It feels like forever since we’ve been waiting for the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise to release on 4K. After we received the first film released onto 4K last year, it felt like only a matter of time. Then there were rumblings that both Jack Sholder and Rachel Talalay (directors of Freddy’s Revenge and Freddy’s Dead, respectively) were both working on new transfers on the film. Thankfully, Warner Bros was nice enough to send over a copy for me to check out and review and let me just say: Elm Street fans should be pleased.
Elm Street has always been a visually beautiful film series, full of intense colors and dynamic contrast. Perfect for 4K. And I’m happy to say that the franchise has never looked better, boasting some drop-dead gorgeous transfers. There’s still an appropriate amount of grain, while still cleaning up the image considerably. The original HD transfers were a bit average, so it’s nice to see that these were given more care. It’s incredible to finally get to see the uncut version of Dream Child in all its 4K glory. However, Wes Craven’s New Nightmare may be a bit too bright, as it kind of takes away any edge that the film had. It’s always had a TV movie aesthetic, but the 4K seems to have brightened it up even further.
Where the Elm Street 4K really impresses is with its audio. They all feature an incredible Dolby Atmos mix and raise the bar on all of the films. I was particularly blown away by the work done on Freddy’s Revenge, which boasts a much more impactful and booming score and sound design. The mix had always been a bit off with this one, so it’s nice to hear it cleaned up. Freddy’s Dead also still retains its 3D section, which actually looks surprisingly good. Sure, you have to have a taste for the Red and Blue Anaglyph style, but the fidelity really makes it bearable. It’s the best that section of the film has ever looked.
Admittedly, I was a bit disappointed that there wasn’t any new commentary for the films. It would have been nice to hear the creatives talk about their movies, especially since they spent so much time on the remaster itself. As a massive fan of commentaries, it’s hard not to be let down by the lack of any new ones, and it feels like a missed opportunity, especially considering the clock is ticking when it comes to getting these cataloged by the original creators.
And truthfully, there’s not a lot in terms of new special features. Only Wes Craven’s New Nightmare was given any sort of update, with Boiler Room Confessional and Freddy’s Footnotes. They both feature new interviews with New Nightmare DP Mark Irwin, Dream Warriors director Chuck Russell, Freddy’s Revenge director Jack Sholder, and, of course, Freddy himself, Robert Englund. In Boiler Room Confessional, they go over the longevity of the Elm Street series and why it’s still popular to this day. It’s mostly a focus on Englund, with him telling various stories about the character. Freddy’s Footnotes then goes over the creatives talking about what some of their most challenging sequences were in the film. It was very interesting but nothing new for longtime Elm Street fans.
Like many, I’m still hoping to be able to get my hands on the Limited Edition Steelbook set, which has pretty much been sold out since it went online. Here’s hoping that Warner Bros opens those up to a higher quantity and allows fans to actually get their hands on them for a reasonable price. But, as is, the standard set is still a great way to view the films as it’s mostly about the audio and video transfers this time around versus a fancy box set. Though, wouldn’t it be nice to have both?
Buy the A Nightmare On Elm Street 7-Film Collection HERE!
