A Nightmare on Elm Street: 4K UHD Review
It’s been 40 years since Wes Craven unleashed Freddy Krueger onto the world. A Nightmare on Elm Street arrived in theaters back in 1984 and spawned six sequels, a battle with Jason, a television show and disastrous remake. While I would love for the whole series to be released in 4K, I am happy that Warner Bros. is giving us a new restoration of the original film just in time for the spooky season.
It’s hard for me to imagine anyone reading this review, not being familiar with the film. Freddy Krueger is a horror icon (deservingly so). Set in the fictional town of Springwood, a group of friends find themselves having nightmares. What’s strange is that they are all dreaming about the same maniac with a burnt face and a glove with finger knives. Tina (Amanda Wyss) is the first to get butchered by Freddy in her dream (which kills her in the real world). Her boyfriend Rod (Nick Corri) is the main suspect in her murder, since he was in the room with her when she died.
One of the great things about the original film is that Craven killed off Tina first, which came as a surprise for those who figured she would be the lead. It turns out the main character would be Tina’s friend, Nancy (Heather Langenkamp), who would go on to be a pivotal character in the Elm Street saga. We are also introduced to Johnny Depp in his feature film debut as Nancy’s boyfriend, Glen. Of course, the real star here is Robert Englund who makes for fantastic nightmare material. Freddy likes to play with his victims like a kid playing with his food. Sure, in the sequels, he brought more comedic elements to the role, but he was always Freddy. The remake proved that this is one slasher you should never try and recast or reboot. While it’s hard for me to find Freddy frightening today, as like many others, I have become too familiar with the character. I remain a massive fan, and he remains my all-time favorite cinematic maniac.
As a fan of the films, I have watched the original on pretty much every format possible over the last four decades. Cable, VHS, Betamax, Laserdisk, DVD and Blu-ray. Probably the only way I haven’t seen it is on 35mm film. Dream Warriors was the first Elm Street film I saw in theaters. Warner’s new 2160p presentation with HDR10 is easily the best it has ever looked to me. Freddy’s boiler room also feels more comes across more detailed with the pipes and the steam looking a tad more vivid for such a dark location. The daytime shots are where I noticed the bigger improvements, especially at Rod’s funeral. Both the theatrical and uncut versions of the film have been remastered, but in all fairness, there is very little difference between the versions in my opinion. Freddy’s make-up looks stands out more in the restoration as well. While the original theatrical DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track is included in the release, I was eager to take in the new Dolby Atmos mix. I have to say, it did deliver a fresh audio experience. While the film didn’t really need an Atmos upgrade, I really enjoyed the improvements WB delivered. From Freddy screeching his knives along pipes, to his numerous jump out of nowhere moments, the new track gives you a bit more to take in, especially with the unforgettable score.
If you are a fan of A Nightmare on Elm Street, I recommend you pick up this release for your collection.
Previously Released Bonus Features:
- Ready Freddy Focus Points
- Commentary with Wes Craven, Robert Englund, Heather Langenkamp, Ronnie Blakely, Robert Shaye, and Sara Risher.
- Commentary with Wes Craven, Heather Langenkamp, John Saxon, and Jacques Haitkin.
- Alternate endings
- The House that Freddy Built: The Legacy of New Line Horror
- Never Sleep Again: A Nightmare on Elm Street
- Night Terrors: The Origins of Wes Craven’s Nightmares
By: Marc Ferman