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Writer's pictureGus Keller

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)



A Nightmare on Elm Street's perfect premise uses sleep's inevitability and intimacy as a threat. This allows for supernatural set pieces and inherent themes of fear, belief, innocence, awareness, trust, and reality. However, while the concept is great, the execution is flawed. There's blunt dialogue, a repetitive plot, messy rules, tropes, inconsistent subtext, and an awkward ending. The unnatural acting delivers spotty chemistry, relatability, and intensity. Englund eats up his role but isn't on screen enough. Still, the script has setup/payoff, character growth, a proactive protagonist, and twists. Overall, Elm Street is rough around the edges yet elevates its subgenre.


Elm Street alternates between conventional and surreal, with flashy kills and campy tones. The editing adds basic inserts, dissolves, brevity, and sputtering momentum. Its rough sound uses offscreens, echoes, action, ambiance, and silly stings. The cast is inessential besides Depp and Englund. Its music has tense dissonance, motifs, a lullaby, and clashing moods at times. The imagery offers some composition, lighting, color, angles, and geography. Its production design supplies an iconic villain and dreamlike sequences. The elaborate effects apply makeup, prosthetics, blood, wires, forced perspective, stunts, fire, and dummies. Thus, Elm Street is creative yet accessible.


Writing: 6/10

Direction: 8/10

Cinematography: 7/10

Acting: 5/10

Editing: 6/10

Sound: 7/10

Score/Soundtrack: 7/10

Production Design: 9/10

Casting: 7/10

Effects: 9/10


Overall Score: 7.1/10

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