A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
89%RT Audience Score: 84%
Awards & Nominations: 5 wins & 6 nominations
Wes Craven’s intelligent premise, combined with the horrifying visual appearance of Freddy Krueger, still causes nightmares to this day
A Nightmare on Elm Street is a classic horror movie that will make you want to sleep with the lights on. The suspense and terror build-up is so good that you’ll be invested in every sequence. Plus, Freddy Krueger’s makeup is still awe-inspiring, and his sinisterly unique ideas will make you question your own dreams. But don’t worry, it’s actually kind of fun to be scared out of your wits. Just make sure to check under your bed before you go to sleep.
Production Company(ies)
New Line Cinema, Zupnik Cinema Group II GGR
Distributor
Media Home Entertainment, Image Entertainment Inc., Anchor Bay Entertainment, New Line Home Video [us], New Line Cinema
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
Filming Location(s)
1428 N. Genesee Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
1984
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Mono
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 31m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Nov 9, 1984 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 25, 2005
Genre(s)
Horror
Keyword(s)
starring Robert Englund, Heather Langenkamp, Johnny Depp, John Saxon, Ronee Blakley, Amanda Wyss, Charles Fleischer, directed by Wes Craven, written by Wes Craven, produced by Robert Shaye, horror, R rating, box office gross $57.3M, reviewed by Chris Stuckmann, Paul Attanasio, David Jenkins, Variety Staff, Simon Braund, J.R Jones, Kristy Strouse, Petrana Radulovic, Dan Buffa, Mike Massie, Dennis Schwartz, Freddy Krueger, dreams, slasher film, teenagers, Midwest, midnight mangler, disfigured, Nancy, Glen, mystery, parents, Media Home Entertainment, Image Entertainment Inc., Anchor Bay Entertainment, New Line Home Video [us], New Line Cinema, Mono sound mix
Worldwide gross: $25,685,134
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $75,214,510
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,155
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 8,202,237
US/Canada gross: $25,624,448
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $75,036,802
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 887
US/Canada opening weekend: $1,271,000
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $3,721,906
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,141
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $1,800,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $5,270,991
Production budget ranking: 1,870
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $2,838,429
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $67,105,090
ROI to date (est.): 827%
ROI ranking: 159
Ronee Blakley – Marge Thompson
Heather Langenkamp – Nancy Thompson
Amanda Wyss – Tina Grey
Johnny Depp – Glen Lantz
Charles Fleischer – Dr. King
Director(s)
Wes Craven
Writer(s)
Wes Craven
Producer(s)
Robert Shaye
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
5 wins & 6 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (55) | Top Critics (11) | Fresh (52) | Rotten (3)
Great build-up, the suspense and apprehension, getting you invested in a sequence…this movie has that.
November 2, 2018 | Rating: A
Chris Stuckmann
ChrisStuckmann.com
TOP CRITIC
The script is consistently witty, the camera work (by cinematographer Jacques Haitkin) crisp and expressive.
January 2, 2018
Paul Attanasio
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
A smart, streamlined slasher with plenty under the bonnet.
October 31, 2013 | Rating: 4/5
David Jenkins
Little White Lies
TOP CRITIC
A highly imaginative horror film that provides the requisite shocks to keep fans of the genre happy.
September 21, 2007
Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
What makes Freddy truly terrifying, and an inspired invention on Craven’s part, is that he exists not in the real world but in the shadowy realm of dreams.
September 21, 2007 | Rating: 5/5
Simon Braund
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Craven vitalizes the nightmare sequences with assorted surrealist novelties.
September 21, 2007
J. R. Jones
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
I have no doubt that A Nightmare on Elm Street will continue to hold its coveted place in horror history. With a mix of originality and camp, coming from a genuine fear, it’s a film that can’t be replicated.
October 14, 2021
Kristy Strouse
Wonderfully Weird and Horrifying
It was actually … kind of fun?
March 9, 2021
Petrana Radulovic
Polygon
Can we go to sleep? Is it safe? When filmmakers attack real life phobias and security blankets, horror films hit a peak high.
November 6, 2020
Dan Buffa
KSDK News (St. Louis)
Krueger’s makeup is still awe-inspiring and the onslaught of innovative ideas are sinisterly unique.
September 6, 2020 | Rating: 8/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
A senseless yet intriguing splatter horror film that was well-received by the public.
October 10, 2019 | Rating: B-
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews
The beginning of Freddy is as solid as it was decades ago. This still makes us scared to fall asleep. [Full review in Spanish]
February 18, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/4
Federico Furzan
Cinelipsis…
Plot
On Elm Street, Nancy Thompson and a group of her friends (comprising Tina Gray, Rod Lane and Glen Lantz) are being tormented by a clawed killer in their dreams named Fred Krueger. Nancy must think quickly, as Fred tries to pick them off one by one. When he has you in your sleep, who is there to save you?
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy or funny or odd comments were found in the Fresh Kernels database for A Nightmare on Elm Street.
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