddy is burned and set forth on Springwood. It all happens without the use of the Dream Demons. That's something I greatly appreciate. The whole concept of Dream Demons will be something that we'll talk about when we get to Freddy's Dead. After this, the episode shifts into a more traditional Elm Street feel. At this point, we get to see more of Freddy haunting Blocker. It all culminates in a fantastic ending that made me squirm. (For those that don't know, I underwent dental surgery back in July of last year. That event is what brought me back to working on this blog as a way of keeping my sanity. So anything dentist related makes me squirm.) 

    "My Sister's Keeper" picks up about 3 months after the ending of "No More, Mr. Nice Guy". It focuses on Blocker's daughters, Lisa and Merit.  In fair Elm Street fashion, their Mother isn't really a huge factor in the show. Lisa and Merit are our main characters with one or two friends. The friends aren't super memorable. They are there to serve a purpose. However, this episode is just oozing with the classic Elm Street feel. An interesting concept that is played with is the idea of twins switching to see what the other's life is like. It allows Lisa and Merit to understand each other very well. Freddy is a bit more comedic - at one point, he plays the electric guitar. But he's never too far over the top as he was in a future film. 

   Now typically, I would have went on to the second episode. I don't usually watch episodes out of order for a TV series. However, it was brought to my attention (thanks to John Squires from Bloody-Disgusting) that there was a sequel episode - My Sister's Keeper. Immediately, I had to watch them back to back. There is a shift in tone when comparing the two episodes is incredibly interesting. But they go so well together to form essentially a solid prequel to the films. It was the missing piece.

    Overall, I would highly recommend all of Freddy's Nightmares. It's a fantastic series that I am happy to see over on ScreamBox. It's a piece of Elm Street lore that was missing for so long. I had only seen the preview for it on The Dream Master VHS growing up. Now how can we get a physical release for the series so it can sit on my shelf alongside the franchise blu rays?

Rating: 4 out of 5. 

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