IMDb user comments for
New Nightmare (1994) More at IMDbPro »

Filter:

Best Chronological Prolific Authors Loved It Hated It Hide Spoilers:

Page 1 of 22:

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]

Index

220 comments in total

---

30 out of 32 people found the following comment useful :-
Makes up for the bad sequels, 2 August 2003

Author: Derek237 from Canada

The First Nightmare on Elm Street was scary and original. It had the great idea of a killer killing people in their dreams. All of its sequels (except for part 2, which went in a horrible direction) just built on to that idea, and the idea wasn't scary anymore as the series progressed. Now with New Nightmare, Wes Craven came up with another original idea. It turns out that Freddy is in fact real, some kind of ancient evil that took the form of Freddy Krueger and could only be contained through storytelling, IE: the Nightmare On Elm Street movies. But since the series has ended, the genie is out of the bottle, and this ingenious film unravels.

I wouldn't say this movie is that scary, it's more creepy than it is scary, but I love its imagination. It plays mind little mind games and you wonder what is real and what is not. Freddy Krueger is even credited as "himself". It's a must-see for any Freddy fan and in many ways it stands on its own...but only if you've seen the other movies. If that makes any sense.

This is one of the best sequels in the Nightmare series and it's nothing short of brilliant. It's nice to see that Freddy is back in the bottle where he belongs, and hopefully will be for a long time...

My Rating: 9/10

---

29 out of 31 people found the following comment useful :-
The best of the series, 11 November 2003

Author: Kristine (kristinedrama14@msn.com) from Chicago, Illinois

New Nightmare, the seventh and final installment in the Nightmare on Elm Street series. I was lucky enough to get the Nightmare on Elm Street series in the box DVD set and I finished all the sequels. I would say that without a doubt that this was the best sequel in the series. I was amazed at how clever the story was and I think the reason why is because of the fact that Wes Craven is back with this story. I was a little depressed that at least Johnny Depp wasn't really in it, that would've been a cool experience, but that doesn't kill the story. Instead the film has taken on a new and hip twist onto the series. Wes has taken the story and turned it around on the characters, instead of having Heather as Nancy, she's playing herself, just as is the rest of the cast, only now they're in trouble with Freddy.

Heather Langenkamp is a huge star in the horror movie world, but she's now a happily married woman with her son, Dillain. But she's receiving death threats from a fan who strangely sounds a lot like Freddy. Soon strange things start happening, her husband is killed tragically in a car accident that seems like the act of Freddy, and her son is now not sleeping. She wonders if it's because of her movies or is it possible that Freddy is real and he wants her? She may have to go back to her roots to save her son.

New Nightmare is incredibly clever and was just all in all a great idea. I really enjoyed this sequel, it's a definite keeper and a watch for the Nightmare on Elm Street fans. Freddy is back and he's more mean than ever; it was so cool that the took Heather Langenkamp and put her in the same situation as her character, Nancy. It just shows that Wes hasn't lost his touch with the Nightmare on Elm Street series. If you love horror films in general, I highly recommend New Nightmare, this is an awesome film.

8/10

---

38 out of 51 people found the following comment useful :-
This should have been part 2, 29 June 1999

Author: Dan Grant (dan.grant@bell.ca) from Toronto, Ontario

I love horror movies. I love being scared and I love the fact that a movie (something make believe that I, as an intelligent person,knows is just images projected from a screen ) can manipulate my emotions and make me nervous. This is one of those movies. And in the 90's, there have only been two movies that have actually made me nervous in some scenes. And those two movies are by Craven himself---Scream and this one.

When this film first came out, it was ten years and six films after the original. I have seen all the Freddy movies more out of morbid curiosity than out of interest. And maybe a part of me was hoping to catch a glimpse of what made the first so damn scary. And time and time again I was disappointed. But when I read in Fangoria magazine that this new one was going to be directed by Craven, I got very excited. Could it possibly be that this film would go back to it's roots?

Yes, it did.

There is no two ways about it, Craven cares about Freddy. He cares about how he was supposed to be, not what he has turned into in the last decade. Freddy was not even remotely funny in the first one. He was a brutal, maniacal, sadistic, bent on revenge murderer. He wanted to slice Nancy in two and he did that to Tina ( actually sliceher into many pieces ). But in the mindless sequels to come, he became Eddie Murphy. And there was nothing frightening about the sequels. They made money but they weren't true horror films. But this one, well this one goes back to it's roots and is almost as scary as the first one.

This story is about the film character of Freddy becoming real somehow. He has been a part of Lagenkamp, Saxon, Craven and Englund's life for so long that he has somehow become real. And now what was once a simple film character actually haunts the cast of the original. We even get to see Rod ( Tina's boyfriend from the original ) at one of the funerals. And what makes the story scary is that now Freddy has decided to come after Heather's kid.

This film goes back to all the techniques that made the first a classic. There is excellent direction to make us fear what is under the bed. The lighting is classic horror film lighting and the music is perfect. There is however one complaint that I have and that is when Freddy is chasing the kid across the road. He has become larger than life. He is like the Stay Puft marshmallow man from Ghostbusters. And that it seems is much more like the other Nightmares, not Craven's version. And that takes away the delight in watching what was otherwise a perfect horror film.

I said in one of my reviews of a horror film that there are no films in the 90's that are truly scary. However this one is as close to an 80's horror flick as you will get now a days. It is very frightening and it is almost a prequel to Scream. This is one film that should not be missed. It is a tribute to what scary films are supposed to be. If I want to laugh I'll see Chris Rock, but if I want to be scared, Craven is the man!

---

25 out of 27 people found the following comment useful :-
9, 10, he's back again..., 1 November 2003

Author: Scott LeBrun from Winnipeg, Canada

Genuinely interesting - if not completely scary - movie blends fiction and reality as several people associated with the "Nightmare" franchise play themselves, in a story in which actress Heather Langenkamp is being plagued by nightmares about the Freddy Krueger character. She gradually learns that the "Freddy Krueger" character has taken on a life of "his" own and is determined to punish the makers of the "Nightmare" series for killing him off in Part Six.

I'll say this for what writer / director Wes Craven has done - this is ambitious work that could legitimately claim to be more intelligent than standard slasher cinema. Like I said, I didn't find to be particularly scary (at least not for my tastes), but this doesn't rely on any standard slasher formula, and for once the characters aren't certifiable morons. The most amusing thing about the movie is watching various actors and executives play themselves, or at least versions of themselves. Miko Hughes, who plays Langenkamp's fictional son Dylan, is cute and a tolerable young actor - I've seen worse child actors in my time.

Best of all, "Freddy" has become a genuinely frightening bogeyman again instead of the joke he had become by Part Six.

7/10

---

29 out of 41 people found the following comment useful :-
Freddy's back and better than ever, 26 December 1999
Author: Op_Prime from Ardmore, PA

Freddy Krueger began as a very scary character who scared the hell out of everyone. As the movies went on, Freddy lost his edge and looked liked a bad stand up comic with horrible one liners.

Freddy seemed dead with the sixth film of the series, but Wes Craven brought him back from his rut and made him someone to fear again. This of course helps prove my theory that a good Nightmare on Elm Street movie cannot be made without Craven.

Two things make this film so good. One, the story is original. The Nightmare movies just kept repeating themselves, with Freddy coming back and going after the people who stopped him before. This rime around, we see Freddy trying to break into the real world, outside the movies. Very original. Two, the movie is not filled with constant gore. This shows how good the movie because any movie filled with gore obviously has a pathetic story and is not worth watching. This movie is and is one of Freddy's best yet.

---

16 out of 19 people found the following comment useful :-
Amazingly original and creepy horror film., 23 June 2006

Author: theshadow908 from London, Ontario

Wes Craven's New Nightmare features Heather Lengankamp, who played Nancy in the first and third films, living a normal life with her husband and son. Lately, strange things have been happening, and her son isn't acting like himself. She is called in for an interview with New Line Cinemas, where she finds out that Wes Craven is making a new Nightmare film. The events of this film are beginning to unfold in the real world, because Freddy Krueger is angry at being killed off in the last film, so he steps out of fantasy and into reality to go after the makers of the original film. Now Heather Lengankamp must protect her son and defeat Freddy one last time...Only this time, it's real.

I love this movie. I personally think it's just as good as the first movie. This is one of the most original and ingenious plots for a horror movie I've ever seen. All of the people involved with the original films appear as themselves, including Heather Lengenkamp, John Saxon, Robert Englund, and Wes Craven. Freddy is amazing in this movie. He appears with his trademark brown hat, but now he's in a much darker red and green sweater along with a brown tattered trench coat, and his burns are more severe. Also, his trademark knives are actually coming from his fingers. The best part about it is that in this film, Freddy isn't a wise cracking killer...He's an all business violent and brutal killer.

This movie features the best acting for a slasher movie I've ever seen, but then again, almost every actor in the movie plays themselves, so it would be pretty hard to screw that up.

Overall, this movie is on a par with the original, and I'd recommend it to any horror fan.

8/10

---

19 out of 28 people found the following comment useful :-
Skip all the sequels, and watch this after the first, 27 June 2006

Author: Walter Aquilina (walteraquilina@hotmail.com) from Malta

'A Nightmare on Elm Street' was a scary, gory 80s horror movie. Its sequels were awful. Only two of them were watchable, the third and forth. But still, they never even came close to the original. This is when that changes. 'New Nightmare' introduces a new Freddy. One which is darker, scarier and not the joke that the old one was. This is the only sequel that should have been done in the first place. In my opinion, its even better than the original because it's much darker and special effects are way better.

It's a bit rare to find good acting in a horror movie, but here's not the case. Acting was amazing. Heather Langenkamp and Robert Englund gave an awesome performance. The kid was surprisingly believable and the rest of the cast was great too.

Watch this movie straight after watching the first. If you have to watch a sequel, see the third and forth, but this is the one you should immediately go for. I give it a strong 10/10

---

19 out of 28 people found the following comment useful :-
Breathing new life into a masterful creation, 30 January 2005

Author: Fiendish_Dramaturgy from .: Fiendish Writings in the Dark :.

I was expecting very little in the way of this sequel. The others grew tired and lifeless, with on again, off again, decent performances turned in by Robert Englund as Freddy, and some decent, not so decent script writing. Frankly, you just never know what TO expect with long-running franchises such as this. But what I got was NOT what I expected. Nothing close.

I had to view this three times. At my first viewing, I was so surprised, I immediately said, "I need to watch this again." Upon my third viewing, I realized that what I was watching was the resurrection of one of my favorite franchises! I was (if only momentarily) struck speechless.

I'm trying not to "gush" here, or exaggerate, so do not take it lightly when I say that I believe this is possibly the most creative work Craven has ever directed. Don't get me wrong, aside from "Last House on the Left," I've enjoyed everything Craven's put out, including those annoyingly clichéd "Scream" movies. (Just for your info though, I only didn't like Last House on the Left because I do not find entertainment in exploitation, it IS a fine low budget, independent exploitation film, just not my cup of tea.) But "New Nightmare" is just not a recycling of the same tired old story with a new kick. It's a new take on a long-standing favorite BY the creator.

For what more could you ask?

It rates an easy 8.5/10 from...

the Fiend :.

---

11 out of 13 people found the following comment useful :-
The Princess of Horror Returns for the Definitive Nightmare, 15 April 2006

Author: boyinflares from New Zealand

I've said it before, and I will say it again: Heather Langenkamp is the Princess of Horror, and once again she proves why. Whereas other horror heroines are blonde, sometimes ditsy, and needing frequent help, Langenkamp (either as herself or as Nancy) is resourceful, intelligent and you feel yourself really caring for her.

Wes Craven and Heather Langenkamp return alongside Robert Englund's Freddy Krueger in what Craven himself calls "The Definitive Nightmare", and indeed, it is. So much goes on in the 7th Nightmare on Elm Street entry that it could be expected one might find it confusing and trivial, but the film is smart, eerie and outstandingly well done by all those involved.

"New Nightmare" essentially takes place in the real world, sometime after the Elm Street films have all ended. While the film only really references parts 1 and 3 (due to Langenkamp and Craven's involvement), it does nothing to contradict or negate what happened in parts 2 and 4-6, which is a very good thing. It just shows how much the people at New Line Cinema and the cast and crew involved in the Nightmare franchise care about and have respect for the films (and fans), and of the three major slasher franchises, would have to be the one that looks after the films the best.

Playing herself, Heather Langenkamp is married to Chase (David Newsom) and together they have a son, Dylan (Miko Hughes), yet she is plagued by a strange caller. The film is so complex that I don't want to give away what happens, but Langenkamp ends up finding the evil entity that took the form of Freddy crossing over into reality now that the films are no longer being made. While this may sound complicated, it isn't, and the "film within a film" concept doesn't really apply here. The evil entity tries to get to Dylan, so Heather has to get to the source of what is going on, and Wes Craven (appearing as himself) explains about the entity to her, and suggests that she may have to "play" Nancy one last time. In an terrific finale, Heather / "Nancy" defeats Freddy and is able to rescue her son.

"New Nightmare" somewhat strays from the typical slasher-horror of the earlier films into a stylish new breed of horror that has yet to be matched. (The "Scream" franchise is another sub genre all together). While the film is incredibly long, it needs to be, as there is a lot to get through, and all the while Langenkamp doesn't miss a beat. It really is a shame she doesn't act much, though there is a reference to this in the film. (Watch out for the part where Englund is signing autographs to adoring fans by Langenkamp keeps her distance). The film also addresses the affects of horror on children, though only briefly, it would have been nice to delve into this further.

There are few killings in the film also, another reason why it deviates from the typical slasher sub-genre, although two of the killings seem to pay homage to deaths in the earlier films - (Amanda Wyss in #1 and Danny Hassle in #5). Tracy Middendorf is a great example of what a supporting character should do - support as she plays Dylan's baby sitter. Fran Bennet is very good as Doctor Heffner.

John Saxxon appears playing himself (he was Nancy's father in #1), Robert Englund plays both himself and Freddy, and as already mentioned, Wes appears also. Other important people at New Line Cinema also make brief but terrific performances: Robert Shaye, Sara Risher and Marianne Maddalena. Tuesday Knight (Kristen in #4) and Nick Corri also make very brief unspeaking cameos at a funeral. Lin Shaye (Robert's wife) appears once more (she has appeared in previous films) in a small role, and Craven's daughter Jessica has a role as a nurse - in fact, all the nurses are terrific.

So, set aside some quality time to watch "New Nightmare" and watch Langenkamp prove why she is worthy of being called The Princess of Horror. This film is unmatched by all the Nightmare films - and that is saying a lot, as the Nightmare on Elm Street films are quality horror with an outstanding group of people overseeing them. Well done to all involved.

---

5 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
The Evil Never Dies, 31 March 2009

Author: Claudio Carvalho from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The actress Heather Langencamp lives in Los Angeles with her husband Chase Porter (David Newsom), who is secretly working in a mechanical hand for the next movie of Freddy Kruger, and their son Dylan (Miko Hughes). During an earthquake, Heather has a dreadful nightmare where Chase's partners die; in the morning she is invited to be the guest of a talk show about the tenth anniversary of "A Nightmare on Elm Street" with the presence of Robert Englund. Later the executive of New Line Cinema Robert Shaye invites her to perform Nancy Thompson again in the latest project of Wes Craven based on his own nightmares, but she turns the invitation down. Heater is being disturbed by a man that calls her in the telephone and sends creepy letters to her. When Dylan has nightmares with a man with claw and tells that he is protected by his T-Rex toy showing symptoms of schizophrenia, and Chase dies in a car accident, Heather becomes paranoid with Freddy Krueger. The reactions of Robert Englund and Wes Craven indicate to her that something is going wrong. Further she discovers that Freddy is an entity that does exist and is an ancient demon trying to use her weakness as the gateway to the real world. Heater needs to face the evil Freddy Kruger to protect her beloved son.

"New Nightmare" is an original approach to bring Freddy Krueger back after his death in "Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare". The story blends reality with fiction and transforms Freddy Krueger in a millenary evil entity that tries to reach the real world through the actress Heather Langencamp, giving a survivorship to this character. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "A Hora do Pesadelo 7 – O Novo Pesadelo – O Retorno de Freddy Krueger" ("The Hour of the Nightmare 7 – The New Nightmare – The Return of Freddy Krueger")

---

---

Page 1 of 22:

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]

Add another comment

---

Related Links

Plot summary	Amazon.com summary	Ratings
Awards	Newsgroup reviews	External reviews
Parents Guide	Official site	Plot keywords
Main details	Your user comments	Your vote history