Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994)

Wes Craven's New Nightmare (also simply known as New Nightmare) is a 1994 American meta supernatural horror film written and directed by Wes Craven, creator of 1984's A Nightmare on Elm Street. A standalone film and the seventh installment in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, it is not part of the same continuity as previous films, instead portraying Freddy Krueger as a fictional movie villain who invades the real world and haunts the cast and crew involved in the making of the films about him. In the film, Freddy is depicted as closer to what Craven originally intended, being much more menacing and less comical, with an updated attire and appearance. The film stars Robert Englund, Heather Langenkamp, Miko Hughes, and John Saxon.

The film features various people involved in the motion picture industry portraying themselves, including Langenkamp, who is compelled by events in the narrative to reprise her role as Nancy Thompson. New Nightmare features several homages to the original film such as quotes and recreations of the most famous scenes. The film won an International Fantasy Film Award from Fantasporto for Best Screenplay by Craven.

New Nightmare was released on October 14, 1994, grossing $19.8 million at the box office on a budget of $8 million, making it the lowest-grossing film in the Nightmare series. However, it received positive reviews from critics, and is considered by many as one of the best Nightmare movies and one of Wes Craven's most enduring films. It was followed by 2003's Freddy vs. Jason, a crossover with the Friday the 13th franchise set in the same continuity as the other Nightmare films.

Storyline[]

Heather Langenkamp lives in Los Angeles, California, with her husband, Chase, and their young son, Dylan. She is recognized for her role as Nancy Thompson in the A Nightmare on Elm Street film series. One night, she has a nightmare in which her family is attacked by a set of animated Freddy Krueger claws from an upcoming Nightmare film. Waking up to an earthquake, she notices a cut on Chase's finger similar to the one he had in her dream.

Heather receives frequent creepy phone calls from an obsessed fan who quotes Freddy Krueger's nursery rhyme in Freddy's voice. This coincides with a meeting with New Line Cinema, where she is asked to reprise her role as Nancy in a new Nightmare film. At home, Dylan has a traumatizing fit about Freddy. As Chase drives home from work, he falls asleep at the wheel and is slashed to death by Freddy's claws. After his funeral, Heather has another Freddy nightmare, and her friend and former co-star, John Saxon, who played her father in the films, suggests she seek medical attention for Dylan.

Dylan's health deteriorates as he becomes increasingly scared of Freddy and paranoid about going to sleep. Heather visits Nightmare creator Wes Craven, who admits to having precognitive nightmares. He explains that the films had kept trapped an ancient supernatural entity, which has been freed after the series ended with the release of Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare. In the guise of Freddy, the entity is focusing on Heather, its primary foe, as killing her will allow it into the real world. Thus, Heather must agree to play Nancy again to stop it. Heather catches a glimpse of Wes's script, which, inexplicably, is a written play-by-play of every dialogue and action she and everyone around her are taking. Robert Englund, who portrayed Freddy in the films, also appears to suffer nightmares and be haunted by the new Freddy, disappearing when Heather tries to contact him.

Heather takes Dylan to the hospital and returns home for his stuffed dinosaur while his babysitter, Julie, keeps watch. After Dylan falls asleep from the nurse's sedative, Freddy brutally kills Julie. Sleepwalking, Dylan leaves the hospital, and Heather chases him home as Freddy taunts them. She realizes that reality is overlapping with the films; Saxon now addresses her as Nancy and acts as Don Thompson, and her street, house, and clothes all transform into Nancy's. Once Heather embraces Nancy's role, Freddy emerges into reality and abducts Dylan to his world. Heather follows them to a hellish construct of Freddy's boiler room. After a fight, she and Dylan push Freddy into the furnace, destroying both the monster and its reality.

They emerge back into the real world from under his blankets, and Heather finds a copy of the events in Wes's screenplay. Inside is a note from Wes thanking her for defeating Freddy and playing Nancy one last time. Her victory helps imprison the entity once more.

Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994)

Contents

Storyline[]

Also See[]

Sound Effects Used[]

Image Gallery[]

Audio Samples[]

External Links[]