31 Days of Halloween: Wake yourself up with a New Nightmare (1994)
By Joey Click
31 Days of Halloween wakes up as we take a look at the 1994 A Nightmare on Elm Street sequel, Wes Craven’s New Nightmare. One…Two…
Since Wes Craven’s New Nightmare recently had its 23rd birthday, we’re featuring it during our month long 31 Days of Halloween. Oh and it’s Freddy Friday….ready to fall asleep?
“Pick a pet for the rugrat bitch!” — Freddy Krueger
A Series Missing Its Nighttime Sorcerer
After creating horror heavyweight, Freddy Krueger, Wes Craven leaves the world of A Nightmare on Elm Street. Having creative differences with New Line head Bob Shaye, Craven moves onto new possibilities and film futures.
Creating fan favorites Shocker, The People Under The Stairs and The Serpent and the Rainbow, Craven career takes little hits in the late ’80s and early ’90s. But when New Line, still sleepy for more dream dollars, backs themselves into a corner, the studio welcomes the master back to Elm Street. And soon, there’s a new nightmare in Springwood.
The Nocturnal King Returns
— Courtesy of New Line Cinema
This time the terror doesn’t stop at the screen.
The film is New Nightmare. Taking his iconic creation from ’84’s masterpiece, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Craven shapes an ingenious take on his classic, far outweighing expectation of what a scary sequel can be.
With Freddy now dead, the evil within the dream demon is unleashed upon the world. While Heather Langenkamp attempts to live a normal life outside of the film industry, the spirit takes on Freddy’s form in the real world and begins that hunt. As if living in LA isn’t hard enough…
Attempting to protect her son, Dylan, the horror icon must give everything she’s got is they have a chance to make it out alive. And if she doesn’t dig down deep enough, Heather’s daydreaming days are over…
Meta Nightmares Are Dreamy
More from A Nightmare on Elm Street
- 31 Days of Horror: ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors’ rules!
- Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: A must-see for Freddy fans
- Queer Themes in A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge
- Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare — A nuanced take on abuse?!
- Robert Englund: Stay awake with his special Nightmare Blend coffee
Premiering Oct. 14, 1994, Wes Craven’s New Nightmare features as much creative genius as any piece of art on planet earth. With each aspect a crazy cog in a enigmatic engine, the fact Craven was able to make a film that’s both the seventh in a franchise and so fresh is true brilliance.
In one of the film’s many stunning aspects, the way he uses the original film as tool for the new terror is insanely beautiful to watch. To me, it’s not that the evil is using the Nightmare lore because it’s familiar, but to Heather, it means so much to her life — to all those involved.
And those moments shine the most. Julie’s death mirroring Tina’s and Heather slowly becoming Nancy (grey hair, John Saxon slowly becoming her father, the ending taking place on Elm Street) are just few moments boasting the film beyond a standard sequel. And. They. Are Incredible.
Building A New Nightmarish Legacy
Since the film’s release, people are seeing New Nightmare in its appropriate light more and more. After falling mostly on deaf ears in its initial debut, the seventh A Nightmare on Elm Street is now seen for what it is — a master still working at the top of his game.
It’ll always be shocking Craven even created the film after not being involved with the franchise for years. But what’s most shocking is the picture shows the future holds glorious possibilities. That if your original Elm Street is in your rearview, you could still have an New Nightmare on the horizon. And for that, I’ll always love you Wes. RIP, now and forever brother.
Next: 31 Days of Halloween: The Thing (1994)