Whilst I’ve only see three of the Friday the 13th movies I’m a regular coniseur when it comes to everyones favourite wise cracking homocidal paedophile (maybe the entire horror community splits into Elm Street people and Friday 13th people).
As a series of films they’re not good, but my teenage years were spent with all of these films and New Nightmare is one of the first films I remember sneaking into. Time and the onset of critical thinking have certainly not been kind to the latter movies but I still find myself drawn to the original and number III Dream Warriors.
The original is such a great, great film. I was just watching it yesterday and it amazes me that despite some odd ADR moments the film kind of stands up and seems to reverse the usual horror paradigm for franchises to get progressively bloodier as they go on (nothing in the films that follows really matches the sheer visceral horror of Tina’s death and even after a couple of dozen viewings that scene still gets really under my skin). It’s bloody and kind of scary and the focus is on the kids rather than Freddy (who is sort of broadly lecherous as opposed to his more sympathetic/charismatic latter incarnations). The kids themselves are surprisingly good, they’re not world class thespians but their lack of numbers means that the two we’re supposed to give a shit about get a lot of focus. In fact I think Heather’s* up there with Laurie in terms of great survivor girls and the remastered DVD, bizarrely, is one of the best looking DVDs I’ve used with my HD-TV thus far.
Number III seems to start the pattern for Freddy being the dominant force in the films (number II’s general bizarreness rules it out of this equation) and whilst it’s nowhere near as scary as the original it manages to retain some tension in its dream sequences (even if the Dream Warriors angle is wondrously campy). There’s enough good ideas to keep the film afloat and its also never, ever, boring.
Quick question in the original Heather sort of spots some dude in sunglasses and a black suit that I’ve always assumed to be Fred Kruger. He’s never mentioned again and I was wondering if my summation was correct or not.
So what are you guys favourite films in the series.
*Upon watching this film again recently the cast who had always seemed ‘older’ than me suddenly became kids, I don’t think I’ve ever been more aware of my mortality than when I was watching a slasher film and marvelling at how young looking the cast were.
Totally with you on that last comment - All the kids in the FT13/NOES series always seemed so much older, but day by day, I see them more as the kids there were all along.
Anyway, much love here for the Nightmare on Elm Street films. The first film and New Nightmare are fantastic, and 3 and 5 have enough intriguing ideas and fun moments to make them worthwhile.
Freddy’s Dead was one of the first horror films I’d seen all the way through, and I loved it at around age 10. These days, I can see what a horrendous miscalculation it is, but I still have fond memories of it. Lisa Zane’s eyes still have a strange power over me.
Oh, and the remastered DVD of the first film is freakin’ beautiful. Can’t wait for the Blu Ray.
I’ve never seen 4 & 5. But I really liked the 1st, hate the 2d, love the 3d in a guilty pleasure kind of way, and think New Nightmare is better than most people give it credit for. Maybe the innovative concept IS all it has going for it, but in today’s hackneyed, remake saturated horror film market, that ought to, in my book, get much props and count for the forgiveness of many faults. At least whoever wrote the film in question had the creativity to come up with something we haven’t seen an infinite number of times before, and the guts to take a chance on it. It is a most worthy entry in the series.
Well it was written by Wes Craven. I haven’t gone back to New Nightmare in quite a while, all I can remember is that opening sequence with the glove and Craven’s cameo.
I like the first one the best. I seen it when I was a kid at a drive-in with my parents and it scared the shit out of me. I would say Freddy’s Revenge is by far the biggest blemish to the series though.
I don’t think I’ve ever encountered anyone who likes that film, it’s just terrible on a conceptual level, has a really weird feel and is utterly boring.
New Nightmare’s the best in the series. I’m a big fan of the grouping as a whole, but WCNN has the best ideas, the best Langekamp performance (not saying much), the best score, and maybe the most exciting sequence with crossing the freeway.
The first NOES I ever saw was Dream Warriors, and it remains my favourite and by far the most inventive in the series. It’s also notable for having introduced the world to Frank Darabont, who co-wrote it with Craven.
Originally Posted by QuarantView Post The first NOES I ever saw was Dream Warriors, and it remains my favourite and by far the most inventive in the series. It’s also notable for having introduced the world to Frank Darabont, who co-wrote it with Craven.
Not entirely true. Craven came up with a lot of the basic ideas and themes for the movie, but a lot got changed in later drafts, which is where Darabont came in.
As far as the series go, I maintain that the original is by far the best, and dig New Nightmare, but I’ve watched Dream Warriors far more times than any other in the series. But that movie has an unfair advantage over any of the others - Dokken!
Originally Posted by EnemyoftheStamosView Post Not entirely true. Craven came up with a lot of the basic ideas and themes for the movie, but a lot got changed in later drafts, which is where Darabont came in.
Hmmm, interesting… Wonder whose idea it was to alter Freddy’s personality so radically.
Freddy’s Revenge is a masterpiece compared to Freddy’s Dead. I have to appreciate Freddy’s Revenge, because it was the sequel to a hugely popular mainstream horror film that’s a metaphor for homosexuality. The movie is not good, but something like that takes more balls than New Nightmare’s post-modern frenzy.
As for the rest, I think they’re all fun in their own way, but 1, 3, 4 and New Nightmare are the best. Freddy’s Dead is by far the worst. Completely awful and horribly dated.
Originally Posted by The Dark ShapeView Post New Nightmare’s the best in the series. I’m a big fan of the grouping as a whole, but WCNN has the best ideas, the best Langekamp performance (not saying much), the best score, and maybe the most exciting sequence with crossing the freeway.
Agreed. I actually own the soundtrack and I used to listen to the freeway track while driving on the interstate. Gets your blood pumping.
I like how Wes made the film not just a horror but threw in a bit of suspense and thriller-esq moments. I also like what they did with Freddy. He was a much darker, more sinister individual. And actually making him into a demon really makes you forget his comical side altogether.
The only downside to the movie is it looses its steam once Heather gets into HIS world. And the laughable demon effect when he gets burned alive. Still love the film though and it is the best.
Love the series. Agree with the above sentiments that 1 and 3 were the strongest but I have an affinity for part 2 'cause of the gay subtext. I know a lot of people who favor part 4 over 3, which baffles me.
Here’s a weird thing; I have watched part 5 (The Dream Child) repeatedly, even recently, and my mind simply will not retain any information from the film. I can remember some details, but most of it just leaves my conciousness immediately. Even part 6, as terrible as it is, will at least stick in my brain. Part 5 just evaporates entirely. It’s a non-film.