A Nightmare on Elm Street

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A Nightmare on Elm Street

R,

1984,

1h 31m,

Horror/

Mystery & Thriller

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93%

69 Reviews

Tomatometer

84%

250,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

93%

Tomatometer

69 Reviews

84%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

In Wes Craven's classic slasher film, several Midwestern teenagers fall prey to Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund), a disfigured midnight mangler who preys on the teenagers in their dreams -- which, in turn, kills them in reality. After investigating the phenomenon, Nancy (Heather Langenkamp) begins to suspect that a dark secret kept by her and her friends' parents may be the key to unraveling the mystery, but can Nancy and her boyfriend Glen (Johnny Depp) solve the puzzle before it's too late?

Critics Consensus

Wes Craven's intelligent premise, combined with the horrifying visual appearance of Freddy Krueger, still causes nightmares to this day.

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Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

Oct 23, 2024

4/5

Wes Craven’s imperfect but entertaining horror that still has considerable black-comic energy.

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Chris Stuckmann

ChrisStuckmann.com

Nov 2, 2018

A

Great build-up, the suspense and apprehension, getting you invested in a sequence...this movie has that.

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Paul Attanasio

Washington Post

Jan 2, 2018

The script is consistently witty, the camera work (by cinematographer Jacques Haitkin) crisp and expressive.

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Marsha Fottler

Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Sep 14, 2026

Instead of supplying genuine suspense, Craven has substituted gore and ugliness.

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Don Shanahan

Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast

Nov 29, 2025

A defining step in the history of horror.

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Grant Watson

Fiction Machine

Sep 28, 2025

8/10

Both effective and inventive, A Nightmare on Elm Street feels like a milestone in American screen horror.

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Clemens

Nov 9, 2020

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Clare

Nov 9, 2020

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Fabiola

Nov 9, 2020

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Selina

Nov 9, 2020

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Lamont

Nov 2, 2020

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Kane

Nov 2, 2020

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Wes Craven

Director

John Saxon

Lt. Thompson

Ronee Blakley

Marge Thompson

Heather Langenkamp

Nancy Thompson

Amanda Wyss

Tina Grey

Johnny Depp

Glen Lantz

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A Nightmare on Elm Street: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

In Wes Craven's classic slasher film, several Midwestern teenagers fall prey to Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund), a disfigured midnight mangler who preys on the teenagers in their dreams -- which, in turn, kills them in reality. After investigating the phenomenon, Nancy (Heather Langenkamp) begins to suspect that a dark secret kept by her and her friends' parents may be the key to unraveling the mystery, but can Nancy and her boyfriend Glen (Johnny Depp) solve the puzzle before it's too late?

Director: Wes Craven
Producer: Robert Shaye
Distributor: Media Home Entertainment, New Line Cinema, New Line Home Video [us], Image Entertainment Inc., Anchor Bay Entertainment
Production Co: New Line Cinema
Rating: R
Genre: Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 9, 1984, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 24, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $57.3M
Runtime: 1h 31m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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