This Nightmare On Elm Street Collection is Amazing! I own both the DVD Collection and VHS Collection. The DVD set is way better due to the many extras found on the bonus disc titled The Nightmare Encyclopedia which has all 7 Movie Previews that were shown in theatres, it also has Music Videos including DOKKEN's "Dream Warriors". It has a interactive game called The Labyrinth which is very hard, if you have a DVD-Rom you get even more extras like all 7 Screenplays and an interactive Freddy that haunts your PC courtesy of Togglethis.com. What can I say you get so much more! All the Movies are in the best Quality ever with the exception of the bad film transfer of Nightmare 2! As far as my personal review of each film I give Nightmare 1 five stars, Nightmare 2 two stars, Nightmare 3 five stars, Nightmare 4 four stars, Nightmare 5 two stars, Nightmare 6 two stars, and than Nightmare 7 Wes Cravens New Nightmare five stars. I have to also say NANCY who is played by Heather Langenkamp brought this whole collection to life with her roles in Nightmare 1, Nightmare 3, and Wes Cravens new Nightmare. Without NANCY who we were all so familiar with from the start, this collection would not be so Good. I also give a big thanks to Wes Craven for taking the laughs out of Freddy and taking him back to what he was in the original Nightmare 1, a Horror Icon not a comedian! I highly encourage anyone to buy this collection! The DVD set is truly amazing for any Nightmare On Elm Street fan!
A Nightmare on Elm Street part 1 Classic film and the best of the series, Freddy is probably the most frightening in this one, a cult classic. Even if you hate the rest, i'm sure you will love this one. It starts out as a young teen girl's (Heather Langenkamp) friends start dying in their sleep by you guessed it Freddy Krueger, as the movie goes on you learn a little about Freddy's history and how he came to be,Johnny Depp's movie debut. I give this 5 out of 5 stars.
A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2. How do you follow up a great movie like the first? Well, eh. They really didn't, one of the worst installments in the series right after the best (go figure)
A young man moves into the same house as the girl from the first movie (Heather Langenkamp) and Freddy uses his body to come back, this movie suffers from havin a poor leading man and a leading woman that is too ditzy, however Robert England doesn't dissapointed and is as scary as the first, making this atleast watchable. I give it 2.5 out of 5 stars.
A Nightmare on Elm Street part 3 This right here, should have been part two, bring's back Heather Langenkamp's character and her father, this time she finds some teenagers in a mental institution, who have been having some pretty bad dreams..... this movie has strong acting by every character (even the ones who don't stay very long) here Freddy gets a bit of humour, while staying scary though ( the humour isn't over done like in future movies) I give this 5 out of 5 stars.
A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 4. sees the return of the surviving members of part 3, however, if you loved, part 3 the first 20 minutes or so might be a little vexing to you.Features a new hero (lisa) and her often dim witted yet charismatic boyfriend. This movie isn't great but definetly good has good actors and a few bad ones, Freddy is still Freddy and this is one of the better sequals. I give this 4 out of 5 stars.
A Nightmare on Elm Street part 5 Sees the return of Lisa. The story is Freddy comes back and is turning her unborn baby into a prodidgy of himself. The plot is one of the best, just not acted out very well. Freddy gets a little too funny. Yet is full of likable heros. Also goes deeper in Freddy's history While it isn't the best it is far from the worst and one of the most under rated in the series. I give this 3.5 out of 5 stars.
A Nightmare on ELm street part 6. One of the worst, plot is not thought out well and freddy goes over the edge with humor, few people die and the deaths take way too long. However, you learn the most about Freddy in this movie and that is the main reason to watch it. The plot is, that there is only one more kid left on Elm Street (our old pal Freddy did away with the rest) however the final kid has a bad case of amnesia and can't recall anything. Features scenes with a pre-teen human Freddy and a teenage human version of him, with a guest appearence by Alice Cooper as Freddy's drunk abusive father. (maybe somebody should have told poor old Freddy just because you were abused, you shouldn't abuse others) I give this one 2 out of 5 stars.
Wes Craven's New Nightmare The biggest turn in the series, Freddy gets an upgrade and for the first time, is in the real world. With this plot, the "A nightmare on Elm Street" films are just that films. Heather Langenkamp stars as herself and Wes Craven is in it as just Wes Craven, however when Heather's son starts believing in him, he comes to life, when Wes finds this out he flees. ( I would have loved to have seen a Wes fighting Freddy scene.) A new twist is just what the series needed after part 6 but i'm glad Freddy went back to the world of fiction in "Freddy vs Jason" good film. I give this 4 out of 5 stars.
So in conclusion if you love the "A Nightmare on Elm Street" series Buy this now. Enjoy
Buy Nightmare on Elm Street Collection 5-Disc Blu-Ray Now
First and foremost, I'm an avid "Nightmare" fan... My review of 3 stars is NOT my review of the movies themselves. This is a review of the NEW "Nightmare" box-set which existed in a previous, superior form. Just to cover the movies, however, here's how I rate them:1.) "A Nightmare On Elm Street" 5 stars. An untouchable horror classic.
2.) "A Nightmare On Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge" 3.5 stars, and underrated by most reviewers if you ask me.
3.) "A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors" 4.5 stars.
4.) "A Nightmare On Elm Street 4: The Dream Master" 4 stars.
5.) "A Nightmare On Elm Street 5: The Dream Child" 3 stars, and a bit of a disappointment for this series.
6.) "Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare" 3.5 stars.
7.) "Wes Craven's New Nightmare" 4.5 stars, another horror classic from Wes Craven.
8.) "Freddy vs. Jason" 2.5 stars. Clearly the worst installment in the series (unless you count the 2010 remake of the original). Freddy is not a comedian, he's a killer, and if you thought his one-liners were cheesy in the other sequels, they are horrendous in "Freddy vs. Jason". Also the most atrocious acting and scriptwriting in the entire series.
Ok, now that we've got that out of the way, here's my problems with the NEW box set. I of course bought the original box set (released before "Freddy vs. Jason"), and although I felt the set should've had more extra features, at least it had SOME, as opposed to this new re-issue, which strips the old special features from the box set as well as all special features from the "Freddy vs. Jason" original DVD. Another issue none of these films have been remastered from the original DVD releases. You might think that because New Line Cinema remastered the original a few years ago (in the form of an "Infinifilm" release) that you will get the remastered version in this set. You would be wrong, because you don't get the remastered version, you get the same version that was in the original box set. Frustrating. Another issue I do have to say that Jackie Earle Haley's "Freddy" being featured on the cover is idiotic. Big deal or not, it doesn't make any g*d**n sense. We have eight films in this set, all of which feature Robert Englund as "Freddy", but to someone who hasn't seen the new remake, the cover has a stranger on it and is confusing (not to me, I've seen the remake {it sucks, badly} and recognized Haley instantly). If they were going to feature Haley on the cover of the box set, they should have at least waited until the new remake is released on DVD, and then they could've included the remake in the box set. Not to mention that Haley cannot TOUCH Englund's portrayal of the classic horror character. Haley being featured on the cover is disgraceful to Englund and his many glorious years performing as "Freddy". Yes, I do think it's kind of a big deal.
Here's what you need to look at if you're considering buying all 8 of these films:
If you want to go the cheapest route, and you're not interested in bonus features, you should buy "4 Film Favorites: Nightmare On Elm St. 1-4" and "4 Film Favorites: Nightmare On Elm St. 5-8". Two 4-disc sets, with the identical prints of the films in this box set, priced as low as 2.50 apiece used, or about 8 bucks apiece new.
If you've got the money to spend, I would recommend buying the ORIGINAL box set (which comes in a larger, much cooler box, contains 3D glasses for the end of "Freddy's Dead" during the 3D sequence, and contains a bonus disc with a few special features), the remastered 2-disc Infinifilm version of the original "Nightmare On Elm Street" (for the bonus materials and the far superior audio / video quality), and a separate copy of "Freddy vs. Jason", which is also a 2-disc set (Remember, in this new box set, the 2nd disc of bonus features for "Freddy vs. Jason" have been stripped; as have ALL special features... this box set has none).
I will definitely stick with my original box set, the Infinifilm Version of the original "Nightmare", and the "Freddy vs. Jason" DVDs, due to the lack of extra features and no remastering. Come on, New Line Cinema, you could have done so much more with this brilliant series of films.
Read Best Reviews of Nightmare on Elm Street Collection 5-Disc Blu-Ray Here
Finally picked up the Nightmare Blu Ray box set. This is the first time I've bought the series since the inital DVD box set release well over 10 years ago.Picked this up on sale for $30 at Best Buy. A fantastic deal for a killer set of movies. Blu Ray quality is about right what you would expect from a Nightmare release. This isn't remastered like a Spielberg classic, but it's a big upgrade from my 12 year old DVDs. The sound is good from what I've heard so far.
The biggest surprise for me was the new doc which was narrated by Robert Englund in his Freddy voice! It was fantastic. Not very long, and not as good as the doc in the DVD set (can't remember what is was called) but it was fun seeing something new with Wes and Robert being interviewed. Also as an extra you get two episodes of Freddy's Nightmares! Pretty unmemorable episodes, but fun just seeing the show again.
If you are a Nightmare fan the set is definitely worth the upgrade if you can find it at a fair price!
Want Nightmare on Elm Street Collection 5-Disc Blu-Ray Discount?
This review refers to the bonus disc found in New Line Cinema's "The Nightmare on Elm Street Collection" boxed set.THE WHO'S WHO: Starring Wes Craven, Robert Shaye, Sean Cunningham, Heather Langenkamp, Robert Englund, John Saxon, Rachel Talalay, Jack Sholder, Kevin Yagher, Dick Cavett, Chuck Russell, Frank Darabont, Dokken, Patricia Arquette, Renny Harlin, John Carl Buechler, Stephen Hopkins, The Fat Boys, Whodini, Clive Barker. (NR) Contains Very Mild Violence, Mild Profanity, Very Mild Gore, Very Brief Nudity and Mild Sexual Content; 240m.; 1999. Cumulative information for the film series as a whole includes an (R) rating for violence, gore, profanity, drug content, nudity and mild sexual content; 655m.; 1984-1994. The overall rating for the films included in this boxed set is four stars. For individual reviews of each film, please see separate titles.
WHAT'S GOING ON IN HERE?: Consummate "Nightmare on Elm Street" fans will be delighted by the inclusion of an eighth bonus disc as part of the series' boxed set. The central focus of this DVD is a "Labyrinth" video game, but all of the important documentary material that can be uncovered within the labyrinth is found on the index of the disc itself. However, the "Labyrinth" is the only place to uncover humorous outtakes and comedy interactions with Freddy Krueger. The bonus disc begins with the "Welcome to Primetime" (46:26) segment. Relevant members of the cast and crew for the original "Nightmare" film talk about the newspaper clippings that inspired the screenplay, how producer Robert Shaye was the only person who believed in director Wes Craven's script and how the original idea of Freddy Krueger was supposed to have him portrayed by a sixty or seventy year old man. Makeup man David Miller tells the story of how a pepperoni pizza inspired Freddy's face. There's also a small tidbit relating to the fact that New Line almost sold the "Nightmare" rights to Paramount. "Welcome to Primetime" concludes with the first alternate ending of the original "Elm Street" film. The index of the disc is divided into separate sections by film. The "Nightmare on Elm Street" section is just a breakdown of the "Welcome to Primetime" documentary with the addition of the film's trailer. Segments in this section include "Original Theatrical Trailer" (1:49), "It Really Happened" (3:03), "A Childhood Memory" (2:35), "Sometime in the Early 80's" (0:25), "So it Began" (4:47), "Beauty and the Beast" (8:42), "Making the Glove" (1:09), "Shapeshifter" (9:54), "The Shoot" (7:22), "The Revolving Room" (1:53), "All's Well That Ends Well" (4:04), "Talalay's Tally" (1:52), "It Couldn't Have Happened..." (1:51) and "Alternate Ending: Version 1" (2:00). The "Freddy's Revenge" section expresses Craven's concerns over the original screenplay for the sequel. We're also treated to horrendously bland interviews with director Jack Sholder who does nothing to bring perspective to his sequel, owing a lot of explanations and offering very few. He also sounds very indecisive of the choices he made now that he has the opportunity to look back on his film. Even production assistant Rachel Talalay admits the film's vast array of mistakes. Segments in this section include "Original Theatrical Trailer" (1:28), "Heroes and Villains" (6:23), "Psycho Sexual Circus" (3:28), "The Male Witch" (2:48) and "Freddy on 8th Street" (5:29). The "Dream Warriors" section finds Wes explaining how he wanted to take the film series to the next psychological level. Director Chuck Russell and screenplay writer Frank Darabont share discussions about the controversies surrounding the Freddy snake and the Robert Englund-improvised "welcome to prime time, b*tch" line. Englund is also on hand to relate a tale of how he had breakfast with transvestites across from the L.A. county jail. Segments in this section include "Original Theatrical Trailer" (1:37), "Fan Mail" (0:46), "Onward Christian Soldiers" (9:02), "Snakes and Ladders" (6:05), "Trading 8's" (4:10), "That's Show Biz" (2:01), "Burn Out" (3:39), "The House That Freddy Built" (0:39) and "Music Video: Dokken Dream Warriors" (5:06). The "Dream Master" section finds Robert Shaye explaining how the 'stamina effect' helped director Renny Harlin get the job. Discussions are also held about how the writers' strike affected the outcome of the movie. Segments in this section include "Original Theatrical Trailer" (1:31), "Krueger, Freddy Krueger" (8:17), "Hopeless Chest" (3:46), "Let's Make-Up" (2:21) and "The Finnish Line" (2:28). The "Dream Child" section finds Talalay mentioning why her husband Rupert Harvey produced the fifth film and not her. Surprisingly, the Fat Boys music video was misplaced on the disc. Instead of appearing in the section for the fourth film where it belongs, it wound up here. Segments in this section include "Original Theatrical Trailer" (0:46), "Womb Raiders" (6:24), "The Sticky Floor" (5:46), "Take the Stairs" (0:57), "Hopkins Directs" (0:36), "A Slight Miscalculation" (1:27), "Music Video: Fat Boys Are You Ready For Freddy?" (5:32) and "Music Video: Whodini Anyway I Got to Swing it?" (3:26). The "Freddy's Dead" section is the lightest of all sections, though it does find Talalay talking about how the 3-D format of the finale limited her choice of special effects. Segments in this section include "Original Theatrical Trailer" (2:14), "Rachel's Dream" (2:50), "3D Demise" (2:19), "86'd" (1:41) and "Hellraiser" (0:40). The "New Nightmare" section focuses entirely on Craven himself. He discusses how he originally thought he would become a novelist and touches briefly on the friendship he shares with "Friday the 13th" creator Sean Cunningham. Segments in this section include "Original Theatrical Trailer" (2:41), "Becoming a Filmmaker" (7:55), "An Insane Troupe" (0:52), "Two Worlds" (2:04), "The Problem With Sequels" (1:36) and "Filmmaker" (4:38). The final section is entitled "Conclusions" and features horror master Clive Barker comparing Freddy's characteristics with Pinhead's. We're also able to see small sections of a 1989 interview with Robert Englund as he discusses the witty and sexy traits Freddy possesses. Segments in this section include "Where Gothic Plots Come From" (2:04), "Why We Like Gothic" (1:34), "Sadomasochism" (0:54), "Freddy v. Pinhead" (2:46), "Freddy's Manic Energy" (1:40), "Creating Lasting Characters in Horror" (1:33), "No More Magic Tricks" (2:28), "Monster With Personality" (0:33), "Freddy as Sex Machine" (1:59) and "Campfire Stories" (1:43). Overall, this is an enjoyable and highly informative way of killing four hours.
THEY SAY THEY'RE SPECIAL BUT...: The 1.33:1 full screen format is a solid presentation featuring even flesh tones, good coloring and stable black levels. The 5.1 surround sound is pointless during the documentary portions of the disc. The only time the surround sound really picks up is during the music videos and the theatrical trailers. Then the presence of the 5.1 is truly felt and truly appreciated. This bonus disc arrives packaged in one of New Line's atypical paper cases. The front cover features a fantastic "Hellywood" painting that fits the Freddy motif perfectly. The rest of the case is devoid of any artwork. The inside of the case spotlights the list of special features on this disc. The disc itself is painted with a montage of six different Freddy Krueger photographs. The entire disc is comprised of special features, however the ones not described above include the actual "Labyrinth" video game which is a wonderful way to experience the separate pieces of information for those who want to take the time. Graphics for this game are very entertaining and the sound quality is above par. DVD-ROM users are also treated to the final "Dream World" trivia game and an interactive Freddy that will "haunt" your computer.
THE YOLK'S ON YOU: New Line Cinema has packed their boxed set so well that they don't need to place hidden easter eggs on the separate discs. Of course, on this bonus disc, there are a few useful pearls of wisdom for the wary viewer. For starters, if you stand in one spot for too long at the entrance of the "Labyrinth" (where the question mark appears), Freddy will pop out of one of the doors on the left side of the hallway and quickly dart into one of the doors on the right. Also, if you make it down into the boiler room, look into the ashes of the furnace for awhile. Pretty soon, you'll be able to see the burning image of Freddy himself. Finally, for those viewers searching for the mythical "second alternate ending" to the film (which is not included as part of the index section on this disc), there's a very simple solution. When you come to the locked fire door, step up to it until you can see the individual diamond panes of the glass. There are three horizontal rows of clickable diamonds. Each row has four diamonds you can try. The alternate ending is hidden beneath the fourth diamond (the one farthest to the right) on the middle row. However, be warned that the "second alternate ending" is not worth the time it takes to find. Frankly, it's an incredible let down, even to a hardcore Freddy fanatic like myself. Forget the second alternate ending and try to uncover all the Krueger cut-ups instead.
THE LEWD AND NUDE ALERT: There is absolutely no stimulation on this bonus disc. However, since this is mostly a documentary forum, that's to be expected.
THE GORE REPORT: The bonus disc actually shows a bit of gore in the original theatrical trailer during Tina Gray's (Amanda Wyss) death sequence.
SAY AGAIN: "Sometimes a giant snake is just a giant snake. Yeah." Frank Darabont. "Exactly." Chuck Russell. "Which is why it wound up eating the little girl." Frank Darabont (during a conversation about the phallic symbolism of the Freddy snake from "Nightmare 3").
THE FINAL SAY: Yes, I recommend buying this disc. As part of the "Nightmare on Elm Street Collection" boxed set, it provides an invaluable source of behind the scenes discussions and revelations. One wishes they would have had more interviews with the actual cast members of the films, but the crew members and Robert Englund provide a wealth of details. It's just a shame that this disc is not available separately as it stands very well on its own. Yes, I also recommend buying the boxed set itself. This is an efficient way of acquiring all seven films and is the only way you can receive the bonus disc.
PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM: "Freddy's Favorites: The Best of a Nightmare on Elm Street" Available on Varese Sarabande Compact Discs.
No comments:
Post a Comment