A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

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In the dreams of his victims, a spectral child murderer stalks the children of the members of the lynch mob that killed him.

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Directed By: Wes Craven

Written By: Wes Craven

Starring: Johnny Depp, Lin Shaye, Robert Englund, Amanda Wyss, Charles Fleischer, Jsu Garcia, Heather Langenkamp, Ronee Blakley, Joe Unger, Chris Tashima, Mimi Craven, Joseph Whipp

Genre: Horror

Franchise: A Nightmare on Elm Street

Country: USA

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A Nightmare on Elm Street belongs to 56 collections

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3. Psychotronic Film and Video Guides (collaborative: moderated by Gregzilla - 40 stars)

4. Empire's 500 Greatest Movies Of All Time (public: Ross - 36 stars)

5. New York Times' The Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made (collaborative: moderated by theficionado - 32 stars)

6. National Film Registry (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 30 stars)

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8. AAA: Empire's five star movies (collaborative: moderated by KasperL - 24 stars)

9. Edgar Wright 1000 Favorite Movies (Aug 2016) (collaborative: moderated by Aron Ericson - 17 stars)

10. Slasher (collaborative: moderated by Moribunny - 16 stars)

11. Films available in HD (collaborative: moderated by kubricksucks - 13 stars)

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20. retroCRUSH 100 Scariest Movie Scenes (collaborative: moderated by somnivore - 4 stars)

21. Dream/Fantasy/Hallucination Sequence (collaborative: moderated by iconogassed - 4 stars)

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23. edkrak films to see (public: edkrak - 4 stars)

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28. The Mammoth Book of Slasher Movies (book) (public: Ag0stoMesmer - 2 stars)

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30. Nightmare On Elm Street (collaborative: moderated by td888 - 1 star)

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TCI | Percentile | Date Rated | # Stars (Reviews)

Stars	User	Rating
13	Leonardis	93 _76th
It took me awhile to watch this, but I loved it. I grew up watching bits and pieces of these movies around my mom and always thought the character was terrifying and interesting, and this movie didn't change my mind. Thoroughly original, with some great directing from Craven and a fantastic score as well. As cheesy as it may feel, one can't deny it's creativity. Some clever scares and effects made it an even better experience for me. Overall, this was very good.
8	BillyShears	90 _92nd
“THIS is God.” clutches Are you Ready for Freddy by the Fat Boys 45 single so tight it shatters
8	NathanDarko	99 _99th
N.o.E.S. was Craven's big shot, and in my opinion his best work ever. Robert Englund reached cult status in the 80's, and rose to the top of nightmare creatures like Michael Myers, Jason Vorhees or Leatherface.
7	Luna6ix	92 _98th
The pinnacle of 80's slashers, the first one to transcend the genre. Freddy is the villian with the most character, and an interesting backstory. The effects are awesome, this is one hell of an awesome horror movie, a must watch.
7	TimeCapsule	89 _93rd
Wes Craven's "A Nightmare on Elm Street"(1984) holds the distinction of being one of the handful of films that truly freaked me out during my childhood. Tina dying on the ceiling, later followed by her body bag encore haunted me. The first twenty minutes of the movie is practically all you need to see to understand how the film could spawn a franchise around the now iconic "Freddy Krueger." Regardless of the overlong final act and wonky ending, the movie holds up as a fantastic 80's horror film.
6	monclivie	77 _61st
Sometimes too annoying (sleepyhead, mom, policeman). My dream: slasher without morons. But still, it's ok and imho better than Halloween or Friday the 13th. I love Freddy's sense of humour, I love his sweater, his glove, and 'We don't need a stretcher in there. We need a mop!'.
6	Jasongirl67	75 _69th
I'm not gonna lie I've never been a Freddy fan ! But this was fairly well written Haunting nursery rhyme Original kills Inventive special effects But that ending .....W/T/F ?
5	Paxton	82 _90th
Thirty years later (that's even scarier than the movie) this story still has some teeth. While most slasher films have an overwhelming sense of eighties, or fx that have aged about as well as Macaulay Culkin (he didn't deserve that), ANOES is still creepy, and when given the opportunity to get cheesy (Freddy's arms stretching out to chase Amanda Wyss) it redeems itself with some solid and horrific imagery (Amanda Wyss bleeding out on the ceiling). Well made, and aging even better.
4	Jeb	92 _83rd
Great and an iconic horror flick that really pushed the genre to a great new low. Extra points for Depp's geyser of blood.
4	DavidBlast	70 _65th
Perhaps one of the best slasher franchise setups of all time. Freddy's inescapable slaughtering ground allows for a potentially unlimited variety of kills. Freddy's sadistic toying with his victims is great fun and allows for a much more interesting bad guy than is usually allowed in slasher movies. Finally the whole problem with the constant death and resurrection of the antagonist is sort of solved with the whole 'dream world' thing. Props for good thinking, even though the execution is so-so.
4	Matthew Parkinson (CineMarter)	80 _89th
A Nightmare on Elm Street is a smart, scary, atmospheric horror movie with an absolute gem of a premise. The "killing people in dreams" idea allows for logic to be thrown out the window, and also opens endless doors for creative kills. We don't question what takes place in dreams, after all. It has a great leading character, a memorable and freaky villain, a script which doesn't pander to or insult the audience, and the film actually gives you a bit to think about on an intellectual level.
3	TripleSH	90 _90th
A masterfully done horror movie that turned the genre on its ear in the early 80's. There's a reason why they're still putting out movies with Freddy Krueger in them. The man sells tickets.
3	Ytadel	7 _83rd
(2016 Freddython #1:) I will say first thing that I don't find any of the Elm Street movies actually scary in the slightest. All they are to me are dark dreamy fantasy adventure flicks. But in that vein this first film is a solid and imaginative piece of work, crafting an iconic slasher villain with more personality than Michael or Jason and lots of inventive, gory practical effects-driven scenarios. Depp gets name checked often but Heather Langenkamp deserves credit too as a fine scream queen.
3	evrana	73 _55th
The mechanical effects age much better than CGI. You can see after 30 years how Freddy Krueger became a cult icon. The concept of haunted nightmares is interesting and with the underlying cheekiness, the movie is quite enjoyable. Besides, it is very hard not to like a movie which has a line "He is dead honey, Mommy killed him"; that's just adorable.
3	KasperL	75 _77th
The premise is brilliantly scary. It's a concept that is sure to have made many children and scaredy cats think again about the whole sleeping thing. Less intimidating, for me, is the franchise's villain, Freddy Krueger, who - on a good day - comes of as a pretty damn ridiculous character. Never fear, though, for Craven's original has cool scenes in abundance (the two deaths involving reversed gravity, for instance).
3	INDYATMN	86 _77th
It's unlikely the slasher genre will do better than this. 1st: no one does anything stupid. 2nd: W/ a killer who works inside dreams, the murders are more imaginative. 3rd: although the first act has some uninteresting teens, by the second the protagonist takes center stage & she's not just smart & proactive but ballsy as hell. Although the 5 minute turn into MacGyver is implausible its still fun as you can't help but feel giddy at the prospect of watching this bad-ss face off against evil.
3	ABUNCHOFCATS	86 _73rd
One of the best horror movies made with one of the most iconic villains ever dreamed up.
3	hotsake	82 _94th
While not really that scary it is a seriously fun watch. The teens mostly look like teens, they're pretty likable too. The dream logic and villain are both top notch.
3	talonmalon	82 _63rd
By 1984, the slasher genre pushed by Halloween and Friday the 13th was in full swing and was quickly crumbling. So, along came Wes Craven, who blended horror with fantasy. A killer who can kill people in their sleep is a frightening concept, and Robert Englund pulls it off as Freddy Krueger, who quickly became another horror icon. Heather Langenkamp plays the young Nancy very well and carries the film as its lead, backed by a fairly likable supporting cast. Overall, it's another slasher classic.
2	bentley82	85 _71st
The original horror movie that made all of us afraid to fall asleep.
2	easydiff	95 _98th
Near-perfect horror movie.
2	k57	90 _85th
Simply awesome concept... for that alone, I give it a score of 90.
2	MonsterGear	78 _50th
Actually pretty intense, because the whole 'dream-logic' thing means that the movie doesn't have to follow the conventional rules of reality, and thus all kinds of crazy junk can happen.
2	Anomaly	54 _22nd
Really iconic but surprisingly poor. I'd probably rank this higher (if only for Depp's geyser of blood) if the ending weren't so monumentally shitty.
2	Shmendrek	4 _83rd
Classic slasher film, and arguably the best slasher franchise. It's amazing how good this is on such a meager budget.
2	nandorizzi	75 _71st
Sarcastic, bloody and terrifying. A true classic of horror. For those who like the genre, simply can not lose the chance to watch it.
2	oolookitty	90 _83rd
A horror classic; more inventive than you'd expect.
2	zombiezeus	88 _84th
Disturbing, creepy, shocking, scary, and it stays with you--in your dreams, of course--long after you've seen it. Great horror movie.
2	Cubal	81 _73rd
Taking the norms and expectations for a slasher movie and shattering them with a clawed fist, Wes Craven will make you doubting if going to sleep really is worth it.
2	hellsditch	85 _85th
Quite the concept for 1984 and many points to Craven for trying to bring some real imagination to the slasher genre, but this has not aged well. And really, New Line has itself mostly to blame, after making Freddy progressively goofier and less threatening in the sequels it's hard to take him seriously here.
2	recklessmess	70 _47th
I lived on an Elm Street, and while there I constantly had this dream where you see yourself standing in sort of sun-god robes on a pyramid with a thousand naked women screaming and throwing little pickles at you...wait, wrong movie reference.
2	Vandelay1	91 _98th
Great
2	batface89	90 _81st
Classic scary movie. Everyone should see it.
2	tathiel	80 _67th
Maybe it's just because I'm watching it grown up, but it doesn't really frighten me. But, I must admit, that I know it would have frightened me back in the 80s. It's a typical scary movie of that time, but nicely done.
2	PennyLaneAF	90 _80th
A Classic with some great scenes and a very memorable Freddy! Shame about the sequels and future remake.
2	WWallce4prez	85 _87th
The Depp Geyser is one of my favorite Wes Andersonism. There needs to be more Depp Geysers in Tim Burton films.
2	aaaaaaarrggg	86 _91st
Craven's best is an imaginative variation on the early '80s teen slasher formula. The best of its popular series, this gets a lot of mileage out of a limited budget, showcasing Craven's raw, muscular direction at its best. Only the silly "Setting things up for the sequel" ending mars an otherwise perfect tale.
2	moviesinhell	75 _54th
Craven delivers the chills via several scary set pieces while introducing shockingly popular dream demon Freddy Krueger. Unfortunately, Craven is far less adept here at crafting credible dialogue or coaxing convincing perfs from some of his cast members. Still, this indisputably remains one of the genre's most influential and genuinely jolt-driven affairs.
2	omgfridge	8 _80th
Freddy.
2	Anselmi86	74 _59th
Absolutely fantastic and gripping on a horror movie level.
2	FrederikA	75 _77th
Despite it's cheap 80s feel and sub-standard acting, it's still one of the most iconic horror movies, and greatest horror premises of all time.
2	billkerwin	80 _42nd
A very effective low-budget horror film. Alas! Would they had stopped here!
2	FancyMike	4 _59th
This was a lot more fun than I expected and I'd say it hold up well and is effectively creepy and unsettling. It manages to capture that strange dream state without overdoing it which was the biggest surprise to me; I expected something sillier. Two all time great horror movie kills.
2	CFuller78	95 _62nd
Still one of the great horror films of all time. I love how it's also the simplest. Four friends are having nightmares about the same person and don't know why. One is really killed and another is charged with the murder. It's up to the other two to figure outt who or what is trying tio kill them. Still can scare like few movies can.
2	myfavchords	85 _88th
This is a horror classic. The premise is simple but brilliant. The story of a madman being after you while you are asleep is a great concept. Robert Englund is great, he is really creepy in his most famous role.
2	Kowry	25 _46th
Far more clever and imaginative than most films in its genre. Good fun.
2	DesertPunk	71 _47th
I wish Freddy could've been in my dream last night, which involved being both Spider-Man and the President. All these kids dream about are fucking boiler rooms.
2	adouble	87 _81st
One of the most creative ideas ever for a horror movie pulled off in a great way. Legitamately creepy with a great performance by Robert Englund creating one of the most iconic horror villians of all time.
2	LookJabba...	8 _76th
A Nightmare on Elm Street was one of my favourite horror films growing up and I look back with a great deal of nostalgia. I was far too young when I watched this film for the first time and in an oddly sentimental way Robert Englund's Freddy Kruger always terrified me. I still love the absolutely ridiculous concept that makes almost no sense whatsoever and the practical effects still impress. By today's standards this may be a dated experience, but few horror films nowadays are as fun as this.
2	Jimmy Suede	65 _35th
Not too bad, considering the crappy acting and low-budget cheese. More original, and even deep, than most horror movies.
2	mwestcott	94 _81st
Wes Craven's original nightmare fuel is just as scary and just as amazing to look at as it always was. Freddy is a wondrous slasher villain and set a new standard which to this day probably has not been beat.
2	vv238	77 _81st
Some of the execution is lacking, as are the acting abilities of many of its stars but Nightmare has such an interesting and smart premise that when it does work, it works extremely well.
1	spoonerspot	80 _64th
Couldn't sleep alone for two days. Mom and dad weren't happy they'd let their 16 year old watch this.
1	doctor7	65 _45th
Original enough concept that allows the film to delve into surreal horrors. Tina's death is most certainly one of the freakiest horror movie deaths you'll ever see. Some of the film can't be taken seriously, especially a few scenes of girls running away as the actresses are almost completely running on the spot. In the end though, unless you're a horror movie fan this won't offer anything for you.
1	JoshStew06	80 _63rd
Scary concept for a slasher villian brought to great life by Wes Craven. I had nightmares as a child about Freddy because of this movie.
1	DMCrimson	78 _46th
The fun thing about old horror movies is that you subconsciously excuse or enjoy all the problems (bad acting, weak story) just to pay attention on the violence and scares.
1	Filligan	35 _3rd
Craven is a good conceptualizer, that much is evident in the premise and dream sequences of the film. I can see how the creepy imagery scared the pants off more sheltered audiences in 1984. But Craven is kind of a bad director. Lots of poor acting, some really bad staging, characters make dumb decisions, and an ending that sacrifices story structure in favor of artsy bullshit because it's about dreams -- it's gotta make as much sense as one! Lovely concept surrounded by stupidity.
1	Moribunny	38 _23rd
Thus began the "Nightmare". Wake me up when it's finally over.
1	TheDenizen	70 _63rd
Johnny Depp gets eaten and then vomited out by a bed in this original Freddy flick. Tasty.
1	irvinejump	70 _61st
I'm led to believe this is Johnny Depp's first film. Neat, but dated
1	shobykid	69 _68th
Good idea for that time
1	nuotio	65 _83rd
Still a solid and fun horror film from Wes Craven, but the effects are a bit outdated, and the film is perhaps not as scary as it used to be. It's very fast-paced, and might have worked better as a horror film had it slowed down to build the atmosphere. Then again, the pacing is one of the reasons what makes it highly re-watchable. Freddy's character is used effectively and he's still more toned down than what he evolved into in the sequels. Plus points for a young Depp and John Saxon.
1	stuck	85 _70th
Still gives me nightmares. That body bag scene?! The first and best of the Freddy franchise.
1	Pickpocket	5 _44th
Good idea for a film but I can't deny how dated it is. Johnny Depp's hair scores this major points, I mean just look at it, rofl. It's more iconic than it is actually good but I still enjoyed parts of it. Also features one of the most atypical 'Final Girls' I've ever seen. The supporting characters (mom, dad, friends) are all terrible and the acting is poor but the scenes with Freddy are great, too bad there isn't more of him.
1	TheDiceman	50 _35th
Not bad.
1	hojo	80 _55th
Awesome.
1	mysterice	90 _93rd
A horror classic
1	gogokain	50 _53rd
Wes Craven comes up with interesting ideas but tends to whiff it bad when it comes time to direct, resulting in a pretty mediocre experience. This is no exception.
1	Ayden	90 _44th
A great performance for Johnny Depp, especially since it was one of his first.
1	kellyboo	54 _14th
This movie scared the hell out of me when I was younger.
1	PeaceAnarchy	72 _32nd
Bad acting counterbalanced by a really creative concept. I'm not a fan of slasher type movies but I like what this is trying to do even if the execution is pretty poor in a lot of parts. Freddy is definitely a good villain.
1	madiso	70 _86th
because they created a cult character
1	twincinema	85 _85th
A special effects spectacle. I forgot that Freddy (or, as he is known as in this film, Frederick) only became a stand-up comic later.
1	Murravener	80 _63rd
A unique concept from horror master Wes Craven, in this film about a killer who commits his murders in dreams.
1	caiman	86 _82nd
The original and still the best. I have to give Wes Craven a lot of praise for coming up with a horror creation as unique and intriguing as Freddy Kruger. When most 80s horror was concerned with sticking closely to the Halloween-inspired slasher formula, A Nightmare on Elm Street branched the genre off into a whole new direction. Some would say the effects are dated; I think they are delightfully nostalgic.
1	warlock	75 _68th
A nice twist of horror and humor. The original in the series has more scares than laughs than its many sequels.
1	Nayrb79	80 _85th
Classic
1	juice	60 _55th
Freddy is the man.
1	Bo_Dagger	5 _45th
Only watchable Nightmare movie.
1	Coffey	85 _90th
It was original and scary but I can't rate it as high as movies like The Exorcist and The Omen. All of the sequels were bad but the original, despite a couple cheesy scenes (like the ending) and scenes that don't stand the test of time (like the long arms in the alley) it was a terrific horror movie. Jaws made people scared of the water. The Omen made people scared of the devil. The Exorcist made people scared of possession. This movie made people scared to go to sleep.
1	amerigo	81 _74th
A classic.
1	Cheesebadger	89 _80th
The one that started it all.
1	st_fly	85 _86th
Excellent
1	Drewlephant	62 _40th
This movie's underrated. One of Wes Craven's best.
1	Dustyd	80 _89th
Very good 80's horror film.
1	thedo666	76 _49th
A great horror movie
1	muutanet	76 _76th
Classic. This movie was among others one of my first real splatter horror movies. Great nostalgia value.
1	Ross	55 _51st
Freddy Krueger has to be the silliest character ever. Luckily there are lots of nice details mixing dreams with reality.
1	hehejaja	20 _2nd
About as expressionless as a Burger King menu.
1	NadiH	75 _31st
The best of the Halloween, Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm street generation of horror movies. At times more comical and purely entertaining than it is scary, but nonetheless a horror classic. I'm not sure if I'm giving it too much credit or not enough. It is gloriously 80s and has delightfully violent and memorable death scenes. The main girl, however, could not be a more annoying actress if she tried.
1	kendramiller	96 _60th
good...
1	mattburgess	64 _47th
While it loses its way towards the end and isn't as potent as other 'dream'-like horror films such as Suspiria, its still an instant classic, fun, creepy, with a strong premise and inventive deaths.
1	tntota	85 _57th
I loved these movie 25 years ago. Many horror movies tried to explot similar idea but non of them is not even close to Freddy and co.
1	Cordell	88 _91st
1, 2 Freddy`s coming for you
1	LadyBug	90 _75th
first one is an absolute classic!!!!!! loved it. After V robert deserved this shot. Still scares me a bit, specially seeing mr deep acting like a dumb kid!
1	Optimus_mike	65 _40th
Awful acting but good special effects, for the time.
1	snakey	100 _81st
I don't know what I like better, our introduction to the icon made famous by Robert Englund (another seriously underappreciated actor) or the gruesome fate of a very YOUNG Johnny Depp.
1	Bok dong	60 _77th
not very scary but original and creative
1	clawx	90 _92nd
a masterpiece. one of the best horror films of the 1980s.
1	moraesfelipe	75 _80th
Glen, Tina deaths are beautiful and the rest of the movie tries to live up to them. Either way, Craven literally created a nightmare imagery here, mixing real life and dreams into an often powerful tale about collective trauma - these teens chased by Fred are paying for their parent's crime, which was killing Fred, a child murderer who burned his victims, years ago. Bedroom, suburb and sleep as the ultimate traps. Last shot creates another layer to this frenzy mix of reality and dreams.
1	Young_Jedi	95 _45th
1,2, Freddy's Comin' for you!
1	amberlee	90 _16th
Very well done and interesting to watch when you're a child..
1	eric-jan	65 _30th
Amusing
1	empiremag	5 _93rd
"What makes Freddy truly terrifying, and an inspired invention on Craven's part, is that he exists not in the real world but in the shadowy realm of dreams."
1	letskillrobots	13 _32nd
Genuinely terrifying scenes sandwiched between some of the worst acting ever.
1	nunstrangler	57 _35th
Feverish, genuinely frightening horror film.
1	j.kendrick	32 _75th
"Of all the psycho-slasher films to come out during the decade of the 1980s, Wes Craven's A Nightmare On Elm Street is without doubt one of the most inventive and literate."
1	Seryxa	0 _15th
Unpleasant semi-splatter movie which was well enough made to take a lot of money.
1	Ocelot	65 _64th
this is a good movie that is betrayed by its own legacy. well shot, great sound, dull characters; what one would come to expect after 30 years of its influence lingering in the minds of its fans, and it inspiring countless other films that have since been seen
1	Crim122	90 _50th
When it comes to 80's slashers this is the cream of the crop for me, the gore is still nice and...gorey but Freddy is the scareirst to me because HE IS IN YOUR DREAMS.
1	Grinspork	65 _33rd
Yes
1	Myszatek	73 _47th
Uneven but I like the idea.
1	celticguy94	93 _87th
One of the greatest slashers of all time! Rather than have a robotic killer come and hack up kids, Nightmare uses a creative plot and a killer thats not afraid to show his face.
1	Jgirl2688	80 _57th
It's always hard to know what to rate this movie because I hate to watch it, it's way too scary, but it's a horror movie, so it succeeded at being the scariest movie ever!
1	JordanDcFc	80 _62nd
Depps death steals it. The mother was annoying as fuck. The film itself was eerie, spooky and just plain fucking scary. Freddy is better than Jason and Michael and this film actually has an atmosphere. As camp as 'Friday the 13th' with the added horror of 'Halloween'.
1	Myke	79 _44th
I feel that it's a bit dated but still a good watch around Halloween time.
1	oldgoat	78 _78th
Campy at this point, but also legitimately scary
1	Duderult	97 _78th
Just watched this the other day and it still has some of the best dream sequences I can think of. There are some fun sequels and all, but this really set the template and I don't think it was ever met again.
1	SirStuckey	60 _36th
What a bizarre anti-vigilantism PSA.
1	michaelsykes	89 _91st
Hit-or-miss Craven's best hit, and a speculative goldmine.
1	AmyMc	95 _64th
one of the old school bad boys. this scared me senseless when it came out. novel concept.
1	Nroo	85 _93rd
"O God, I could be bounded in a nutshell, and count myself a king of infinite space--were it not that I have bad dreams."
1	pewbeng	72 _54th
Best of the franchise.
1	Poseur117	80 _66th
A Wes Craven masterpiece.
1	Coheed	80 _78th
It's definitely a product of 1980s, but I'm surprised, on rewatching it again, how unconventional a horror film it is, especially for something that would create numerous sequels. With its idea of a killer in one's dreams, Craven does push the dream logic as far as he could for a mainstream film, both separating it from many generic horror movies from the time and making it far more creepy and disturbing than it could have been.
1	lukey86	90 _69th
One of the best horror films ever made. This 80's slasher still packs a lot punch.
1	overrated	67 _73rd
Surprisingly effective first death scene, iconic blood geyser, divisive trolling finale. Not yet bogged down by the sequel lore, Freddy's still a bizarre, violent monster without the one liners. People looking for the more stereotypical wisecracking version would be better served by the third film.
1	jeff_v	78 _88th
This film isn't notable just for kicking off a long-running series. It's actually a good film, and a wicked fairytale about parent/teen miscommunication and mistreatment.
1	Talvitie	100 _98th
On of the best horror movies ever. Englund is perfect as Freddy Krueger and the other actors are awesome too. The story is very original and works well with the characters. The music fits great in the atmosphere of dream sequenses making them feel more like a dream. It's well directed and delivers all that you want from a horror movie.
1	redacted	36 _11th
Not sure if this film or Inception has a larger asshole ending.
1	PazuzuTerror	100 _94th
one of the greatest horror films, and one of my all time favourite films, true classic
1	Nick C.	100 _92nd
Now this is creepiness, Freddy was played by the right person, and Wes Craven directed in perfection, this is his best work. "Don't fall asleep."
1	PetrosTser	70 _66th
Although it starts off as a typical slasher film, about 15 minutes in it shows its teeth. Fred Krueger is an iconic character, the premise is great, there's a lot of tension, a couple of scares, several wacky moments and a really good reveal, our heroine has immense determination and pretty much fights the fight single-handedly, and Johnny Depp stands out in his first performance. Could do without the cliche where no-one believes the heroine, and clearer rules of the universe would be great too.
1	misterlizard	80 _86th
Post-ironic before post-ironic was a thing. This takes all the elements of slasher movies laid down in the 70s and plays with them in ridiculously fun ways. The omnipresent killer is now even more so because he lives in people's dreams, the pure virgin heroine is even more pure than ever before. Craven is clearly doing what he did decades later to critical acclaim in Scream, but on a lower budget. This has many faults, but none of them detract from the audacity of the screenplay.
1	loimprevisto	89 _60th
You've got to respect the classics
1	hellboy76	69 _73rd
Seems tame now but was pretty freaky for a mainstream horror flick.
1	SlantMag	30 _78th
"A Nightmare on Elm Street is a movie defined by its dual legacies." - Nick Schager
1	Jerky	85 _98th
Nothing beats the original.
1	thegreyfox	72 _56th
I absolutely love horror which doesn't use CGI, just imagination and downright cleverness to create the effects .. Amanda Wyss' death is still as brilliant today as it was in the 80's. I like this film because, largely due to Langenkamps terrific performance, it seems to retain an adult feel (so many teen flicks seem to be too childish for reality). The ending is really lame, but up to that point, it is a lot of fun!
1	untrustable	90 _87th
Horror classic with practical effects that are still terrifying to this day
1	Lord Moe	84 _56th
Wes Craven gives us a slasher film that is able to successfully mix in elements of fantasy.
1	SpikyCactus	85 _90th
Top badass moment? If you’re looking for an alternative, female role model to Sarah Connor in “The Terminator”, look no further than Nancy Thompson. Let down by her friends, lied to by her parents, her two best friends basically liquified; she still has the guts to take on and take out the most ‘fingernails on a blackboard’ baddie ever and then get to school on time too. A quality horror that looks great and sounds even better in HD. 1 chainsaw (I think, on the TV), no cats or decapitations.
1	Trooth	77 _75th
A fantastic start to a fantastic horror franchise. While this features a lot less of the comedy that would become characteristic of the series, it's still a respectable movie. It's become so iconic at this point, any horror fan must see it.
1	Ryan Lueders (ReelRyan)	85 _73rd
A really fun old school horror film. I love this movie. The thing that blows me away the most are the special effects in the movie. They didn't have all those fancy CGI things to work with and they didn't even have cell phones but they still made really cool effects and ways to kill teenagers. Freddie is one of the best horror villains out there. I also loved the fact that Johnny Depp was in this. His part was pretty lame but it was cool to see him so young in this. Nine ten never sleep again.
1	comepelicula	70 _71st
Very enjoyable terror flick, I think it has aged well, some effects are a bit outdated and the plot at times is silly but Freddy is still frightening. You can see why this is a horror classic, quite genius to have the bad guy attack you in your dreams, horror is not an easy genre and here we see it done well.
1	antidood1	80 _84th
Much more original than I expected. Mediocre acting, a creepy villain and a lot of great and memorable moments in general make this movie a pleasure to watch.
1	Merv_Taylor	92 _83rd
Holds up
1	SweetMortal	93 _77th
A supernatural twist on the slasher genre by not letting on what is reality and what is dreaming. Top-notch acting from Robert Englund who makes the role iconic and embodies something much more real. Besides the poorly chosen music and fuzzy sound quality, it is given a surprising authenticity that holds to its roots despite the first glance depiction of goofiness.
1	magdabag	83 _51st
this has got to be one of my favorite scary movies of all time
1	ersinkaya7	100 _97th
Its the favourite horror film of my childhood
1	survivorfan	88 _78th
An iconic Horror film that created my all-time favourite Horror character & villain. While not a perfect film it still holds its own and is a career highlight for Wes Craven.
1	Alex WS	66 _51st
Yeah, it's cool, if not too suspenseful.
1	Dakota99	7 _77th
Admittedly, like most 80’s horror, this hasn’t aged that well. However, looking at what it was for it’s time, this is understandably one of the better horror movies of all time. A lot of the practical affects are still creepy, and the focus of Freddy’s mental toll on people is quite interesting. Ultimately, I feel the overall arch is quite cliche and the performances are quite bad, even if it is a product of what a lot of early horror was. Still very good, but not in my elite tier.
1	Nick Hamden (Gorgon Reviews)	60 _47th
Standard horror that scared me poopless as a kid.
1	clever alias	85 _89th
Imaginative story and thought out plot. Overall good entertainment for how old it is. I also like that they don't over do the gore and effects over having a plot.
1	thereeldeal	75 _65th
After so many lackluster slasher "legends", I expected A Nightmare on Elm Street to be a bore, but it's damn good. It has the two things so many slashers lack: pacing and logic. The threat is established early, and instead of repeating gore fests an actual plot exists where the characters come to understand and fight against Freddy. Solid mileage is gotten out of the dream element both in reality and the ambiguous atmosphere of what might not be. Langenkamp has some awful lines, otherwise great.
1	YourNameHere	90 _61st
The original and very awesome. Gotta watch it.
1	Groovy_Souls	75 _64th
This definitely is a horror classic. It even follows the cheesy horror classic genre. The film was genuinely scarier without Freddy in it. The direction of Wes Craven is to be commended as well as Englund's performance. Its overall a good movie but it leaves a lot to be desired, in terms of story, supporting cast, and sense.
1	backwardsuit	80 _80th
As with any Wes Craven production you'll be hit with a lot of crazy and original ideas and a very uneven execution. This one successfully taps into something quite brilliant though and the ideas mostly shine through the shoddy elements. Although the ending is utter crap.
1	hakkanarejo	96 _73rd
Wes Craven's original 1984 A Nightmare on Elm Street introduced Freddy Krueger, a hideously burned, bloodthirsty spitball of menace who murdered his victims when they succumbed to sleep. Ironically, most of the critics who caught the 2010 remake found themselves struggling to stay awake for very different reasons, with no razor-taloned angel of death to put them out of their misery.
1	Hawkins	74 _55th
The creepiest parts don't actually show Freddy Scissorhands, whose fearsomeness is undercut by the techno boogie that accompanies his appearances. It does compliment his entertainment factor though, dude is out here stacking dream kills and rocking drum fills. I think the goofy design elements are why he plays so well as a Halloween costume. If he were just a burnt guy with knife gloves it'd be nothing, but that he wears a gross Christmas sweater and a fedora? Perfection.
1	EvilMangoes	92 _76th
A-
1	zmoats	93 _91st
I love this movie. It is going to be hard to top this and Psycho as horror films for me. The sure sign of endless love for a movie is being able to recall scenes time and time again and having a different one as your favorite each time you talk about the film. That's the relationship I have with this.
1	pluviophile	75 _51st
I'm your boyfriend now, Nancy!
1	Cardinal	100 _91st
My favorite horror movie is this one. Scary and gory film with the iconic Freddy Krueger! He is so amazing! A Nightmare on Elm Street is one of the best films of its genre!
1	rcmacc	78 _69th
One of the scariest movies I've seen. The threat is real and relatable. The characters are also fairly smart in the decisions they make, this is a truly good slasher.
1	offlineoz	80 _75th
Under Quarantine Film Reviews #62: Smart, funny, and scary, Craven's unique take on the slasher genre is thoroughly fresh and still holds up today.

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Average Percentile 51.58% from 6552 Ratings