New Nightmare ----> (7/10)

[Cyclonus]

New Nightmare (1994)

Director: Wes Craven

Cast: Heather Langenkamp, Robert Englund, Miko Hughes, John Saxon, Tracy Middendorf, Fran Bennett, David Newsom

Screenwriter: Wes Craven

Producer: Marianne Maddalena

A New Line Cinema release


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If Wes Craven had known that A Nightmare on Elm Street would have done so well, he might have put off selling the sequel rights and saved himself a lot of trouble. Alas, as it is, New Line milked its cash cow for all it was worth, giving the public more and more of the same, till the series descended into self-parody. The films hit a new low with the sixth film, Freddy's Dead, which completed the villain’s transformation into a wisecracking cartoon character. In fact, there were moments when I wonder if they intentionally set out to make a comedy. In either case, it was a far cry from the semiserious original, which was genuinely scary at times. At that point, the decision was finally made to retire the series and kill off Freddy Krueger for good. And so it was done, but such a weak sendoff for a horror icon did not do the character justice. Something had to be done to take care of this nagging issue, but what? Wes Craven had the answer: he'd direct the seventh film, only this time, the actors would play themselves, and the villain would not be a resurrected Freddy, but a demon assuming his form, merely one of many it has taken over the centuries. This is indeed a successor to the original, but in a different continuity altogether.

It's a clever conceit, one that only Wes could have pulled off. In a way, it's a warm-up for Scream, which took the self-referential approach a step further. Given that this is the sixth follow-up to a popular horror movie, it has turned out reasonably well, despite a somewhat uneven script. During the first third, I was a bit worried about how it was going to turn out. It does take a while to get going, but once it hits its stride, the thrills just keep on coming. Once assured that the film would deliver, I relaxed and enjoyed the ride. Wes hasn't lost his handle on suspense, it just keeps coming in spades. The blending of dreams, fantasy, and reality hasn't been handled this successfully since the original.

Langenkamp is a better actress than many have given her credit for. Here, she's even better than she was in the original Nightmare. It's hard to play yourself, but she does so quite well; never for a moment does it seem forced or awkward. Robert Englund plays himself as well as Freddy, proving that he doesn't need a ton of makeup to act. It's a shame that he's been typecast in the horror genre. Of course, Wes plays himself as well, though his acting isn't exactly inspired, so it was a wise move to stay on the other side of the camera for most of the game. Some of the producers of the Nightmare series appear as themselves as well. Milo Hughes and Fran Bennet offer solid supporting performances and Dyan and a concerned doctor, respectively. John Saxon also puts up an appearance.

New Nightmare is one of the few films that directly address the potential impact of horror movies on viewers, especially children. I certainly am not a censorship advocate, but nor do I believe that little kids should be exposed to explicit violence. Related scenes involving Heather Langenkamp's son Dylan could easily have been exploitive, but the filmmakers successfully avoid this pitfall, though they are still uncomfortable to watch (One is reminded of The Exorcist and Pet Sematary) I thought of a statement made by a character in Scream: horror movies don't make psychos, they just make psychos more creative. I certainly hope that these cases are few and far in-between.

7/10.

[countchocula]

In my book, this entry is the best in the series. Heather has taken acting lessons, Freddy is a sinister son of a bitch, the concept is fresh, and the twists are always unpredictable (excluding the clumsy finish). I do want another Elm Street film to be made, but let's face it, this was the perfect way to wrap everything up.

[HalloweenShape31]

I love this series, but I don't wanna have anymore made because this movie was just the perfect finish. I LOVE everything about this film! From Heather to the story to Freddy. I LOVE this movie! Definitely the best sequel of the series.

[Boogeyman]

I really liked this NIGHTMARE. One, if not the best, sequels.

later

[Jason Voorhees]

I'm with the consensus. Wonderful film, and the perfect ending to a legacy.

[Kastman]

if only 2,3,4,5,6 were never made, then this could have been the best series (just presuming that any other sequel was done by wes craven, coz only he can make freddy da coolest mofo)

[kubotakhan01]

"New Nightmare" is easily the best Nightmare film since the first. I truly don't believe that it gets the credit that it deserves. The plot was excellent, and I love how they took Freddy back to his roots, making him the silent ominous boogeyman that he started out to be, instead of him being a wisecracking corny reflection of what he should have been throughout all of the other films. His new look is as frightening as ever, his claws coming straight from his hands, his demonic white eyes, and that trenchcoat. Loved it.

Heather Langenkamp did a very good job, playing a paranoid version of herself, as did the kid ( whose name I can't remember), who was frightening in his own right. And all the cameos from the first "Nightmare" were a delight as well.(If only Wes had given Johnny Depp a partial hero role.....) All in all, a good creepy horror flick, Typical(almost) of Mr. Craven.

RATING 8/10

[Nightmare_Dreaming]

I really hate to disagree with you guys , but i'm going to here. I didn't like this film all that much. I just felt it took Freddy way to long to get into their world. I mean hes only in the last 30 mins or something , (besides his claw here and there and his voice) But I will admit that when he does show up we get great scenes (EVER PLAY SKIN THE CAT?) If only he was in the movie a little bit more....

[kubotakhan01]

Originally posted by Nightmare_Dreaming
I really hate to disagree with you guys , but i'm going to here. I didn't like this film all that much. I just felt it took Freddy way to long to get into their world. I mean hes only in the last 30 mins or something , (besides his claw here and there and his voice) But I will admit that when he does show up we get great scenes (EVER PLAY SKIN THE CAT?) If only he was in the movie a little bit more....

They didn't show Jaws all that much untill the last 45 minutes of the film. Sometimes it 's what they don't show that makes a film scary, and that's what Nightmare does.. Showing too much of Freddy ruins the film and makes him unscary and a tad boring, exactly what they did to him in every film after the first.

[The Claw]

I'd have to say I did not enjoy this movie at all. It was very boring, unentertaining and just confusing. a good idea, i just dont like this movie at all.

[1of_freddys_kids]

I am too biased to say that this was a good movie. I loved all 7 of the movies. Even the "ungodly" Part 2 and Freddy's Dead. But, yes this was one of the better sequels of any film series. But, that is neither here nor there. Great film. I agree that they should just leave it alone, but I am still excited to see Freddy vs. Jason. Freddy went out true killer style.

[ANTBond007]

Wes Craven's New Nightmare is my second favorite "slasher" film, just behind Halloween. Like John Carpenter's classic, it takes time to build its story, showing us likeable characters and a (semi) realistic situation. When Krueger finally appears in full an hour in, it leads to an extremely long climax that I consider one of the greatest in film history (the hospital -> the freeway -> Elm Street House -> the furnace).

10/10

[gorysnoopy]

i remember going to see this in the theater and not being able to concentrate on it because the room stunk of feet.so of course this movie was a confusing mess to me.hopefully one day i will be able to give it the attention it deserves.

[Luke-Abbott]

Hey, Cyclonus great review :D

[Gluttony]

New Nightmare is the best sequel to the series. Not by much but still is.

I found it very unnerving and quite unsettling because they brought back the darkness to Freddy and his one liners returned to a more subtle variety.

This also has some of the best imagery, there are subtle things and not over blown like the resto f the sequels.

The ending did feel out of place but that was small compared to the rest of this horror masterpiece.

10/10

[countchocula]

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MINOR SPOILERS

The Elm Street saga is probably my favorite horror franchise out there. It’s surprisingly consistent in terms of sheer entertainment value. Sure, the lowlights are there, but I can’t really say that I outright despise any one installment. Things took a turn for the worse after Dream Warriors. Freddy Krueger was relegated from being a menacing, effective antagonist to a clumsy jester. The series became more and more lucrative, so the filmmakers just kept shoveling the silly one-liners down moviegoers’ throats. The films were still highly enjoyable, though. As I said, I would be hard pressed to identify an entry that is unforgivably stale. But the comedic elements weren’t exactly helping matters. Wes Craven realized this, and felt that it was his duty and obligation to give the crispy one a proper burial. He wasn’t very satisfied with the glossy, campy tone of most of the sequels, so he stepped back up to the plate to return the series to its ominous roots.

But how do you resurrect Freddy...again? His revivification had to make sense, it had to be clever, and it had to be believable (within the boundaries of Hollywood logic, of course). Well, the final outcome is definitely rational, clever, and believable. In New Nightmare, Freddy is awakened by torrents of dog urine. No, wait! Freddy is presented as an ancient force of evil, an entity whose essence has been trapped within the Elm Street series. That’s right; the other entries are viewed as...movies! Since the character of Freddy was killed off “for good” in Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare, the entity has been able to break loose of his metaphysical imprisonment. Storytelling was the only thing that kept this evil at bay. Now that the story is over, the evil is pretty much free to bleed into reality. But he has to go through one person to accomplish his goal – the actress who gave him life in the first place – Heather Langenkamp.

If none of that made sense to you, fear not. Craven’s intention was to relentlessly fuck with your mind, and he does just that. New Nightmare is always unpredictable. It doesn’t have a linear, concrete structure. We go from Freddy’s glove slicing and dicing crew members on the set of the next Nightmare opus to an intense earthquake that drags Heather out of her restless slumber. This film’s groundwork is wobbly and unfastened, but it’s cohesive as a whole. Despite the many sudden shifts in mood and storyline, the pace is never choppy. Craven successfully injects the atmosphere with dread and trepidation. I didn’t think that it was possible to make Freddy scary again, but I must confess, watching this film late at night in complete darkness really fucked me up! And you know what? It felt great! I was disturbed and impressed by the many well-executed “boo” scares, the seemingly random scenes of weird occurrences (Dylan’s foaming at the mouth), and Freddy’s new and improved wardrobe. Here, Mr. Krueger sports a badass trenchcoat and a new, more mechanical glove. His ensemble adds to his already sinister aura.

Most of the cast plays themselves. Heather Langenkamp gives her best performance to date. This role was pretty much designed to allow her to come off as natural and comfortable. She puts her portrayals of Nancy to shame. Don’t get me wrong, she was definitely praiseworthy in the original, but her performance in Dream Warriors was rancid. Even Craven admits in his commentary track that Langenkamp was “stiff’ in that flick. Probably the most commendable actor here is Miko Hughes who plays Heather’s son, Dylan. I have limited tolerance for child actors, but Hughes effortlessly won me over. It’s clear that he gave all of himself to the role. It was especially a treat to watch him let loose in Freddy mode. There are a few crucial segments where he has to be unconditionally evil, and he pulls them off flawlessly. Of course, he’s had some experience being the villain, what with his blood-curdling turn as the undead Gage Creed in Pet Sematary. Why hasn’t this kid prospered in Hollywood? I checked the IMDb, and his last role was in Clockstoppers...billed #58! What in the hell happened!?!? I’ll just sigh and move on.

Wes Craven has received some criticism for his performance in this film as himself, but in my book, he did fine. How much can you honestly expect from someone who isn’t a professionally trained actor? He hardly embarrassed himself and for what it’s worth, he did as well as he needed to. So lighten up, people. Geez! Robert Englund is fierce as Freddy, leaving his tendencies to overact at the door. He’s subdued as himself. I’m used to seeing him go way over the top, so this low-key performance was refreshing. John Saxon is solid as usual, excelling as both himself and Lt. Thompson (I know it’s brief, but I just had to mention it). Tracy Middendorf is likeable as Dylan’s babysitter, Julie. Even though her character isn’t at the forefront, the viewer becomes attached to her. Of course, her being gorgeous works in her favor. Unfortunately, she’s given a brutal death sequence. It’s a powerful, gruesome ode to the first film. All other horror filmmakers take note – if you develop your characters properly, it makes it all the more mournful and heartrending when they meet their maker. I’ll miss you, Julie!

I didn’t see it coming and I didn’t want to see it when it came, but New Nightmare’s climax is dreadful. It’s so close to being a perfect genre nugget, that these last ten minutes are truly painful to watch. The class, style, brooding charm, and subtle scare tactics that make the rest of the film so engrossing are discarded for the finale. What we get is something that you’d see in one of the cheesier sequels. Exaggerated special effects, pyrotechnics, and a cocky Freddy. Now, all of this tomfoolery may have rested well at the end of The Dream Master, but here, in what is supposed to be a mature, adult-oriented sequel, it sticks out like a sore thumb. An adverse slip-up in an otherwise watertight film. In my opinion, Freddy’s final bow surpasses the original A Nightmare on Elm Street. The acting is top-notch, the atmosphere is bleak, Freddy is finally frightening again, and the plot is remarkably innovative. It’s been a few years since Craven has churned out anything worthwhile, but this flick is proof that he has what it takes to annihilate the competition. If he ever takes a break from collecting paychecks that he didn’t earn, I’d love to see him return to his old stomping grounds. Quality horror, that is.

My rating-4.5/5

[Mr. Movie Man]

Great flick!!! The best Elm Street movie, next to the original and part three. It's more of a mature horror movie that relies on suspense rather than gore, which in my opinion is a good thing. That acting was also the best this time around, and I loved the new attitude for Freddy. The cinematography was GREAT because is wasn't overly slick and stylish, but REAL. This one has a good story as well, and it was much scarier than the other entries!!! There were some minor flaws in between the good scenes, but the ending was way off!!! On it's own it was a fun and clever ending with the way it mocked Hansel and Gretel, and with the groovy setting. However, it didn't fit well with the rest of the movie. This would have been a great ending for say Freddy's Dead, but not for a movie with this amount of clever suspense and psychological themes. Not a terrible ending at all, but totally wrong for this movie. Besides that, it's a great flick with plenty o' scares, and it's one of Craven's best projects!!! B or B+!!! ***'s

[Voodoodoll]

Great concept and almost great execution :cool: I was so glad that they managed to make Freddy scary again :)
I'd say: 6/10

[Cronos]

i found New Nightmare to be a very enjoyable film and a welcome return of the more serious and menacing Freddy. gone are the constant stream of one liners (there are still a few there but much less than in the previous sequels). whilst overall the acting isnt that great (such as poor deliver of lines) its still an improvement over the previous installments. i was surprised at Cravens performance, although not great he did a much better job than i was expecting. as usual Robert Englund shines as both himself and Freddy and lights up the screen whenever hes on. there are also some really good sets such as when Heather goes into Freddys world. New Nightmare was also nice and gory with blood spurting everywhere and people getting stabbed, mostly the effects were very good although there were a couple of shoddy CGI moments such with the metal hand at the beginning. the script, as with most of Cravens stuff was average with some very poor dialogue, his direction though was good and the film looked a lot better than parts 2-6. the plot was different and more interesting than the other sequels too

i was pleased to see the more aggressive and serious Freddy back and while not as good as the original New Nightmare was a big big improvement over the previous sequels

8/10

[poopontheshoes7]

This is my second favorite Nightmare next to the first. I love it so much! Great review Count!
I think I like Freddy the most in this movie besides the first as well. Its awesome how you never see him until the movies like half over and BOOM! There he is.
"Miss Me?"
"Hey Dillon. Ever play skin the Cat?" Awesome!
I dont feel the ending was that dreadful, a little shaky, but not horrible.
overall 8.5/10

[countchocula]

Thanks, Poopie.

[the dead one]

Wes Cravens original 'A Nightmare On Elm Street' is probably his last best film. Unfortunately as of late Wes has yet to out-do himself since, 'New Nightmare' on the other hand was an interesting take on his own creation 'Fred Kruger'.

Wes needs to re-visit his indy roots that made him sucessful...Back to formula Mr. Craven...ya Hear?