Freddy Krueger became a big industry. New Line even called itself “The House that Freddy Built.” Yet the original A Nightmare on Elm Street was an independent film. It didn’t take the flights of fancy that Dream Warriors or Dream Master did, or the outrageousness of Freddy’s Dead or Freddy Vs. Jason, but it made nightmares real.
The new 4K UHD release showcases just how well Wes Craven captured nightmares invading reality. There are plenty of shadows in Freddy (Robert Englund)’s boiler room, Nancy (Heather Langenkamp)’s basement and even the bedrooms where teenagers wake up screeming.
But what really makes A Nightmare on Elm Street feel real is the beautiful night lighting. Bedrooms are well lit so you can see the characters, but it mimics having the lights turned off trying to sleep.
The Freddy makeup is clearer than ever and shows off the detail of the design which changed from sequel to sequel. I really can’t wait to see all the Nightmares in 4K, which will hopefully be a set after the 40th anniversary of the original this year.
Over the years, the 1984 original has picked up surround sound remastering too. So now you can hear the score along with dream sound effects, screaming and even lambs behind you.
This release still includes the bonus features from the DVD era. A brief 20 minute history of the franchise and New Line Cinema, and a 50 minute deeper dive on the first movie, are pretty much Cliff Notes compared to the four hour Never Sleep Again doc, but these came first and only make you want to know more.