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"Sleep...those
little slices of death. How I loathe them."
If there was a
single horror icon of the 80's that ruled above all others,
it had to be Freddy Krueger. Sure, that Jason guy was alright,
and Michael Myers had his moments. The Re-Animator, The Blob,
The Thing? Yeah, whatever, they were either nutty professors
or tired remakes of old 50's monster movies. No, the name
of the game in 80's horror was undoubtedly one Mr. Fred E.
Krueger (and the "E" stands for "Evil,"
thank you very much!)
What was it about
the 7(!) Nightmare flicks that clicked with audiences? Perhaps
it was the combination of dream imagery, Freddy's charming
personallity and good old-fashioned haunted house scares.
However, it was not all smooth sailing for the Nightmare flicks.
To be truthful, the Nightmare films actually started to reach
their saturation point around the time of Nightmare 5. Until
then, starting with the original Wes Craven low-budget shocker,
each film in the series found an increasingly wider audience,
up until the very smart and MTV-ish Nightmare 4. Once the
subsequent sequel failed to perform up to snuff, New Line
decided to retire the whole franchise with Freddy's Dead:
The Final Nightmare in 1992. But, just when you thought it
was safe to turn off your nightlite, Wes Craven himself came
back to finish him off yet again in the postmodern, Scream-lite
New Nightmare.
So in all, it was
quite a ride for the sharp-fingered one. Aside from the millions
the movies made, the series made Robert Englund and Freddy
a star, and jump-started the careers of Johnny Depp, Patricia
Arquette and Heather Langenkamp, as well as future big-time
directors like Renny Harlin, Chuck Russell and Stephen Hopkins.
And let's not forget the spin-offs like the Freddy's Nightmares
and Wes Craven-produced Nightmare Cafe TV series, as well
as s the endless Freddy merchandising which included comic
books, records, T-shirts, posters, bed sheets, a nightlite
and even a talking Freddy children's doll! A Nightmare On
Madison Avenue is more like it.
But, what tends
to get lost in all this is the films themselves, and though
they would vary widely in quality at times, they still represent
a cut above the usual 80's slasher fare. Now that New Line
has released this long-awaited and very cool box set of the
entire series, I'm going to take a brief look at each disc
of the set and look at the film itself, the overall audio
and video quality, any supplements it has, and then the final
big Nightmare Encyclopedia disc. Note that only the first
Nightmare film is available separately, while the rest, as
well as the Encyclopedia, are only available in this set.
However, each disc has its own snapper case (with slightly
altered cover art from the original artwork), so I wouldn't
be surprised to see these sold individually someday. And,
the ratings at the bottom apply to the entire collection as
a whole, because that is the way it is being sold, for now.
So on with the show...
(For a more in-depth look at the first Nightmare disc only,
check out our full-length review.)
A
Nightmare On Elm Street
The
one that started it all, Wes Craven's straightforward, no
bullshit scare-fest was a surprise hit in 1984 with both audiences
and critics. Easily the darkest and most serious of the series,
this delivers on the bottom line, with a menacing Freddy and
nary a wisecrack to be heard. Sure, some of the acting is
stiff and the special effects a tad dated, but that Freddy
cackle and screeching of his finger knives still gives me
chills. And credit must go to Wes Craven for coming up with
such an inventive concept and creating a horror icon for a
new generation.
The
disc itself (which is also
available separately) contains an screen-specific audio commentary with director
Craven, stars Heather Langenkamp and (briefly) John Saxon,
and director of photography Jacques Haitkin. It is a very
nice commentary and fun to listen to, and the sheer number
of participants means there is no dead space. There is also
a trailer, as well as some cast bios. Also included in the
DVD-ROM portion of the disc is the complete screenplay with
"jump to a scene" access (available on PCs only...Mac
users can only view the static script). There is also some
web links to the Freddy web site.
The transfer is
terrific. Presented in anamorphic widescreen, it has never
looked better, with deep blacks, very good shadow detail (especially
for such a dark film), and excellent color rendition. This
new transfer is from a high-def master, and it shows. The
print is very, very clean, with hardly any grain or nicks
or scratches, and there are no noticeable artifacts. (Note:
There is also a Pan & Scan version, but only on the stand-alone
disc of the first film available separately.)
The audio comes
in two configurations, either a new 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround
mix, or the original 2.0 mono presentation. Go with the 5.1
mix, if you can. Though not as active or full-bodied as recent
films, it sounds quite good considering the age of the elements,
and the boiler room scenes are pretty enveloping, occasional
ambient effects. Dialogue is well-rendered, and frequency
range seems to have been extended compared to the prior crappy
VHS versions. The 2.0 mono version is what you would expect...
A
Nightmare On Elm Street 2 : Freddy's Revenge
This
disappointing first sequel has come to be known as "the
gay Freddy" installment. Though Director Jack Sholder
and Writer David Chaskin have denied any conscious attempt
to make some sort of homophobic (or homoerotic) allegory,
I have to admit, when that S&M-clad gym teacher gets spanked
to death by Freddy, there isn't much you can say to deny the
implications. Admittedly, watching it now, it does seem like
some sort of repressed homosexuality morality play.
Unintentional
sexual tension aside, I always though this was the lamest
of the series, and right away Freddy becomes some sort of
wisecracking anti-hero, and indeed this was the start of the
commercialization of the character. The film does have a few
creepy moments, but overall isn't really that scary. Again
the acting and direction are only OK, though it is worth noting
this film did make more money than the first Nightmare...
The
transfer on this disc is probably the weakest of the set,
but that is only by comparison (it should be known that New
Line really did a bang-up job on all the transfers). The later
films definitely benefited from increased budgets and production
values, and this is probably the murkiest-looking of them
all, next to Freddy's Dead. Still, like the rest of the discs,
this is a new anamorphic 1.85:1 transfer from a high-def master,
and it is very clean and good looking. There is a bit of grain
here or there, but black level, detail and color saturation
are all very good. No artifacts are apparent.
This
is presented in the original 2.0 mono, as well as a brand-new
5.1 mix (as are all the films in the series). It is a pretty
good soundtrack, and the new remix is welcome, though overall
the dated source materials show in some instances. Dialogue
is well-rendered, though a tad harsh at times. Frequency range
the LFE (low bass) feels rather limited and flat. Surround
ambience is minimal. Overall, very good considering the age
and budget of the film, and need we thank New Line again for
redoing this in 5.1?
Like
the rest of the discs (again except for the first and last
chapters) this contains cast & crew bios and the screenplay
and more web links on the DVD-ROM portion. The main features
are all on the bonus Nightmare Encyclopedia disc.
A
Nightmare On Elm Street 3 : Dream Warriors
Ah,
here is where Freddy really started to go Hollywood. After
the disappointing second chapter (which despite making money
was generally despised by fans), New Line brought back Wes
Craven as executive producer and gave him story credit. The
film also brings back Heather Langenkamp as well as newcomer
Patricia Arquette, and mixes the more humorous Freddy of the
first sequel with increasingly fantastical (and bigger-budgeted)
dream sequences. Though many really like this entry, I never
warmed to it that much, though watching it now I got a bigger
kick out of it than I did at the time. This may have to do
with the fact that I was a fan of the original, darker Freddy,
and this entry really pushed him more in the opposite direction.
But, this entry does have Dokken's immortal "Dream Warriors"
theme song in it, so it can't be all bad.
The
anamorphic transfer here is also very good. Really, all these
films have never looked better. There is less grain that part
two, and the increased production values show as well in the
lighting and overall look of the picture. Colors are pretty
vibrant, black level solid and there is no noticeable artifacting.
A perky little presentation, to go with that perky little
Freddy guy.
The
sound is, like most of the early sequels here, good. There
is more "pop" in this 5.1 mix than than some of
the others (though still I found the surround activity lacking
for the most part.) Frequency range and LFE was strong. Dialogue
is again always intelligible, and the creepy main theme (which
was sorely missed in Part 2) comes across very well.
The
extras again are the same, cast bios and DVD-ROM links and
screenplay.
A
Nightmare On Elm Street 4 : The Dream Master
Freddy
hits paydirt with this, the most financially successful entry
in the series. Freddy really went MTV big time, with director
Renny Harlin making a smart, visually impressive film with
the limited funds and preproduction time he had. There are
some impressive sequences here, and some rather fancy camerawork.
Some thought this went overboard with the quick cutting and
fast pace, but I had a fun time with it. I also really like
the idea of "The Dream Master," and the film actually
touches on some emotional chords here, with the growth curve
of new protagonist Alice being actually affecting. With all
of the Dream Warriors dead in the first 15 minutes of this
one, it is up to actress Lisa Wilcox to carry the day, and
I thought she made a good replacement for Heather Langenkamp.
In all, this is a very fun ride with the emphasis on thrills
more than chills, and it shows, as none of this is particularly
really scary. But, that roach motel bit is pretty sick...
This
is the most colorful and "bright" disc of the series,
and the new anamorphic transfer shows it off well. Colors
are very eye popping, there is no grain, and detail is very
good. Again, no artifacting, though I thought on this one
there was maybe a tad too much edge enhancement. However,
perhaps this is the just due to the brightness and hi-key
lighting of the film. But, still another winner.
The
sound is very "zippy," with probably the most aggressive
front mix of the films. Frequency response and the LFE channel
are still a bit limited, and I thought the later films had
overall better production values in terms of the sound, in
the sense that they started to play around more with subtlety
and discreet imaging. In contrast, this one is all "pow!"
in the front, and the rears are very weak. And those dated
80's songs are pretty terrible!
Same
thing with the extras...bios, screenplay...
A
Nightmare On Elm Street 5 : The Dream Child
Here
comes Freddy's first disappointment at the box office. Though
this is definitely a muddled film, and valiantly tries to
return Freddy to his darker roots, the Nightmare series was
just starting to run out of steam by this point. Perhaps there
was nothing anyone could do about it, because you can only
stretch an idea so far. Though there was some clever dream
sequences and the passages between Alice and Jacob (who share
a plot link I won't run) are surprisingly affecting, let's
face it, we've seen all this before. But the Escher-esque
sequence at the end is pretty cool...
(Editor's
Note: This film was released unrated on home video with a
few bits of extra gore eliminated in the theatrical release.
For some reason, New Line has only included the R-Rated version
on this disc.)
Though
very dark, I think this is one of the better looking of the
films. There is some very evocative lighting, and it is a
great credit to the anamorphic transfer that it is able to
straddle the fine line between lucidness and lubrigiousness
as well as it does. This film tends to use a lot of acidic-looking
greens, blues and yellows, but thankfully shadow detail remains
high when the film could just as easily looked muddy. Black
level is dead on, and edge enhancement minimal. Colors are
well saturated, and there is slight grain but nothing too
distracting. No artifacts are apparent.
The
sound is a bit quieter than Nightmare 3 and 4, as this is
a darker, less frenzied film. I thought the frequency range
was better here, and most of the sounds and more subtle cues
had a fuller, more realistic presence, versus the front-heavy
parts 3 and 4. The bass, though, is still a bit flat, though
dialogue well-recorded. Another good remix, all things considered.
Freddy's
Dead : The Final Nightmare
With
Nightmare 5 a financial disappointment, New Line wisely decided
to stop running the franchise into the ground and give Freddy
his final send off. Unfortunately, along with Nightmare 2,
I think this is the weakest of the series. Instead of doing
something cool like bringing back characters from the other
films and really laying to rest past story lines, we get yet
another new batch of neurotic teens and tiring dream sequences.
I thought the magic was gone here, and though Freddy's back
story is interesting, it just wasn't enough to keep the excitement
level up. And the film also seems a bit lazy, with the finale
just a retread of earlier films, and the 3-D sequence, though
a hoot, smacks of desperation. Definitely not a Nightmare
high point, if you ask me.
By
far the ugliest of the Nightmare films, this anamorphic transfer
looks very good, considering what they had to work with. They
really tried to be dark, dark, dark on this one, but it just
looks sickly, depressing and unappealing. Black level, obviously,
is very good, and colors well-saturated if you factor in that
it is a washed-out film. There is a bit of grain, and shadow
detail is the poorest of all the discs, but again that is
only by comparison. There doesn't seem to be any artifacting,
but it can't help the generally icky ambiance of the film.
The
sound is the best of the bunch, besides the first and final
parts. The surround mix is pretty active, with some nice ambient
noises here or there, though only the dream sequences seem
to have any really kick to them. Bass, though, is very good,
as is the frequency range. There is a real feeling of depth
here compared to the earlier films, and the money spent on
this film shows through in the mix.
Aside
from the usual trailer, bios, etc., this disc features the
famed "3-D FreddyVision" sequence. Note that you
can select whether you want to view this bit in 3-D or not
via the menu. I have to admit that although it is kick to
watch it in 3-D, I felt pretty damn stupid sitting all by
myself with 3-D glasses on. Plus, I have a astigmatism in
my left eye, so 3-D films don't really work for me, anyway.
But, I think this would be a pretty good party disc, and two
sets of 3-D glasses are included.
Wes
Craven's New Nightmare
Freddy
goes postmodern here, in Wes Craven's return to Elm Street.
In hindsight, this seems like a warm-up to Craven's own Scream,
with a very hip, self-referential take on the Freddy phenomenon.
Admittedly, this is a pretty interesting concept. Heather
Langenkamp returns as herself (as do Craven, Robert Englund
and other assorted cast and crew from the other Nightmare
movies), and the basic idea is that Freddy is so evil that
he cannot be contained in mere celluloid, so now that the
series has ended, he has escaped into real life to wreck havoc
yet again. Of course, only Heather, since she was Nancy in
the first film, can banish him back into the realm of fantasy.
Kinda
a cool concept, to be sure, but I just wasn't much scared
by this. I admired the idea, the direction and the acting,
plus the highway chase sequence was very well-orchestrated.
But, I think this is more a film to be pondered intellectually
than enjoyed viscerally. Still, an intriguing experiment that
was critically well-received
As
this is the newest film of the bunch, it has probably the
best-looking transfer. The tone here is different than the
other films, as it is supposed to take place in "real
life." It has a very slick and glossy look, and the transfer
looks great. Black level is sold, colors terrific and detail
very, very good. A really nice, film-like smoothness permeates
this transfer. There is no apparent grain or artifacting.
The
5.1 mix is also very good, with a very enveloping sound mix
that takes a more subtle approach than the other Nightmares.
The little creaks, thumps and other assorted odd noises give
way to some nice ambiance. The dream sequences are typically
more forceful, and bass kick and frequency range are the best
of the series. Some of the dialogue passages lack surround
activity, but overall the best mix of all the discs, I think.
The
supplements here have the added benefit of a Wes Craven solo
commentary, which is very good considering he has to carry
the whole thing by himself. He is obviously an intelligent
guy, and his insight and thought process behind the film is
quite interesting. There are a few dead spots, but thankfully
the commentary rarely falls into that "let's just describe
what is happening on screen" thing. There is also the
usual cast bios and screenplay combo as well.
The
Nightmare Encyclopedia
This
is where the disc really shines, with what die-hard Nightmare
fans have been waiting for, a real comprehensive look at the
Nightmare series. In all, the supplements on this 8th disc
runs nearly 4 hours! To give you an idea, there are seriously
like 90 chapter stops! This disc definitely is loaded in terms
of content.
The
main attraction here, and probably a controversial one, is
the 3-D "Labyrinth" maze menus (which are new trendsetters
though will undoubtedly irritate some as they are a challenge
to navigate). There is also the "Welcome To Primetime"
45-minute documentary on the making of the first film. It
is full of interviews with Wes Craven as well as members of
the cast and crew, and of course Freddy himself. There are
further making-of features on all the films, including interviews
with directors Jack Sholder, Chuck Russel, Renny Harlin, Stephen
Hopkins and Rachel Talalay, and New Line also interviewed
assorted fans, which offers a nice perspective and look back
at the importance of the series ot the Fangoria generation.
But, the documentary segments feature even more stuff, including
plenty of behind-the-scenes footage, other horror directors
talking about the series, some social commentaries(!) and
other members of the production and special effects teams.
I will make no bones about it...this is one of the better
made-for-DVD features I've yet seen, and baby, I've seen a
lot!
However,
I should note that there are two ways to access all the materials.
The Labyrinth maze, for me, was more like a game, and is not
well suited to just enjoying the materials (it can be laborious).
Thankfully, New Line supplied an index of most (but not all)
the features on the disc, so you can easily watch all the
documentary footage, broken down by movie and segment. So,
unless you are a big fan of puzzles, I'd suggest starting
at the index, and then snaking around the Labyrinth just to
see the menus and search for any hidden materials. Of course,
I must also state that some may be disappointed that everything
is broken into pieces, and is not one long documentary. But,
if you use the index, it all works well, but it would have
been easier if it was edited together. Also, there is more
stuff only in the labriynth, which admittedly is highly annoying
at times because it is oh-so-hard to access without spending
considerable effort to get at it.
There
certainly is plenty of other goodies besides behind-the-scenes
footage to be found here. There is also two alternate endings
to the first Nightmare. There is also some fun footage of
Freddy as an MTV VJ (!), as well as some music videos, including
the incomparable "Dream Warriors" by Dokken (come
on, admit it, you know all the words!). There is also a fair
number of stills in there, and a 36-page full-color booklet
on the Freddy phenomenon with notes from the original theatrical
press kits, which includes photos, as well as thoughts from
New Line head Robert Shaye and a nice production rembrance
from Robert Englund.
If
that wasn't enough, there is plenty of DVD-ROM features. In
addition to the screenplays, there is a Interactive Dream
Trivia game, where on each disc you have to solve the puzzle,
and then you get a key to unlock the next level. Once you
do all that, you go on to the final step on the 8th disc.,
I haven't gotten that far yet, so I have no idea what will
happen! There is also an "interactive Freddy episode"
from a company called Toggle This. Alas, since I'm a Mac user,
I couldn't access this, and some other DVD-ROM stuff. Sigh.
There is also more links to the Freddy portal site, screensavers,
cast & crew bios updated via the International Movie Database,
and lots more, I'm sure.
To
be honest, I spent quite a bit of time here, and I'm sure
I missed something or other. If you combine the two commentaries,
the trailers, the 3-D bit, the DVD-ROM features, all the deleted
scenes, music videos, Freddy footage and the full-length documentary,
can you really complain!? No! (Well, aside from the issue
of easy access.) This disc is pretty impressive in terms of
effort. Though I hate to tell anyone what to do, if you are
a Freddy fan, this is a pretty easy sell.
Parting
Thoughts
In
all, a terrific, trendsetting box set, and it continues to
show that New Line is da bomb when it comes to DVD. This was
obviously a labor of love for them, as Freddy was more than
just a successful horror franchise, but also put New Line
on the map. Casual
fans may want to go with just the first Nightmare disc, but
die-hards will eat the whole set up. Just the new transfers
and 5.1 mixes are cause for acclaim, and the Encyclopedia
disc really seals the deal, though the maze of menus may put
off many users. Also, some may complain that the individual
first disc does not contain enough extras, but if you go with
the complete collection, you probably won't be disappointed.
At even $129.95, this is a pretty sweet deal. Highly recommended.
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