The Scream Queen

Monsters lurking in the dark are a tale as old as time; they prey on our subconscious fears of the unknown, they feed on our vulnerable state. But of course, these monsters can be escaped when we go to sleep. At least they could be, until 40 years ago, when one monster clawed his way out from under the bed and into our nightmares forever. Clad in a now iconic red and green striped jumper and a razor blade glove, Freddy Krueger is as recognisable in pop culture as Santa Clause. So in honour of his 40th onscreen birthday, let’s go back to where it all started; A Nightmare on Elm Street.

What’s your worst nightmare? Falling from a great height? spiders crawling all over you while you sleep? For the teens of Elm Street, its the burned child killer turned dream demon Freddy Krueger. This is especially true for Heather Langenkamp’s final girl Nancy, who spends the majority of the film evading sleep and trying to convince people she’s not losing her mind. The film begins in Freddy’s lair, with soon to be victim Tina being hunted by the villain. Razor claws being sharpened and nightgowns slashed; Nightmare’s opening sequence sets us up for the terror which will ensue. What is so interesting about Nightmare upon reflection is the way it is set apart from its predecessors. Although often grouped together with other large slasher franchises, such as Halloween and Friday the 13th, Nightmare is far less generic and allows more creative freedom through the dream realm. Particularly the first movie feels innovative and fresh for the time (despite being endlessly parodied and referenced in today’s popular culture).

Despite becoming undoubtedly the biggest star of the franchise born from A Nightmare on Elm Street, Freddy only has seven minutes of screen time in the original film.

Verdict: Even after 40 years, A Nightmare on Elm Street is still a scream. Although fear of Freddy Krueger may have diminished as the franchise grew, it is important to remember the impact he made in those 7 minutes of screen to begin with. With a camp nostalgic undertone, A Nightmare on Elm Street will be sure to remain a scream long after you wake up from the nightmare.