Blu-ray Review: ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street Collection’ a Horror Fan’s Dream

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CHICAGO – Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, Freddy Krueger. Yes, Wes Craven’s masterful creation deserves to be listed right along with the most legendary villains of all time, a case made complete by Warner’s excellent new “A Nightmare on Elm Street Collection,” featuring all 7 original films and a new half-hour documentary about the lasting power of the man with a claw for a hand.

HollywoodChicago.com Blu-ray rating: 4.5/5.0
Rating: 4.5/5.0

Admittedly, there’s little new in this set for those of you who sprung for the previous Blu-ray editions of the first three films that were released over the last few years. This is more for those who haven’t yet picked up any of the Freddy saga and now want them all. And while the first and last (“Wes Craven’s New Nightmare”) are the only truly great films in the set, there are things to like about all of the movies (OK, all but #2) and special features to admire. This is a set for the horror junkie, the kind of person willing to immerse himself in the world of one of the most iconic film characters of the ’80s, watching all 7 movies, digging deep into the mythology and making-of in the special features, and even checking out the two episodes of the hysterically-dated TV series “Freddy’s Nightmares,” included on the final disc.

To be honest, I wish this set was a little more complete. Throw in “Freddy vs. Jason” and the awful 2010 remake just to have the total picture in one set. Having said that, it’s a marvelous horror release. The first film is even better than you remember and looks brand-new in 1080p. It also comes loaded with special features, including a new half-hour documentary called “Fear Himself.” Sadly, there’s little in this piece that you won’t find explored more in-depth somewhere else in the collection. It’s pretty surface level and repetitive when compared to the rest of the bonus material in the collection.

A Nightmare on Elm Street Collection was released on Blu-ray on March 5, 2013
A Nightmare on Elm Street Collection was released on Blu-ray on March 5, 2013
Photo credit: Warner Bros.

Special Features:
“A Nightmare On Elm Street”
o Ready Freddy Focus Points - See Alternate Takes And Learn Filmmaking Secrets Behind The Nightmare By Jumping To Video Highlights While Watching The Movie
o 2 Commentaries: 1. Director Wes Craven, Costars Heather Langenkamp and John Saxon and Cinematographer Jacques Haitkin 2. Wes Craven, Costars Robert Englund, Heather Langenkamp and Ronee Blakley, Producer Robert Shaye and Co-Producer Sara Risher
o Alternate Endings
o 3 Featurettes: The House That Freddy Built: The Legacy Of New Line Horror, Never Sleep Again: The Making Of A Nightmare On Elm Street and Night Terrors: The Origins Of Wes Craven’s Nightmares
o Interactive Trivia Track

“A Nightmare On Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge”
o 4 Featurettes: Freddy On 8th Street, Heroes and Villains, The Male Witch and Psycho Sexual Circus
o Theatrical Trailers

“A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors”
o 7 Featurettes: Burn Out, Fan Mail, The House That Freddy Built, Onward Christian Soldiers, Snakes and Ladders, That’s Show Biz and Trading 8s
o Dokken “Dream Warriors” Music Video
o Theatrical Trailers

“A Nightmare On Elm Street 4: The Dream Master”
o 4 Featurettes: The Finish Line, Krueger, Freddy Krueger, Hopeless Chest, Let’s Makeup
o Theatrical Trailers

“A Nightmare On Elm Street 5: The Dream Child”
o 5 Featurettes: Hopkins Directs, A Slight Miscalculation, The Sticky Floor, Take The Stairs and Womb Raiders
o 2 Music Videos: Fat Boys “Are You Ready For Freddy?” and Whodini “Anyway I Gotta Swing It”
o Theatrical Trailers

“Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare”
o 4 Featurettes: 86’d, Hellraiser, Rachel’s Dream and 3D Demise
o Theatrical Trailer

“Wes Craven’s New Nightmare”
o Commentary By Wes Craven
o 5 Featurettes: Becoming A Filmmaker, Filmmaker, An Insane Troupe, The Problem With Sequels and Two Worlds
Theatrical Trailer

Special Features Disc
o “Fear Himself: The Life and Crimes of Freddy Krueger”
o 2 Episodes From Freddy’s Nightmares TV Series: It’s A Miserable Life and Killer Instinct
o Welcome To Prime Time Featurette Gallery
o Conclusions Featurette Gallery

“A Nightmare on Elm Street Collection” was released on Blu-ray on March 5, 2013.

HollywoodChicago.com content director Brian Tallerico

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

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