Nightmare on Elm Street

A Nightmare on Elm Street is an American horror film directed by Wes Craven about several teenagers being terrorized in their nightmares by a mysterious man named Freddy Krueger in the fictional Midwest town of Springwood, Ohio. Released on November 9, 1984 by New Line Cinema, the film stars Robert Englund as Fred Krueger (subsequently known as "Freddy Krueger"), Heather Langenkamp as Nancy Thompson, Ronee Blakley as mother Marge Thompson, John Saxon as father Lt. Donald Thompson, Amanda Wyss as Tina Grey, Nick Corri as Rod Lane and Johnny Depp as Glen Lantz.

Written by Craven, a former English teacher, the film's premise is the question of where the line between dreams and reality lies. The villain, Freddy Krueger, thus exists in the "dream world" yet can kill in the "real world". Sequels to the original would continue to blur the distinction between dream and reality before finally challenging the line between film and reality by showing Heather Langenkamp, playing a fictionalized version of herself, haunted by the villain of a series of films she has starred in.

Craven produced the film on an estimated budget of just $1,800,000,[1] yet grossed $1,271,000 at the United States box office in its opening weekend.[2] To date, its total domestic grossings has been calculated at $25,504,513.[2] Numerous critics praised the film's ability to rupture "the boundaries between the imaginary and real,"[3] toying with audience perceptions.[4] Some movie historians interpreted this overriding theme as a social subtext, "the struggles of adolescents in American society",[5] and their overwhelming need to confront "the harsh realities of life".[6]

Segments Alluded To

 * Big Horror Movie Brother