The Geek Address

A Nightmare on Elm Street marks the big screen debut of Freddy Krueger. A menacing, sardonic and horribly scarred psychopath that haunts teenagers’ dreams, Freddy is one of the most iconic figures in the history of horror. In the film, he is a notorious child murderer acquitted on a technicality. In a move later deemed to be exceptionally foolish, residents form an angry mob and burn him alive thereby giving him the power to kill people in their dreams. Nice move, asshats. Enter our heroine: the beautiful and chaste Nancy Thompson whose friend is slaughtered by the demonic psychopath. When Freddy starts to invade her dreams, she does the horror movie maths and decides to fight back. Unfortunately, no one else wants to believe that she’s being haunted by the ghost of a dead serial killer. I can’t begin to imagine why.

Before Johnny Depp was universally renowned for his acting skills, he was known for his ambitious use of hairstyling products in A Nightmare on Elm Street. Craven, who spotted Depp when he accompanied one of his friends to the audition, decided he would be perfect for the role as Nancy’s boyfriend. Although this was his big break, it must be devastating to have such an appalling hairstyle recorded on celluloid. While the rest of the planet remembers him as Captain jack Sparrow, horror aficionados universally refer to him as ‘that schmuck with the pompadour’ in A Nightmare on Elm Street. His death marks one of the most bloody scenes in cinema history. Depp is pulled into his bed and a fountain of blood gushes out towards the ceiling.

Freddy’s infamous glove was constructed by special effects designer Jim Doyle. Craven instructed him to assemble the glove using material and techniques available to a boilermaker. Using an old work glove, copper pipe and tin rivets he created one of the most horrifying and recognizable props in horror history. 

Apart from its indelibly bloody stain on the horror genre, A Nightmare on Elm Street is also significant because it changed the fortunes of the then ailing New LIne Cinema which went on to finance The Lord of the Rings. A Nightmare on Elm Street delivers some satisfying scares. Worth the price of admission for Robert Englund’s chilling performance as Freddy Krueger and Johnny Depp’s hair. 

Best line: One, two, Freddy’s coming for you. Three, four, better lock your door. Five, six, grab your crucifix. Seven, eight, gonna stay up late. Nine, ten, never sleep again.