Amanda Wyss, Charles Fleischer, Heather Langenkamp

A group of teenagers are terrorized by "Freddy Krueger," an evil being from another world who gets to his victims by entering their dreams and killing them with gloves that have knife blades attache...( read more  read more... )d to each finger.

Flixster Users

78% liked it

375,796 ratings

Critics

94% liked it

34 critics

R, 1 hr. 31 min.

Directed by: Wes Craven

Release Date: June 1, 1984

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DVD Release Date: August 21, 2001

Stats: 19,625 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (19,625)


  • October 31, 2009
    Freddy Kruger is a far superior Horror Icon to others from the 80's Horror films. Still an enjoyable watch today, of course it has it?s cornyness, what Horror film doesn?t? It still provides tense moments and is a little less predictable than most of the 80?s Horrors.

    Let?s ...( read more)not forget the ?Introducing Johnny Depp? the film that launched the career of the star we know today.
  • September 15, 2009
    A horror movie classic but not the best of the Freddie films! Its a shame the end death scene was messed up (See DVD extras to understand what I mean)
  • March 7, 2009
    Just as Jaws made you afraid to go into the water A Nightmare on Elm Street makes you afraid to fall asleep. Wes Craven has created the modern day bogeyman that can only get to you in your most vulnerable place-your unconscious.

    In the town of Springwood a group of four friends ...( read more)(which includes Johnny Depp) begin to have nightmares about a razor fingered man in a red sweater and old brown hat: Freddy Krueger. Things go from bad to worse as the group is picked off one by one in their dreams by Freddy until it's down to the lone heroine (Heather Langenkamp) going militia on Freddy.

    Wes Craven's creation was probably one of the most frightening images of 1980's horror cinema. That is until a long line of sequels that slowly turned him into a Don Rickles from hell, throwing off one liners as he dealt with the never ending supply of Elm Street children. But in the original film (and to a lesser degree the second one) Kruger (played by Robert Englund) is the embodiment of fear. Craven uses those weird dreamlike qualities to give those sleep sequences the feel of a dream: an example is the arms when they reach between two buildings in the alley. Your safest place is in your bed and even that is shattered in this film.

    This is a horror masterpiece. It's one of those films that defined itself and didn't allow itself to become defined by its genre. The problem is the sequels that followed it, each becoming more and more camp as the numbers grew higher. Leave the first one as a standalone film and it's a great achievement on Craven's part. take it as part of the never ending series and it becomes diluted in the crazy scenarios and one liners of the following films.
  • January 29, 2009
    Every kid from the 80's remembers being scared tdeath of Freddy Kreuger. The idea of a psychpathic monster killing you in a dream is scary enough, but to show it on film was something else. Everyone expects this to be a slasher flick but this actually has a really nice blend of s...( read more)upernatural in it, this film uses dreamscapes to make the audience feel uncomfortable. Really you should check it out.
  • July 2, 2008
    Freddie Rocks!
  • November 16, 2009
    Just the character of Freddy Krueger is worth the movie. Can you come up with a creepier way to scare children. I mean, a serial killer who singles out kids and butchers them with claw hands. Then to have him be a burn victim and haunt your dreams, too amazing. It's a great movie...( read more) on top of that. You have really good teen actors, great directing, believable effects and a plot that isn't a rehashed idea. It was an original story, something that the 80s really didn't have much of. It stood out because of its unique supernatural, yet believable, aspect. I commend Wes Craven for making it work
  • November 14, 2009
    it was good but the sequels suck
  • November 13, 2009
    one of d best horror flick in d film industry!!!
  • November 7, 2009
    Causante de muchos miedos pero totalmente atractiva, divertidos papeles los de Jonny Deep y Ronee Blakley es la mejor madre alcohólica jajajajajajaja, aun ahora me da en ciertos escenas susto
  • November 5, 2009
    i mean cooooooooome oooooooooooooooooon

Critic Reviews


September 25, 2006
Nick Schager, Slant Magazine

A Nightmare on Elm Street is a movie defined by its dual legacies. full review

View more A Nightmare on Elm Street reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • grisazul1
    March 26, 2009
    esta entretenida.me gusto.
  • missydlicht
    July 22, 2008
    love them i've seen them all freaking cool
  • macgregorlouise
    July 1, 2008
    loved freddy films since i was a kid there all ace
  • MrsFreddyKrueger
    June 30, 2008
    I LOVE THIS MOVIE SOOOOOO MUCH! Freddy especially *growl*..Nancy is my fave....I'm not even gonna start in my NOES mode so I better back away now..hehe
  • always182
    February 16, 2008
    this movie is like so shit.
  • Kaaytea
    September 21, 2007
    Anyone Know Where I Can Find This??? And All The Others????
    Online? Pwease Lemme Know!
  • WPRNCSS19
    September 1, 2007
    I LOVE THE MOVIE..ALL THE NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET MOVIES ARE MY FAVORITE.I LOVE WES CRAVEN FOR HOW HE PUT ALL THE MOVIES TOGETHER.IF HE MADE ANOTHER ONE I WILL BE SO OUT OF THIS WORLD HAPPY...I LOVE NIGHT MARE ON ELM STREET AND I LOVE YOU WES CRAVEN...
  • sk8erteen
    August 28, 2007
    This is what i call a real horror movie its my fav horror film awesome YEAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Southparklover224
    July 15, 2007
    The Nightmares are my favorite!!!!FREDDY ROCKS!!!!!!
  • katzigirl22
    June 5, 2007
    Nightmare on Elm Street was the first Horror movie I ever fell in love with. Robert England really kick butt in this movie, he has done other roles in the past but this one is the one he will always be remembered by. But I do have to admit when he played " Willy " from the series " V ". That wasn't to bad as well and also there was Wishmaster. But Nightmare is far better than any of those.

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A Nightmare on Elm Street Trivia


  • I which movie did Heather Langenkamp play Nancy a girl who has nightmares that are the same as her friends.  Answer »
  • "One, two- Freddie comes for you. Three, four- Better lock the door. Five, six- Get your crucifix. Seven, eight- Better stay up late. Nine, ten- Never sleep again." Name THE FIRST one of a series of movies that has this rhyme in it.  Answer »
  • What horror movie involes a badly burned man with knives on his fingers?  Answer »
  • In what "Nightmare on Elm Street", does the character Nancy (Heather Langenkamp) die in?  Answer »

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