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"Introduction"

This 1984 slasher classic is the film responsible for introducing concepts which paved the road for countless, inferior "rip-offs". By adapting a true life story, and weaving unique, supernatural and horrorific elements throughout, Wes Craven created one of the most terrifying, shocking, and above all, unique, slasher films of all time: "A Nightmare on Elm Street".

Despite the fact that this film has been analyzed to death, let us simply do a complete breakdown of the film, and discover the elements which combine to make this the masterpiece in creative terror that it is.

"Story and Scene by Scene Breakdown"

A Nightmare on Elm Street is a teenager-focused tale. The events which occur in the film are those which are experienced solely by teenagers, and thus, becomes a battle which they are forced to fight on their own. Our four central characters: Nancy Thompson (Heather Langenkamp), Glen Lantz (Johnny Depp), Rod Lane (Jsu Garcia) and Tina Grey (Amanda Wyss), share a unique problem. All four, as it turns out, are having the exact same nightmare -- they are taken to a dirty old boiler room, and stalked by a severely burnt man, wearing a dirty red and green striped sweater (these colours, by the way, were chosen by Wes Craven because they are actually the two most difficult colours for the eye to look at when put side by side), a beat up brown fedora, and long knives for fingers.

The opening sequence of the film, i.e., the creation of the knife glove, is without a doubt a most effective way to begin the film! Not only does it serve to introduce our "killer" (by showing him create his weapon, it also gives us the impression right off the bat that he is living, breathing [as we hear him grunting away], human being -- implying he is more of a serial killer than a supernatural entity [which makes thing quite effective as the film progresses, and we learn more about him], but it also establishes a very dark, gritty, nerve wracking atmosphere!

Of course, it is very important to note the effectiveness of the music which plays during this sequence, and the later opening credits to follow. It is perfectly fitted to this film, and works only to enhance the overall tension created.

After the glove is created, and put on (perfect fit!), we are shown just how sharp it's razor fingers are as an extreme close angle shot displays the knives ripping through a thick sheet of canvas.

Cue: Tina -- running down a bleak, dirty hallway leading up to what we will soon discover to be the old boiler room. She runs barefoot, in her revealing nightgown -- which leads us to our first question: is she in fact awake and running from a flesh-and-blood serial murderer, or is she simply asleep, and is just having a horrible nightmare?

Tina, however, proceeds to navigate her way through the labyrinth of metal pipes, ladders, grates, and boiling steam clouds in the old boiler room where she has been taken -- struggling to get away from the mysterious killer who is pursuing her. Every so often, a horrible "screeeech" of metal on metal can be heard, which is the mysterious killer's trademark: he slowly drags his razor fingers across the metal pipes, creating a horribly inpleasant sound worse than nails on a chalkboard.

Finally, she finds herself at a dead end, closes her eyes, and screams, as the boogeyman runs in front of her; making a horrible sound resembling a combination of an evil laugh, and a sheep bleating. When she opens her eyes, there is nothing there...

However, in the climax of the tension, the man appears behind her, screaming, and raises his hand to slash her... when we suddenly:

Cut to: Tina's bedroom as she bolts awake with a scream. Her mother, rushing in to check on her daughter, makes Tina aware (and at the same time, reveals the most horrifying, and unique concept that the entire film is based upon) that her nightgown is shredded. Of course, we recognize it to be shredded in the exact same spot where the boogeyman from her dreams slashed her with his razor hand.

And thus, through this 10 minute opening sequence, a masterpiece was born.

Through a beautiful dissolve, we are taken from Tina's room to a bright, dreamlike scene: children wearing pure white clothes skip rope and sing a chilling melody (we are quickly led to wonder the relavence of these children... and futhermore, if this is indeed another dream!) as a red convertable pulls up, introducing Nancy and Glen, who have driven themselves, and Tina, to school.

Tina mentions her nightmare, only briefly -- and we are then introduced to Rod Lane: Tina's vulgar, "delinquant", boy friend. The two have a brief fight, then head off to school.

Fade to: Night -- Tina's house. Nancy, Tina, and Glen have a "sleepover" at Tina's house (her parents are out of town, and Tina is afraid to spend the night alone). In the only moment of happiness and lighthearted comedy found in the film, Glen calls his parents and, with the aid of a "sound effects" tape (that goes horribly wrong), convinces them he's staying a different friend's house (apparentely his parents would have had a problem with him spending the night alone in a house with two girls...).

Tina proceeds to describe her dream... leading up to the second most shocking revelation found in the film: when she described the boogeyman, Nancy immediately recognizes the description to be the boogeyman from HER dream!

At this point (which is roughly 20 minutes into the film), the story has been extremely well developed! Not only are we aware that (1) what happens to you in a dream also happens to your body in reality, but (2) this "boogeyman" has the ability to harm you in your most vulnerable state: while you sleep!

As this shocking bit of dialogue is occuring between the teens, we suddenly hear the "screeech" of metal on metal that we heard at the beginning of the film: in Tina's nightmare! Of course, by this time we truly can appreciate the genius of the movie. Wes Craven masterfully created a film in which the viewer never really knows what is a dream, and what is reality! Of course, this fantastic technique was quickly copied 'ad nauseum' in many a horror film, yet here it exists on film at it's very best.

Nancy, Glen, and Tina slowly walk outside to check out the origin of the noise -- the tension builds. Of course, they find nothing... until(!) Glen is tackled to the ground! By who!? Why... by Rod Lane, of course -- who's come to "make up" (or rather, make out) with Tina. So... after a bit of pre-marital sex between Rod and Tina, the two fall asleep, and Tina awakes to another nightmare!

This time, the mysterious boogeyman plays with Tina for a little while, terrifying her by mutilating himself (slicing open his belly only to "bleed" writhing maggots, slicing off his fingers, etc.), but then grows tired of games, and proceeds to pin her to the ground and slice her up.

Fast forward back to reality, where she is lying in her bed beside Rod, when she begins to violently thrash, as if fighting off an unseen assailant. The principle of "what happens in your dreams happens in reality" is in full force here, as Tina's death scene soon turns out to be one of the most effective and shocking deaths in slasher history. Rod wakes up, in a panic, pulls the covers off the bed, and watches Tina's body, as unseen razors proceed to rip open her nightgown, and cut deep slashes into her flesh.

As she struggles, she begins to levitate, being dragged viciously across the ceiling and walls -- all while a horrified Rod Lane is forced to watch, unable to help. Nancy and Glen wake up after Rod screams, burst into the room, and find Tina's mutilated corpse lying beside the bed, blood over everything in the room, and the window open -- where Rod flew the scene of the crime.

And thus, the puzzle arises. Rod is eventually caught by the police and thrown in jail for the murder of Tina (after all, he "went into a locked room with a girl who came out in a bodybag"). However, Nancy believes his innocence, and realizes that her nightmares are an actual threat to her survival -- and the only way to stay alive is to deprive herself of sleep... at least, until she can figure out what she is dealing with.

I should mention that Tina's death came as quite a shock to me. It had pretty much been established to that point that she was the main character -- she was in practically every scene, and thus, it was very disturbing when her character was so gruesomely killed! Regardless -- her death gave way to the interesting development of the (until then) underplayed Heather Langenkamp, who turned out an incredibly performance and launched her character, Nancy Thompson, into Slasher history!

But back to the story...

Nancy's alcoholic mother, Marge (Ronee Blakely) takes it upon herself to "help" her sleep deprived, caffeine addicted, daughter, by taking her to a sleep clinic. Once there, Dr. King (Charles Fleischer -- a.k.a. the voice of Roger Rabbit!) monitors her dreams, and also explains to Marge the mysterious nature of dreams themselves. Soon, Nancy begins to have violent spasms (in what Heather Langenkamp calls her "homage to the Exorcist") and quickly wakes up, screaming, and with a deep and bloody gash on her arm.

And lastly, she also pulls out of her covers, the hat off of the boogeyman's head -- which gives way to yet another fascinating parallel between the real world and the dream world: you can bring things with you back from a dream, into reality.

Cut to: the next day -- the Thompson house. After examining the hat, Nancy finds the name "Fred Krueger" written on the brim. Courtesy of a drunken Marge Thompson, Nancy would later find out the truth about Freddy: he was a filthy child murderer (finally, the meaning behind those kids skipping rope!) who was caught, but then released! The parents, fearing for their childrens' lives, formed a vigilante mob and tracked him down to the old boiler room where he worked and brought his children. They poured gasoline all around... and then lit a match and watched as it burned to the ground... with Freddy inside.

However, they thought that the nightmare was over. Somehow, Freddy survived -- and is extracting his revenge on the parents by going after their children where they can't protect them: their dreams!

After leaving her house to pick up a book on "Boobey Traps", Nancy returns home to find that her mother, Marge, has barred up the windows and the doors, in order to make sure that Nancy doesn't leave the house again -- in order to, yes, get a good night's sleep, like it or not!

That night would turn out to be the night of fate, determining whether or not Nancy lives, or dies. She spends time creating some of those neat Boobey Traps she read about; her plan being to apply the same principle that allowed her to bring Freddy's hat out of the dream world: she will simply hold on to Freddy, wake up, and then will have the upper hand, being able to fight him in the "real world".

That night, however, Glen forgets Nancy's warning of: "whatever you do, don't fall asleep", and is sucked into his bed and turned into a pool of blood (don't worry, I'll talk about this special effect a little later on), leaving Nancy completely alone, having lost all her friends.

She knows her destiny, and accepts the fact that she must do whatever she can to stop Freddy from claiming another life -- and, after saying a final goodnight to her mother, she sets her alarm and falls asleep.

With only seconds to spare, she finds Freddy, holds him tight, and brings him back with her into the real world, where he finds himself thoroughly abused courtesy of all the Boobey Traps that Nancy prepared for him (everything from being set on fire and pushed down a flight of stairs, to having a sledgehammer in the chest!)

Of course, at this point one should realize that this couldn't possibly be the "real world" since none of these brutal attacks stop Freddy. Regardless... after leaving Freddy locked in the basement, apparentely burning once again, Nancy smashes the windows with an umbrella and shouts to the police (who were called to Glen's house after his parents found his "remains") for help.

They burst down the door, just as Nancy notices flaming footsteps leading upstairs to her mother's bedroom. She opens the door to see a flaming Freddy Krueger ontop of her mother -- so she quickly grabs a chair and breaks it over his break! Her father, Lieutenant Thompson, throws a blanket on top of them to extinguish the flames, immediately pulls it off, and reveals the charred corpse of Marge sinking down into the bed... where she finally dissapears without a trace.

Her father, Lieutenant Thompson, finally believes her daughter, but of course, it's too late. Throroughly shaken up, he exits the room, leaving Nancy alone. While she has her back to the door, it closes -- announcing the final arrival of Fred Krueger. For his dramatic entrance, he emerges slowly from underneath the covers of the bed, tearing his way out. However, Nancy turns her back on him, and vows to not give him another waking thought; to take back all the energy she gave him by being afraid.

At the climax of the scene, she looks him in the face and says, "You're nothing.", and turns to grab the doornob, as Freddy lunges forward to tear her apart with his menacing glove hand, but disintegrates while doing so -- having no more energy, he ceases to exist.

Nancy opens the door, only to reveal bright light. She walks through, and finds herself on the front porch of her house, wearing bright clothes, and staring into the eyes of her (living) mother Marge, who promises to give up drinking. Soon, all her friends arrive in Glen's red convertable -- Nancy gets in the car, and they begin to drive off.

In the distance you can faintly hear the children, skipping rope and singing that eerie melody...

Suddenly -- the top to the convertable flips up, and locks the kids in the car which continues to drive down the street. As the camera pulls back, we notice the familiar red and green striped pattern on the roof of the car.

Marge keeps waving goodbye, though, and smiling as if nothing is wrong -- but suddenly, a familiar razor fingered hand breaks through the front door, grabs Marge, and pulls her in through the tiny window in the front door. The children sing louder... and we fade to our ending credits.

The perfect finale, to the perfect film.

"Special Effects"

All things considered, the special effects in this film are remarkable even to this day. A Nightmare on Elm Street wasn't made with computer generated monsters, or computer generated anything for that matter -- it was made by creative special effects men who used simple means to create incredible illusions!

First of all, Freddy's makeup. In A Nightmare on Elm Street -- as opposed to the later sequels, Freddy literally looked like a boogeyman! He was terrifying to look at -- his flesh charred; his muscles exposed underneath! Very scary stuff!

Second of all -- Tina's death. The entire sequence contained some great effects: everything from the (okay, it was kinda corny) finger lopping, to the belly slicing with maggots. I'll admit that I've never cared for the scene where Tina frantically rips off Freddy's skin to reveal a laughing skull underneath -- but hey, it's still good, even if it is a little cheezy looking!

But of course, who could EVER say anything at all bad about Tina's actual death -- as she levitated and was dragged along the ceiling. It's just one of those things you have to see to believe! Even if you know beforehand that the effect was done through the ingenius use of a "rotating room" devised by the special effects men (everything else but Tina was literally glued down to the floor -- including Rod's hair and the chain around his neck!), it's still remarkable to watch!

Glen's death was no doubt the bloodiest, and still effective -- though certainly not the best. That magic "rotating room" came back into play as litres and litres of blood were shot out from a hole in his bed, creating the illusion that the blood was actually filling up the ceiling!

Plus, who could forget those smaller, most effective effects, such as "Freddy walking through the jail bars" (accomplished with expert camera angles), "Freddy's face pushing out through the wall" (which was a most unforgettable effect done by stretching a piece of latex, and "pushing" the face through), "the Tongue Phone" (which was just plain silly!), and "Freddy's extending arms" which were actually two fishing poles, used to create the illusion of Freddy's arms extending the length of an alleyway!

Ah yes, and how could we neglet Tina, who appears lying on the ground at the highschool, but then is picked up by her feet (supernaturally, as we never actually "see" anyone hoist her up) and is dragged down the hallway. Truly, this was a beautiful shot which was accomplished through the simplest means: with wire, filmed at an angle such that would not reveal the wire on film.

One of my all time favourite effects found in the film would have to be Freddy's jump from out of the mirror. It was shocking, surreal, and scary! Plus, Wes Craven has said that, to the best of his knowledge, A Nightmare on Elm Street was "the first film to have a monster leaping from out of a mirror" -- a scene which has been used countless times since then!

I think it really goes without saying that the entire film is loaded with both fantastic, and cheezy special effects -- and I'm sure I have mistakenly neglected some (even though I've tried to be as a complete in my coverage of this film as possible -- which I'm sure you've all notice... that is, those of you who are still reading, and haven't fallen asleep from boredom!)

"Conclusion"

Yes -- I'm finally finished with this excessive breakdown of the film! I hope it was both informative, and enjoyable to read -- and above all, explained (in great detail) the reasons why I enjoy the film so much.