WES CRAVENS NEW NIGHTMARE
US, 1994, 112 minutes, Colour.
Heather Langenkamp, Robert Englund, Miko Hughes, David Newsom, Wes Craven, Tracy Middendorf.
Directed by Wes Craven.
After the success of the Nightmare in Elm Street series, as well as well as Wes Craven having great success with other films and about to move into the Scream series, this Nightmare film was invented as a concoction to capitalise on the popularity of Freddy Krueger and the nightmares. It is a film about film-making, the stars, the special effects, horror atmosphere.
Heather Langenkamp, who starred in some of the original films and was killed off in the third one, is an actress, married to a man who works on the special effects and with a young son. Wes Craven is inviting her to participate in the new Nightmare film, also inviting Robert Englund who made such a big impact as Freddy Krueger.
This film moves between reality and nightmare, the audience not always knowing which was which, Heather having all kinds of disturbed dreams, even to the death of her husband in a car accident, fears for her young son and his seizures. While she is interviewed on television as a personality, the compere introduces Robert Englund who is working as an artist, painting a rather diabolical version of Freddy Krueger. She also consults John Saxon who was a star of some of the films.
Matters becomes a mixed while her son has a seizure and is taken to hospital, Heather having more and more dreams, Freddy Krueger entering them, slashing his way through beds, cushions, rooms, leaving his marks on the wall, as well is killing people.
The film also offers some discussion scenes with Wes Craven himself.
An extra Nightmare entertainment for the fans.
1. Wes Craven, his films, reputation, his imagination, his career in horror films?
2. The success of the Nightmare on Elm Street series, the creation of Freddy Krueger as a diabolical character, appearance, corpse-like but, his claws, slashing through everything? The death of Freddy, the death of Nancy? Fans and their wanting the resurrection of Freddy?
3. The Los Angeles settings, the film studios, working on special effects and stunts, filming? The presence of the director, producer, the various technicians? Audience interest in filmmaking?
4. The idea of making a film about nightmares? The blend of reality and the nightmares? Audiences never quite knowing, the seeming reality, Nancy awake, and the nightmares and her shock reaction?
5. Heather Langenkamp, featuring in the films, Nancy, her death in the third film in the series? Her visiting the set, her husband involved in the special effects? Her relationship with her son? Things seemingly ordinary, her beginning to have the nightmares, Freddy and his interventions, the dangers to her son, her husband driving, Freddy’s attack, the accident and his death? The nightmares becoming more and more bizarre?
6. The husband, his work, his associates, their being killed in the first nightmare? His work, the secret about Heather being in the film again? Her fears, phoning him, his return, driving, his death? Her going to the morgue and looking at his body, seeing the claw marks?
7. Heather and her son, watching the television, his variety of moods, having seizures? His involvement in the nightmares? Her reading him Hansel and Gretel and the bizarre story? His watching television, seemingly possessed? In hospital, Heather and her visits, concern? The dangers?
8. The babysitter, friends, with the boy, his having a turn, her fears, in hospital, keeping vigil, her being attacked, her death?
9. The hospital staff, the nurse, her concern, wanting Heather to rest, taking care of the boy, as a character in the dreams?
10. Heather, the chauffeur, on television, the surprise with Robert Englund arriving? Her phoning him, the scene with him painting the monstrous picture? His continued help? The irony for audiences to see the real actor as well as his diabolical character?
11. The news about Wes Craven writing the new film, the producer and Heather’s visit, the discussions with Craven, his explanations, his nightmares, making films when he had nightmares? His story about the evil character, the possibilities of possession?
12. Heather and her contact with John Saxon, his role in the previous films? Meeting her, the discussions, trying to reassure her? Watching with her son, his climbing to the top of the tower, his falling and her catching him?
13. Audiences enjoying the blend of realism, factual material with the actors, the introduction of the nightmares, the introduction of Freddy Krueger, his claws, slashing, cruelty, diabolical?
