



Partly what makes the series so successful is its villain. Robert Englund brings so much to the role of Freddy Krueger. His devilish charm and wit make him all the more frightening, and unlike the likes of other slasher movie killers such as Jason or Michael Myers, Freddy doesn't hide behind a mask - he has his own impish sense of humor, as if the kids he's killing are his "toys." It's as though your dreams are his sandbox. Also starring is Heather Langenkamp, John Saxon, and a pre-famous Johnny Depp, and all pull their weight in acting - but in the end Englund steals every scene.





Great horror movies typically exploit a certain aspect of non-threatening daily life and turns it into something to fear (for example, the ocean in, showers in, and the wind in... wait, maybe scratch that last one). '' succeeds in that we all have to go to sleep, so there's effectively no way to escape from Freddy, the child-killing burn victim wearing a self-made glove with knives on the fingers. The haunting music and the eerie set pieces help to escalate the chill-factor, and it's great the way the film blends nightmare and reality (you never know exactly where you are, so the killer can pop out at any time). Plus, because it takes place in people's dreams, there's an excuse to make extremely over the top, elaborate gross-out/shock scenes. It's a true classic that has sort of lost its mystique since the character, Freddy, has been used to death in pop culture and countless sequels, remakes, and re-imaginings (coming soon to DVD).