Review: Wes Craven’s New Nightmare

Every critic’s favourite “Elm Street” movie just about, but also one of the least financially successful. A meta-movie continuation “A Nightmare on Elm Street” saga with real-life cast and crew from the series being haunted in their dreams by visions of fictional boogeyman Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund). Meanwhile, series creator Wes Craven (as himself) is writing a new Freddy script, and original star Heather Langenkamp is having trouble with her young son Miko Hughes who is having catatonic episodes, whilst her FX man husband dies in a most nightmarish (or should that be Nightmarish?) car accident. What in the Sam hell is goin’ on here? Is a Freddy for real boogeyman, after all? Tracy Middendorf plays Langenkamp’s best friend, Fran Bennett plays an extremely concerned doctor who sees something very wrong with the influence of Langenkamp’s profession on her impressionable young son. Actor John Saxon plays himself, as does New Line Cinema head Robert Shaye, whilst his sister Lin Shaye (who appeared in the original “Elm Street”) turns up as a nurse.

I’ve seen this 1994 meta-horror flick from writer-director Wes Craven (“The Hills Have Eyes”, “A Nightmare on Elm Street”, “Swamp Thing”) several times over the last 20 years or so, and my impression of it gets lesser and lesser every time. One thing remains largely the same though; It’s pretty much a warm-up for Craven’s later and better spoof “Scream”. Frankly, I think this is overrated, and a “Nightmare” film mostly for people who don’t like the “Nightmare on Elm Street” series.

It doesn’t start badly, with OK special FX work on the new Freddy glove as we transition from an homage to the start of the original “Elm Street”, reveal that it’s just a movie, and then the glove prop goes on a rampage before star Heather Langenkamp wakes up…during an earthquake. It’s memorable stuff, no doubt about it. However, even early on we face that old stumbling block: Heather Langenkamp can’t act one bit. Nope, not even when playing a supposed version of herself. So bad is she that she plays ‘Heather Langenkamp’ just like Nancy. Yeah, I get it, but that’s not why. She just can’t act. On the plus side, I have to go against the grain and say that Miko Hughes is/was one of the best child actors of all-time. I loved that kid in every film I’ve seen him in, and he’s terrific here as Heather’s somewhat troubled son. He’s not in the film much, but David Newsom is well-cast as Heather’s prop-making beau (Her husband in real-life apparently is an FX guy). He’s got a bit of a Kevin Bacon vibe to him where he could be nice or evil on a coin flip and keeps you on edge. I absolutely loved the “Repulsion” reference with the earthquake-assisted cracking walls that look like Freddy’s claw marks as well, a cute in-joke for film buffs like myself. It’s clever to have Langenkamp’s initial nightmare start to come true as Newsome gets assigned to a new “Freddy” film. The idea of earthquakes causing nightmares or at least enhancing them is certainly an interesting one too.

Less interesting and more openly stupid is the theme throughout the film that Heather’s horror films may be causing problems for her impressionable young son. I have previously felt that Craven left things somewhat open to interpretation, but honestly seeing the film again I don’t believe that at all. Craven should’ve wanted no part in it, because it just opens up a whole can of worms that the film doesn’t need. Besides, I don’t recall Jack the Ripper being influenced by violent horror films as a child, so fuck off with that bullshit right there, OK? Poor Fran Bennett, who gives an unrestrained and irritatingly strident performance as a doctor, is given the bulk of the bad material here. I have to wonder if Craven ever regretted this aspect of the film, as no good comes from biting the hand (or glove?) that fed him, especially whilst making a violent horror film.

The other flaw with the film for me is the Freddy makeup, it’s the worst of the entire “Elm Street” series (I have no idea why the series is referred to as the “Freddy” series in this film, by the way), unless you consider the remake to be a part of the series. Freddy looks appallingly cheap, and makeup artist David B. Miller should know better considering it’s not his first gig doing the Freddy makeup, having also worked on the original “Elm Street” for starters. I think the Kevin Yagher design used in parts 2, 3, and 4 is Freddy at his best, visually. On the plus side, composer J. Peter Robinson (“Blind Fury”, “The Bank Job”, and several episodes of “The Wonder Years”) delivers one of the best music scores of the entire series, incorporating the familiar theme. It’s the highlight of the film, even approaching Jerry Goldsmith (“The Omen”) levels of operatic at times. The film looks terrific, with some really great imagery, particularly involving Freddy’s glove. As for the other performances, they’re a mixed bag. John Saxon (who never seems to age, the lucky bastard) gives a nice, easy-going performance as essentially himself playing a kind of mentor figure to Langenkamp, and more scenes with him would’ve been appreciated. Ditto Robert Englund, who gets to play somewhat of a painting enthusiast/artist version of himself here before pretty much disappearing. There’s potentially some meta reason behind that given he’s essentially Freddy Krueger himself, but still it would’ve been nice to see more of him behind the makeup. We do get an hysterically funny appearance by Englund as ‘Freddy’ on a talk show though, which is priceless. The various New Line execs and other non-actors are pretty rank, to be honest. It shows the downside of such a meta-movie concept, Craven managed to refine the idea for “Scream”. Director Craven was absolutely no actor and he still proves to be better than Langenkamp. I loved the idea that the only way to kill Freddy here is for Langenkamp to play Nancy one more time. Fucking bravo there Wes, you shameless huckster. There’s also a clever bit where Langenkamp realises she’s in a movie and playing Nancy again, and having her gain a grey streak of hair at one point was a cute call-back, too. Her overall performance though, and every time the film tries to incorporate that theme of violent movies having an effect on children just took the fun out of it for me.

This is like “Freddy’s Revenge” in that it’s trying to take Freddy Krueger into a different direction. It’s much more successful in that pursuit, and is a bit more horrific than “The Dream Child” and “Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare”. It’s incredibly uneven though, and not all that much better than “The Dream Master” or “The Dream Child”. It hasn’t aged well, and also has way too many phone ring ‘scares’ for one film if you ask me. Creepy little Miko Hughes and the music score are, however excellent. Less Heather Langenkamp trying (and failing) to act would’ve been greatly appreciated.

Rating: C+