You see, somewhere between 1990 and this film’s release in 1994, I became very obsessed with horror films (healthy for an 8-year-old, huh?). When I first got wind of the newest Freddy film involving Heather Langenkamp and Wes Craven, likely through some random issue of Fangoria, I was excited. When watching it, I found it humorous that the film was set in a reality where New Line sucks, destroyed the Nightmare series, and thus has unleashed an ancient horror on the world which apparently really likes being Freddy. That’ll teach ‘em. As I said, I watched this movie tons when I was just an impressionable twelve years of age to the point where I can still visualize the cigarette burns between reels and hear the booming DTS clang of ironworks in the opening scene and recognize that one of the kid’s laughter from the background with the New Line logo was also used in the park scene later on. Again, none of this is really germane to the quality of the film but even if this movie were complete garbage, which for the record it is not, I would be the most impartial judge ever due to these circumstances.
But enough with nostalgia as this film does not need aid from my rose-colored recollections of it. It is just a damn fine movie on its own. Most of the acclaim I gave to Part 5 was its attempt to return to the roots of the story, namely horror instead of comedy. That movie failed though with its out of control, mainstream Freddy. Here though we have Wes Craven, who has most certainly been shocked and chagrined at life over the later sequels of his work, returning to form with his original concept and elements that work. For the better part of the film, Freddy is mostly a passer-by. Sure, he causes some damage and kills but for the first hour or so of the movie, the character of Freddy is largely absent. In his place is a menacing threat to Heather and her family. It may be Freddy, it may be a psycho fan, it may be paranoia and dementia. Who knows?
As opposed to the remake (which I have not seen but am just going off of PBF’s review), we have a largely original story but heavy callbacks to the original film that actually fit with the premise of the movie. While the overall idea of an evil entity which has taken Freddy’s form is a bit much to take at first, once you get past that, the illusions to the first film fit in quite well. Iconic moments such as the bathtub scene, the phone-makeout, and Tina’s death are referenced but not recreated as their original forms have no place in this film. And of course to bring things back to formula, Freddy starting out is once again a dark, menacing force with little time to mug for the camera or spout one-liners.
Above all, my main problem with the film was the change in course in the back half of the picture, especially pertaining to that particular penchant of Freddy. While still cleverly executed, after Freddy emerges from Heather’s closet, he seems to be on a rapid acceleration back to his former self from the last few pictures. The jokes are not as bad or as forced as before but to have a villain thrust upon you, immediately delivering trailer-worthy bits of dialogue is a bit much all at once. Once Heather/Nancy travels into Freddy’s world, the picture slams on the brakes for me. While I appreciate the reference to earlier in the film, for Freddy to die by way of the witch in Hansel and Gretal is a bit lazy and the finale is where the special effects are called to the plate and strike out with pretty bad CGI and matte paintings that are damn close to removing you from the story. However, even at its worst, the finale of New Nightmare is remarkably better than the ineptitude shown during any part of Freddy’s Dead.
I enjoyed how a prominent theme from the original (and some of the sequels) was carried over: namely, idiot parents. Just like Nancy in the first film, Dylan is having nightmares and seeing Freddy but he is quickly dismissed by his parents as nonsense. And once Nancy comes around to the existence of Freddy in real life, she then has to try to convince her “parents” or authority figures, John Saxon and that bitch doctor. Even though it was heavily re-edited (and twelve-year-old me noticed it too), the final part of the original Nightmare shown on Heather’s TV only expounds the notion that parents or authority will always think they are right and things like Freddy are just fantasy.
The reason that I keep watching and enjoying this film is simple though. It is expertly crafted leaving just enough details out of reach (such as what the hell is wrong with Robert Englund) and constantly building to bigger, more scarier things. And while it might be because my own kids now, I was quite anxious during the playground scene even though I have known for sixteen years that Dylan will survive. And when he cries out for Rex after Julie is Tina-zed, I got shivers. It was just that effective.
This is my longest Nightmare review to date but I feel it is quite warranted. Go ahead and disparage me and my beliefs if you must but New Nightmare is the best of all the sequels and at times comes damn close to beating the original in sheer execution if not originality. As I said, I am probably the worst person to get an unbiased opinion from on this film but it is remarkable and I am sure the few extra bucks that Little Giants got from me was worth it.
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