DVD Corner

A Nightmare On Elm Street 4K UHD Review

“A Nightmare On Elm Street” is a seminal horror film. 

Written and directed by the late great master of horror Wes Craven, 1984’s “A Nightmare On Elm Street” introduced the world to the freaky burned child killer Freddy Krueger. The story begins with a teenager named Tina having nightmares of the knife glove wearing Freddy terrorizing her in a boiler room. It turns out she isn’t alone in having these dreams as her boyfriend (Rod) and her friends Glen and Nancy are also dreaming about Freddy. It turns out these dreams are not just dreams as any injuries that happen in the dream world also happen in the real world. After Tina is murdered by Freddy in the dream world, the story’s perspective suddenly shifts over to Nancy who (along with Rod and Glen) are fighting for their lives. Can Freddy be stopped? What secrets are being held about him? Is he able to enter the real world?

It goes without saying that “A Nightmare On Elm Street” has become one of the most iconic horror films of all time (although the sequels ‘Dream Warriors’ and ‘New Nightmare’ should not be overlooked). Wes Craven cleverly delves into the mysteries of dreams by creating a monster that can haunt people in the dream world while also being able to sadistically torture and or kill his victims in it. If “Jaws” made you afraid to go in the water, ‘Elm Street’ made you afraid to go to sleep. Add in the unsettling notion that the victims often have a hard time differentiating between reality and the dream world and it makes the entire premise even more chilling. 

Premise aside, Craven creates so much haunting imagery here with the ceiling death, the bodybag sequence, the glove in the bathtub and the blood geyser. Granted, not everything stands the test of time here (the ending is a real slice of 80’s cheese), but the shortcomings are easy to overlook here. 

The cast goes a long way in selling the story. Robert Englund gives one of the best performances in horror history as Freddy. No matter which Freddy you prefer (scary or comedic), he gives the character such a demented range. Heather Langenkamp is arguably one of the most famous “final girls.” She’s feisty, brave, and takes on Freddy without much help. ‘Elm’ is also, of course, notable for featuring an early performance from Johnny Depp as Glen (the guy who can’t stay awake).

Note: This 4K release contains the uncut and theatrical versions.

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 1.85:1 2160p With HDR. How does it look? This is a deeply impressive transfer that features sharper colors. This is especially evident in the dark boiler room and the bright exterior in the closing moments. Hopefully, the rest of the ‘Elm Street’ series will hit 4K someday!

Audio Tracks: Dolby Atmos and 2.0 DTS-HD MA. The remastered Atmos track is a godsend. Every knife scrape has such an impact. The Original Theatrical 2.0 track is there for the purists among us.

Extras:
* Digital copy
* Commentary on the theatrical cut by Wes Craven, Heather Langenkamp, John Saxon and Jacques Haitkin (from 2001) and Wes Craven, Robert Shaye, Robert Englund, Heather Langenkamp, Amanda Wyss, Ronee Blakley, Sara Risher, Jacques Haitkin, John Burrows, Charles Bernstein, Rick Shaine, Patrick McMahon, Jim Doyle, David B. Miller and David Del Valle (from 2006).
* 3 alternate endings
* “Focus Points”- Alternate takes of the glove construction, Freddy chasing Tina, the rubber ceiling, Freddy cuts fingers, Freddy face peel, Freddy in alley (times 2), Freddy in Tina’s death,  stunt double falls, Tina’s death, Freddy chases Nancy, bathtub scene (times 2), Freddy and feathers, sleep clinic, Tina and worms, Nancy and unused phone line, phone scene, blood pours from bed, dummy in bed, Freddy comes out of bed, Nancy and Freddy, Marge discusses Freddy, plus Wes Craven talking about glove sparks, Dave Miller on Tina’s chest ripping and maggots, Robert on Freddy’s voice, Ronee talks about her dummy, and Haitkin talks about camera effects.
* “The House That Freddy Built: The Legacy Of New Line Horror”- A 22 minute documentary on New Line Cinema’s history and how horror and Freddy was integral to its success.
* “Never Sleep Again: The Making Of A Nightmare On Elm Street”- Not to be confused with the feature film documentary, this is a 50 minute making of featurette.
* “Night Terrors: The Origins Of Wes Craven’s Nightmares”- A 15 minute featurette on dreams 

October 11, 2024 - Posted by nicklyons1 | 4K UHD Review | 80's, A Nightmare On Elm Street, A Nightmare On Elm Street 4K UHD Review, Freddy Krueger, Heather Langenkamp, horror, Horror Movie, Johnny Depp, Robert Englund, Wes Craven