A Nightmare On Elm Street 58 4 Film Favorites

Posted In: A Nightmare On Elm Street

Raleigh Henderlight says...

To me part 1-5,(with 1 of course being the very best),2 being good,and 5 downright silly.represents the height of the freddy franchise. Wes Craven's New Nightmare was also good, If your like me who grew up on this franchise watching On WBFS-33, or wdzl-39(the most) then NO REMAKE w/o Englund will due.

Posted on November 19, 2011

Carolynn Rosan says...

This is a great collection of the last 4 movies in the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise.You'd pay double the price trying to buy these movies individually and they'd take up more space.Get this collection.You won't be disappointed.

Posted on November 19, 2011

Andera Colvert says...

If you've picked up the first 4-pack with Freddy's first four forays into the film world and enjoyed it enough, chances are you're here to pick up the next 4 installments. Unfortunately, what you're in for is two terrible films in the series before getting back to the good stuff. Once again, the transfers are crisp, the sound quality is excellent and the features are lacking, but to finish your Nightmare collection on-the-cheap, you really couldn't do much better (and, let's face it, a few of these installments aren't really worth the price of an individual purchase, but we'll get to that...) Now let's start with what this collection has to offer:



A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child - Typically, this film is ranked with Nightmare 2 as one of the worst of the series and, while it's my humble opinion that 2 really isn't that bad, I agree that 5 is pretty terrible. Picking up where part 4 left off, the premise of The Dream Child centers on Freddy's attempt to cause more trouble by invading the dreams of Alice's (Alice being the Dream Master from part 4) unborn child. While the concept certainly should have worked on paper, its flaws show through in the final film. The idea that Freddy can kill you via the dreams of an unborn child is intriguing and rife with possibilities, however far too much of the film seems uneven and it seems to take forever for the main characters to figure out what's going on. Not that you'll care too much for the main characters because most of the ones in this installment are fairly unlikable (except for Alice herself), so you're not really sad to see any of these people go. While previous installments seemed to pride themselves on the inventiveness and ingenuity of creative nightmares, it seems as though this film doesn't try very hard and there's no standout sequences. Even Freddy's make-up has changed (the result of David Miller taking over for Kevin Yeagher) and he looks more rubbery than organic, thereby decreasing the effectiveness of his horrible disfigurement. Stephen Hopkins directs this film in an overly-produced music video style and the film suffers greatly from no real sense of vision. In fact, the whole thing just makes you want to watch the previous four films and skip this installment altogether. To be brutally honest, you won't really miss much if you did skip this one... but then that leads us right to...



Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare - If part 5 wasn't your cup of tea, then get ready for the sheer absurdity that is part 6. Coming at a time when all of the studios thought it would be a good idea to kill off their franchise characters for the sake of a few extra bucks ("Friday the 13th" attempted to finish things off for good not once, but twice.) What results is an uneven and ridiculous "ending" to the Nightmare series. Once again, we're subjected to obnoxious main characters that you can't wait to see dispatched all while exploring more of Freddy's history. While the Freddy history lesson is interesting to long-time fans, the rest of this film is just ridiculous on a level previously unheard of. Like part 5, this installment lacks creative nightmares and instead overdepends on making Freddy funny. Perhaps the most ridiculous nightmare is when Breckin Meyer is abducted into a video game world and Freddy dispatches him through a series of cartoony and totally silly traps (no, really, the cartoon sound effects are actually used in this segment. There's even a part where Breckin eats an apple and actually says: "Super Spencer!" At that point in the film, I've never wanted to kill a fictional character so badly before.) But it's not enough that his nightmare is silly, we also have to cut back to how he's acting in the real world as a result of his nightmare. At this point, any viewer worth their salt would throw up their hands at the utter stupidity being displayed on screen. Director Rachel Talalay (who performed a multitude of production duties for previous Nightmare installments) proves she's learned absolutely nothing over the course of her tenure with the Nightmare films and delivers a film that's just embarassing. Seriously, the last portion of the film was originally filmed in 3D and they actually had a character in the film put on 3D glasses (which was supposed to prompt the audience to put on their 3D glasses.) The 3D experience is not preserved on this presentation of the film, so you're stuck enduring several gags in 2D form. Last but not least, this sorry excuse for a film also tries to whip a little more supernatural mumbo jumbo on the viewer in an attempt to explain why Freddy can do what he can do. Y'see, when he was being burned up by the parents from the original film, he made a deal with some dream demons... No, wait, where are you going? I'm not making this up, it's in the film! Ah well, don't even bother with this nonsense. Like part 5, you're not missing much if you skip this film.



Wes Craven's New Nightmare - Craven returns to his original creation and attempts to erase the bad memories of the last two films by going meta with this film. This film-within-a-film-about-a-film takes the premise that the last 6 Freddy films were exactly that - just films. And now, in the real world, the evil essence that is Freddy is attempting to break free from his celluloid world and enter the real world proper. If it sounds confusing, don't worry - Craven actually does a good job spelling this all out for you in the film itself. Essentially, this is an excuse for Craven to make Freddy scary again and to revisit several of the elements that made the first film so popular (he literally refers to several moments from the original film and has them echo here in this installment.) Overall, the film is effective and Craven has, once again, created a high-concept premise for his film. The only real downside to the film is whether or not you enjoy the redesign of the Freddy costume and make-up and the bombastic film score that permeates this installment as though the composer takes the film much more seriously than he ought to. While it seems at times that Craven's script seems to pat Craven on the back in a total lack of humility, it is nice to see several cast members from previous installments appear as themselves in this film (Heather Langenkamp, Robert Englund, John Saxon, Tuesday Knight, Nick Corri) and we even have appearances from Wes himself. Altogether, this film is flawed in certain areas (particularly the thinly-veiled metaphor to Hansel and Gretel and Wes' own self-congratulatory script), but does the job erasing the stink of the last two installments off the franchise.



Freddy Vs. Jason - Finally. Together. And they actually do fight each other. For sheer fun in either the Friday the 13th series and the Nightmare series, it really doesn't get any better than this. The film really tries to attempt to satisfy both groups of fans and succeeds rather admirably (for a film that didn't do the same thing as well, see Alien Vs. Predator). The central conceit for this film is that Freddy's pissed no one remembers him anymore (thus depleting his power), so he recruits Jason Vorhees in the hopes that Jason's killing spree will convince people that it's actually Freddy who's back and killing again. It sounds silly, but really, who cares? It's just an excuse to get these characters up on screen at the same time. So, what makes this film different that I'm willing to write off certain story elements, even when they're at their silliest? Because this film knows what it is and doesn't attempt to be anything else. It's better than you'd expect and manages to capture the nuances of both series rather cleverly. Englund is better than ever in this installment and while it's a return to wisecracking Freddy, it's nice to see him back in the game one last time. Really the film is just a reward for the fans of slasher films from the 80's and if you've enjoyed Nightmare thusfar (or were a Jason fan), chances are you'll enjoy what they did here. This film doesn't really influence either series' continuity on the whole and it sort of plays out as a one-off or one-shot installment. At this point in either series, you might as well just sit back, have a few laughs and enjoy the ride one last time for both series before the reboots started.



In the end, this is definitely a 50/50 purchase (2 bad movies, 2 better movies), but if you're seriously considering purchasing this, then you're already a fan and you might as well finish your Nightmare collection. You should probably do yourself a favor and just skip the first disc entirely and go straight to the second disc for the 2 better films. Still, if you want an example of how not to make a Freddy film, feel free to watch the first disc. You'll probably be sorry you did. In the meantime, enjoy the last installments of one of the more creative horror franchises in recent memory and enjoy the trip...

Posted on November 19, 2011

Leonora Cheek says...

I had been eyeballing this at for a while at stores and then I found it on Amazon for a cheaper price.Can't beat it.Great shipping and great product.I recommend this purchase.

Posted on November 19, 2011

Camilla Quilliam says...

As a whole, I give the entire Nightmare series 5 stars.Well maybe all except Freddy's Dead.But besides that, these 4-film fan packs are great.Inside of leaving reviews for both packs, I'll just list a few problems I have with them:



1. They have the same menus that are found in the Nightmare DVD boxset, and individual DVD releases.They could have at least done something new with the menus for a new release.



2. If your looking for deleted scenes from Freddy Vs. Jason, they aren't on here. It's just your standard widescreen/full screen movie with trailer and commentary.



3. An unrated version of Dream Child on DVD would be nice.I know it's next to impossible to get though cause apparently the film master got ruined and they can't transfer it to DVD.Ahh well...at least their is the trusty old VHS.



Besides these three problems, this set is good for two things.It's a nice addition to anyone's Freddy collection.And it's good for those who like to have Nightmare marathons.

Posted on November 21, 2011

Mandy Cilfone says...

After recieving my order from this seller, I will definitely use him again. Thank you

Posted on November 21, 2011

Sun Felmet says...

Okay so these movies are not as good as the first 4 but for the price it is worth the buy. Great cheesy horror. Part 5 was decent with the return of Alice. 6 was disappointing for me personally but had some good laughs. New Nightmare was a different take on the series. I didn't much care for it but I loved seeing Heather in another Freddy movie. For me, Freddy vs Jason was highly disappointing. However it is fun to watch this movie with the commentary on. Robert Englund is funny and full of great info about past Freddy movies. I will only watch this movie with the commentary on.

Posted on November 22, 2011

Margarito Biele says...

Getting straight to it, this is a weak bundle. Nightmare on Elm Street 5: Dream Child and Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare are the weakest of the series along with part 2 which was Freddy's Revenge. Freddy vs. Jason is a mixed bag. It's interesting seeing these two horror icons duke it out, but that may or may not be your cup of tea. The strongest is New Nightmare which brought Heather Lagenkamp as Nancy back into the franchise and offered a new twist rather than more of the same. I would say buy that one on its own and pass on this quad set. It's nice that they put these packs together for people on a budget and sometimes all or at least 3 of the films are pretty good. But not in this case.

Posted on November 23, 2011

Tennille Weakly says...

Now that I have reviewed the previous 4-film collection, it's time for me to review the second 4-film collection. I loved every film in this franchise and didn't feel any of them were bad. This is a terrific horror franchise that was always trying something new, no matter how absurd or ludicrous the ideas may have been.

A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 5: THE DREAM CHILD REVIEW: SCORE: 8.25

WHAT IT'S ABOUT: A year after the events of the fourth film, the film's two survivors; Alice and Dan have now started dating and have made new friends; Greta, Yvonne, and Mark. Things seem to be going on without Freddy Krueger, but Alice keeps having dreams about Freddy's mother; Amanda. Then Freddy rises from the dead again and raises hell with the group, and the only way to stop him is to find the final resting place of his mother so she can destroy him.

MUSIC: Nothing new, but no complaints since it fits the mood pretty well.

ACTING: Still pretty cheesy along with the dialogue, but the actors for the most part seemed to work. While there is no one recognizable except Robert Englund, these actors weren't too shabby.

ACTION: Some really random and creative kills again. Freddy also seems to have developed new powers as he has done in the previous films. However, this is where the franchise because less memorable, and this film is easily one of my lesser favorites. But I still really enjoyed it, and it kept the spirit of the franchise.

OVERALL: While this is not the best sequel (That would go to the third film), it still provides plenty of fun that's hard not to love. However, the people who generally condemn sequels will probably hate this film without giving it much of a chance.

THE GOOD: Creative and weird kills, good music, tolerable acting, and it's still a lot of fun.

THE BAD: Cheesy dialogue and it's not as memorable as other entries.

FREDDY'S DEAD: THE FINAL NIGHTMARE REVIEW: SCORE: 8

WHAT IT'S ABOUT: It's now the year 1999, ten years after the previous film. Freddy has come back from the dead once again to torment all of Springwood by taking all of the children, and he's now after a group of troubled kids (Spencer, Carlos, Tracy, and John) and a psychiatrist (Dr. Maggie). However, Freddy is after Maggie and on top of killing his new victims, he erases their existence (Once again, new powers when he returns from the grave). Now the group must stop him and find out why he's after Maggie.

MUSIC: The music fits the bill and there's even some new music, including songs by various artists. At least there's some new stuff this time.

ACTING: As far as acting and dialogue goes, this film isn't plagued too much by cheesy dialogue. I actually liked the performances of all the actors (Plus a small cameo from Johnny Depp).

ACTION: This film has some of the most bizarre kills of the franchise (Death by...Nintendo Powerglove? Bong-smoking worms are evil!). While this film is a bit slow compared to previous entries, it was still and interesting and absurdly weird film that I grew to enjoy for all its weird quirks.

OVERALL: This is my least favorite of all the films (Including the remake), but I still really enjoyed it and had a blast like I always have with this series. This is still the least liked of all the films of this franchise (Standing at a dismal 4.5 out of 10 on IMDB), but if you give it a chance and embrace its weirdness, you might have fun.

THE GOOD: New creative and absurdly weird kills, good music, good acting and dialogue, and an interesting story.

THE BAD: It's a bit slow in some parts and for some it will be hard to get used to.

WES CRAVEN'S NEW NIGHTMARE REVIEW: SCORE: 8.5

WHAT IT'S ABOUT: This film is easily one of the most creative entries in the franchise. What if Freddy Krueger became real and is being controlled by a demon? Then he goes after the real life cast including Heather Langenkamp and her family, Robert Englund, Wes Craven, and other film crew members. Now Heather must find a way to stop Freddy before he takes away everything dear to her.

MUSIC: This music feels like a nice change of pace from the previous entries, all while keeping some of the good old music.

ACTING: The acting and dialogue is great and provide a nice level of intensity and believability. I especially give credit to Heather Langenkamp (Nancy from the first and third film), and wish she would appear in more horror films instead of television. She was terrific, and so was Robert Englund as usual.

ACTION: This film is more gruesome than previous entries, and more intense than some of the other entries. It was actually kind of creepy, and the creative premise elevates it to new interesting heights.

OVERALL: Needless to say, this is a pretty cool horror flick that is more creative than most horror flicks. This my fourth favorite film of the franchise that dishes out plenty of thrills and chills. This film is a definite must-have if you love this franchise.

THE GOOD: Cool story, cool kills, good music, great acting and dialogue, and it still manages to be creepy.

THE BAD: Sometimes the premise becomes absurd.

FREDDY VS. JASON REVIEW: SCORE: 8.75

WHAT IT'S ABOUT: Freddy Krueger is now in Hell, and the parents of Springwood have found a way for their children to not remember him, thus he has now power over them, so he decides to resurrect another iconic horror character from his grave; Jason Voorhees to start killing hapless teens in Springwood to make people afraid again, but when Freddy can't keep a leash on Jason, the two start duking it out while leaving a trail of dead bodies in the process. Now a group of teens must find a way to survive and kill them both.

MUSIC: Some old stuff, but mostly new including some death metal to go along with the ultra-violent mood.

ACTING: The acting is fine, but there are still dialogue issues. There aren't very many recognizable actors, but for the most part they're fine.

ACTION: This is an absolute blood and gore fest, while still finding some time to throw in some T&A and explosions in the process. This film is mostly action-packed instead of focusing on characters and story, but this film is one helluva ride that I definitely can't deny that I loved it. If you love your films with blood, gore, T&A, and nonstop action, this film is a definite must-have.

OVERALL: Terrific entertainment, even if it is mindless most of the time. I had a lot of fun watching this film, and it proved to be a worthy film for both iconic horror characters. It captures the fun of both action and horror flicks which makes a really awesome combo.

THE GOOD: Lots of blood and gore, nonstop action, creative kills, interesting premise, and cool music.

THE BAD: Some lousy dialogue and the film can be mindless and somewhat confusing.

Posted on November 24, 2011

Waldo Todahl says...

A Nightmare on Elm Street 5- I've read some reviews on this movie, and a lot of people don't like it. I honestly didn't think it was too bad! The night before graduation, Dan and Alice are having sex, then the nightmares begin again. Alice is in the shower, then she's transported to the asylum where Amanda Krueger was raped and where Freddy was born. (Robert Englund does another awesome job as Freddy Krueger!) If Alice can find Amanda in the real world, Freddy will die. Freddy is reborn and instead of haunting Alice's dreams, he haunts her unborn baby's dream, mixing reality and the real world. During her dreams, she sees her son, Jacob as a child, trying to help her stop Freddy. There was one cool part when Freddy is on a skateboard, coming after Alice's friend. A gross part for me was when Freddy is making Greta eat a lot of food at the 'rich-people' party her mom is having. Another friend, Yvonne tries to find Amanda while Alice tries to stop Freddy from haunting her child's dreams. If you love the Freddy series, and teenage pregnancies, you'll love A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 5: THE DREAM CHILD!!!



Freddy's Dead- After trying to kill Alice and her unborn baby, Freddy is back and trying to get in touch with his daughter! His daughter is now an adult and working as a psychiatrist. She tries to help rebellious teens with their problems. When she meets a guy who claims he doesn't know who he is, she takes him to Springwood so he'll remember something. Meanwhile, the teens go to an abandoned house to get away from things. I think it's kinda funny when Freddy is attacking a deaf kid in his dreams, and Freddy is right behind him trying to get his attention. I also like when they show Freddy in the past when he was a kid, then as a teenager, then before the parents burned him alive, and the demon worms pick him to do the thing he is best known for. Can Freddy's daughter put an end to him once and for all? If you love the Freddy series, hopefully, you'll love FREDDY'S DEAD: THE FINAL NIGHTMARE!!!



Wes Craven's New Nightmare- After The Final Nightmare, Wes Craven is having nightmares again, so he decides to write a new script. Beacuse the Nightmare films have ended, the 'real' Freddy decides to come to our world. Wes Craven, Heather Langenkamp, Robert Englund, John Saxon are some of Freddy's targets he tries to kill. He tries to get Heather's son, Dylan too. The real Freddy is a lot scarier and more evil than Robert Englund could ever portray! Heather decides to play Nancy one last time and kill Freddy...for good! If you love the Nightmare series, and a movie within a movie, you might like WES CRAVEN'S NEW NIGHTMARE!!!



Freddy Vs. Jason- If you love A Nightmare on Elm Street or Friday the 13th, or both, you'll definitely love Freddy Vs. Jason! Freddy is trying to come back again, but since no one remembers him, he sends Jason Voorhees to Elm Street and kill to get people to remember. When Jason doesn't back down, Freddy gets pissed and have an all-out battle at Camp Crystal Lake. I love the awesome fighting sequences between them. I love all the blood and gore when they slash at each other! I remember seeing this with a friend when it first came out. There were some parts we laughed at, some we thought were cool. If you love slashers fighting, you'll love FREDDY VS. JASON!!!

Posted on November 25, 2011