Nightmare On Elm Street Collection, The (US)

From New Line Cinema comes The Nightmare On Elm Street Collection, the ultimate tribute to Freddy Krueger. Featuring all seven films, plus a bonus eighth disc which contains hours of behind the scenes content.

The box set has so much to it, that it is difficult to know where to begin this review. Certainly these are the finest versions of the films that you will find anywhere, but then you would expect nothing less for the series that built New Line. It seems that a lot of care has gone into producing these discs, and everything looks and sounds great.

The discs all feature excellent animated menus, as well as the usual scene access and subtitles. They also have an option to “Jump to a Nightmare”, which takes you straight to the grisly demise of the teenager of your choice. Each disc also has DVD ROM content, with a script-to-screen comparison and a “Dream World” trivia game. This is a nice touch and the questions are fairly challenging. If you complete the quizzes on all seven of the films you are given a code to unlock the final quiz on the eighth bonus disc.

The films themselves are a very mixed bunch, ranging from excellent to appalling. It will come as no surprise to hear that the original Nightmare on Elm Street is the best of the bunch. Wes Craven succeeded in creating a genuinely scary villain in Fred Krueger; after all, no one can escape the inevitability of falling asleep. He also succeeded in creating a strong central character, something that was sadly lacking in most of the sequels. In the original Nightmare you really care if Nancy, and to a lesser extent her friends, survives. Most of the sequels lost this element, turning them into little more than effects-laden gore-fests.

After the superb start to the franchise we were “treated” to the first of the sequels. This feels like a rush job from the start, and this is something that is borne out in the interviews on the bonus disc. This film almost completely disregards all of the “rules” established in the first film, and instead sees Freddy possessing the body of a teenager and walking around in the real world. It does have some redeeming moments, such as the scene where Freddy emerges from Jessie’s body and the makeup effects are far better than the original. All in all though this is almost, but not quite, the weakest entry in the series.

Part three sees the series heading back in the right direction, while at the same time giving Freddy a comic makeover. Dream Warriors reintroduces Nancy, and features a much stronger cast than the other sequels, with such stars as Larry Fishbourne and Patricia Arquette making appearances. Dream Warriors also saw the return of Wes Craven in a limited writing capacity and this shows in the quality of the film. It just feels a lot more like the first film, and you do start to sympathise with and care for the characters. With great special effects and some good acting, this is easily the best of the sequels.

Part four is another fairly good entry, again with great special effects and makeup. Unfortunately by this time the teenagers are just there as targets for an increasingly “MTV” Freddy to make quips at, while he dispatches them in as many varied ways as the writers can think of. To be honest, you don’t care if they live or die, as Freddy is now the real star of the show. Even the attempt at another strong heroine to oppose Freddy doesn’t quite come off. That said, this film does have some amusing moments, good special effects and some imaginative death scenes. It’s just a pity that Freddy seemed less scary than ever.

Part five sees the series treading water, with nowhere else to go. This time Freddy has returned by using the unborn child of Alice (the female lead in part four) to bring him fresh victims. Again, you don’t care about the teens at all. There is zero character development and you just get the feeling that they’re all sitting around waiting for their turn to die. It’s a very similar film to part four in many respects, good effects, wisecracking Freddy, but it’s starting to wear a little thin. Director Stephen Hopkins does add a nice gothic element to the proceedings and we do get to learn quite a bit about Mr. Krueger’s past, so it’s not a total disaster, but it’s not a film I would watch often.

Freddy’s Dead is a dire film. The tagline “They saved the best for last” is a joke. Freddy is taken to absurd comic book territory; the script is a mess and the acting atrocious. The ending is presented in 3D, which is clearly a gimmick and just does not work. That said you are given the choice to watch a 2D version of the proceedings. I was actually glad when they killed Freddy, because I don’t think I could have faced another instalment after this travesty. I suppose we do get a pretty good look at Freddy`s past, but it`s mostly contradictory stuff that doesn`t tie in with the rest of the films (I mean, when did Freddy have time to settle down and have a kid?).

Just when you thought the series was dead, along comes Wes Craven to turn the whole thing upside down and produce a fantastic film in the process. Not strictly a sequel, New Nightmare stands alone as an intelligent and scary film. This time the action takes place in the real world, with all of the actors playing themselves. It seems that since production of the Nightmare films halted, a force of ancient evil has decided to adopt the guise of Freddy and is now trying to cross over into our reality. To do this it must go through Heather Langenkamp, who played Nancy in the series, and as the film goes on the line between fantasy and reality becomes increasingly blurred. With new makeup effects, a new glove, and filled with more hatred than ever, Freddy is back to his evil best in this instalment.

The films all feature fantastic anamorphic transfers. You just WILL NOT see these films looking better than they do here. All films are presented in their original 1.85:1 aspect ratio (anamorphically enhanced of course). Colour balance is good and there are no visible signs of compression or other artefacts.

All films feature full Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtracks in addition to their original (either mono or stereo) tracks. The first and seventh disc also feature a commentary track by Wes Craven and some of the cast and crew members. The 5.1 remixes are amazing; you really do feel like you’re in the boiler room at times. There is one scene in the first film when Freddy is chasing Nancy and the camera is following her as she runs, well, thanks to the wonders of Dolby Digital, you will believe Freddy is chasing YOU! The other discs are equally impressive sonically.

Where to begin? Apart from the extra content on the individual discs, an eighth bonus disc takes the extras to ludicrous levels. Featuring an hour-long documentary entitled “Welcome to Primetime” which has interviews with the creative talent, actors, and New Line staff, this is informative and interesting stuff. Then there is “The Index”, which allows you to watch trailers and other bits and pieces from the series without having to enter “The Labyrinth”. This is perhaps the most impressive element of the disc, an interactive quiz in which you navigate a maze of corridors unlocking behind the scenes documentaries, video clips, interviews, TV Spots, music videos, images and even an alternative ending. Also included are an interactive Freddy for your desktop and a Nightmare On Elm Street screensaver. This disc also includes the final Dream World quiz (the others being located on the individual discs).

This is a fantastic box set, and an amazing tribute to Wes Craven`s creation. If you have even the slightest interest in the Nightmare films then this is an essential purchase. The first, third and seventh films are classics, part four is good, five is ok, after that you can almost excuse parts two and six. The eighth extras disc is superb and really adds value to the collection, with my personal favourite being Freddy`s appearance in the Fat Boy`s music video. If you want the definitive versions of these films then you must buy this set!

This set is truely exellent and such good value.
The menus are designed with imagination and humour and the picture and sound quality are superb!
I don`t know why they plan to release an inferior set for region 2
containing just 5 dvds, which doesn`t even allow for all seven movies made.I am in region 2, but sent to America for this.(I heard that they don`t intend to produce any more after April 2001.)
Consider yourself a Freddy Fan?
If you intend to buy a NMOES set, buy this one before it`s deleted.
This set is so good I could almost eat it!
"Bon appetite Bitch!"

I`ve reviewed this collection over a period of a month and a half and I never felt so close to Freddy. :)
I`ll review each of the movies individually and then the commentaries, the menus and the encyclopedia.
Let`s go then. Light`s out.


A Nightmare On Elm Street.

The movie that started it all. I vaguely remember watching the movie as a teenager, and yeah, it was scary then. Yet somehow it is still scary in a way. The musical score is eerie, the sound effects are enhanced and creepy but most of all - Freddy. Charming as always. :)
Looking back, there should`ve been much more background information about Freddy throughout the movie, but the information given during the second part of the movie is still ok.
The video transfer of this movie is really good. You can`t possibly tell that this is a 16 year-old movie. There are no scratches and blemishes, not to mention the lack of any compression signs. Still, on several scenes, the blacks are rendered with a blue-ish hue to them. I don`t know if it was intentional or not, nor can I recall how the movie looked like years ago.
The DD 5.1 soundtrack is ok. I was hoping for more bass and a greater usage of the surrounds, but still it`s a big step from the movie`s original mono soundtrack.
Content: 8. Video: 8. Audio: 8. Total: 8.


A Nightmare On Elm Street 2 - Freddy`s Revenge.

The 2nd movie in the series is a good one. It features more character development (while maintaining a decent amount of gore) and some memorable scenes (the pool party, for example).
The video transfer is very good. You can`t possibly tell that this is a 15 year-old movie (well, actually you can if you inspect the haircuts, the clothes and Limahl`s poster on Jesse`s wall). :) There are no compression signs to be seen.
The DD 5.1 soundtrack is a bit flat. As in the 1st movie, I was hoping for more bass and a greater usage of the surrounds.
Content: 8. Video: 8. Audio: 8. Total: 8.


A Nightmare On Elm Street 3 - Dream Warriors.

The 3rd movie in the series is a rather weak one. It features some more historical information and background information about Freddy, but somehow lacks the charm of the first 2 movies in the series.
The video transfer is very good. As in the first 2 movies in the series, there are no scratches and no compression signs.
The DD 5.1 soundtrack is good. The surrounds are mainly used in the second half of the movie and their usage is very good (you can appreciate just how good it is by watching the scene in mono).
Content: 7. Video: 8. Audio: 8. Total: 7.


A Nightmare On Elm Street 4 - the Dream Master.

The 4th movie in the series is an ok one. Unfortunately, while it does include more characters than the previous movies, it contains no background information about Freddy at all and at some point it is simply needed. Still, the plot is decent enough. I personally liked a certain scene which involves a red truck. The idea behind that scene is simply brilliant.
The video transfer is very good. There are no compression signs at all. The special effects are more apparent in this movie than in the previous ones.
The scene in which Freddy comes to life from his ashes (literally) is a great example of a good special effect that creates a scary atmosphere.
The DD 5.1 soundtrack is good. The surrounds are used throughout the movie. In some parts of the movie there is hardly any difference between the original stereo track and the newly mixed DD 5.1 track but there`s a scene in which the difference is amazing (the scene where the camera moves through a hole in Freddy`s body and his heartbeats are heard).
Content: 8. Video: 8. Audio: 8. Total: 8.


A Nightmare On Elm Street 5 - The Dream Child.

The 5th movie in the series starts ok but its second half is too incoherent and stupid. The movie includes new information about Freddy`s mother, Amanda, but some of the information is inconsistent.
The video transfer is fair. There are at least two dark scenes which look very grainy. There aren`t, however, compression signs at all.
The DD 5.1 soundtrack is good. The surrounds are used throughout the movie. There`s at least one scene in which the sound mix would make you jump out of your seat (that is, if you`re watching the movie loud enough).
Content: 7. Video: 7. Audio: 8. Total: 7.


Freddy`s Dead - The Final Nightmare.

The 6th movie in the series suffers from some severe inconsistencies and is, by far, the most hallucinated of the series. Still, it is enjoyable. It includes some more information about Freddy`s family and new information which is supposed to explain why he is so mean.
The movie ends with the famous 3D scene for which special glasses have been included in the box set.
The video transfer is ok. There aren`t any compression signs at all and the dark scenes are very well done. I did notice a couple of scratches here and there, but nothing major.
The 3D sequence, however, is not good. It was obviously not enhanced for DVD and it also contains a substantial amount of scratches. Most importantly - it`s almost impossible to get the 3D effect, so easily achieved in the theaters, to work, due to the level of colors of each TV or projector. A custom colors setup should`ve been included. A THX should`ve been thought of, too.
The DD 5.1 soundtrack is good. The surrounds are used throughout the movie. The quality of the sound in this movie is better than in the rest of the series and some sound effects are really scary.
This disk contains an option to watch the movie`s grand finale in 2D or 3D.
Content: 7. Video: 8. Audio: 8. Total: 8.


Wes Craven`s New Nightmare.

A brilliant movie with an excellent script. The plot swings back and forth from reality to a dream and then to a movie inside a movie. Very well done. You also get to see some of the leading actors in the series, the director and the rest of the crew. It`s really cool.
I`m tempted to say that this is the best movie of series. :)
The video transfer is perfect. There are no scratches nor compression marks at all.
The DD 5.1 soundtrack is awesome. You can easily notice that this movie originally had a DD 5.1 soundtrack. The surrounds are used quite often and in a very convincing manner. It`s quite possibly the best sounding movie of the series.
Content: 8. Video: 8. Audio: 9. Total: 8.


Commentaries.

The first and last movies also contain a commentary track by the director, crew members and actors. Both commentaries are quite interesting.


Menus.

All the disks have amazingly creative menus. They are animated and are beautiful (in a sick and creepy kind of way, of course). They also contain creepy sounds. Notice that each disk has its own unique kind of menus. The menus enable you to choose the soundtrack, go to a scene or jump right into a nightmare scene.


The Nightmare Series Encyclopedia.

The 8th disk is the pearl of this collection.
It is divided into 3 parts:
1. Welcome To Primetime - a good documentary about the series. It includes interviews and many behind the scenes look. It will prepare you for part 2.
2. The Labyrinth - an AWESOME interactive game where you enter Freddy`s house, solve simple puzzles, interact with the different rooms and get to see lots of footage from the entire series (takeouts, behind the scenes, etc.) and some funny "Freddy moments" (including a special on MTV).
3. The Nightmare Series Encyclopedia Index - a list of most of the disk`s content. It contains everything from trailers to all 7 movies (one of which gave me a heart attack), interviews, behind the scenes look, special effect explanations, alternative endings to the first movie, music videos and some background information about gothic literature. Naturally, once you`ve seen part 1 and played through part 2, part 3 adds very little information. Although, I preferred to browse through the trailers from the index.
Needless to say that all the extra features look great (although some clips show their age) and sound wonderful (everything is DD 5.1, including the trailers).
In addition, you get a 36-page booklet with production notes and rare photos.
You also get 2 pairs of 3D glasses for the grand finale of part 6.
All the disks also include DVD-ROM stuff, which I found to be very informative and nicely presented.


Bottom line - I think only true fans of the series can really appreciate how extraordinary this collection really is. Everything in it is top notch. Everything. Most of the movies are re-watchable as are the extras. I bought this collection knowing I`d enjoy it and I gotta admit that I was not disappointed.
I think there`s no better way to end this review other than to wish you good night. Sleep tight. :)

Unbelievable! Absolutely astonishing. The slasher master him self is back and looking fantastic on this DVD box set too. From the moment my television lit up, until all the movies were over I was left staring at my TV in amazment. I was left with two thoughts, "will they ever make another Freddy film" and "how does he keep thoughs knives so clean". Overall FANTASTIC!!!

The answer to every Elm st fan`s prayers is here! The Nightmare on elm street collection is the greatest boxed set of all time!

Nightmare on Elm st part 1 is the most impressive of the bunch for 3 reasons.1. It has never sounded so smooth(the scraping claws feel like thier right outside!). 2. It has an energetic commentary featuring Wes Craven, Robert Englund and John Saxon! 3. The transfer has never looked so PEREFECT! There was a problem when Elm st was made. A truck carrying the film stock to the distributor left the film exposed to the California sun. The print has never looked right as colors were drained and the image dulled...but this problem has FINALLY been fixed on DVD giving the best look the film ever hoped to have!

The other Nightmare films are basically featurless. But then I never thought I would have the chance to see them all in widescreen with simply awsome transfers! The other films really don`t need much in the way of features(though a comentary for each film would have been nice). Although New Nightmare features a commentary by Wes Craven which was previously recorded for the laserdisc(A thoughtful addition). Not to mention the fantastic 3D ending which I was happy to FINALLY see again after theaters. I didn`t need the glasses though as I actually had a pair left over from the time I saw it in theaters!

The real gem of this set is meant for us old school Elm st fans! It is a labryinth to unlock various behind the scenes clips and music videos that us fans had been lost forever! As well as an alternate ending to the original Elm st film! The lack of extras on all of the films will be distressing to casual fans. But for those who have followed since the first film, all their dreams will be answered in the eighth disc! The supplements are more than enough!

I have the R2 (UK) version of this collection and was happy until i found this site! Why are so many R2 version skimmed down from their R1 counterparts? We only get 5 discs containing parts 1 to 5 , no encyclopedia disc, no part 6 and no New nightmare disc....wish i`d got an import version now!
Regardless, the 5 films are excellent although why is the soundtrack to part 1 superior? Listen to Freddies voice booming from those rears! Scarry stuff! Yet parts 2,3,4 and 5 on R2 dont seem to emphasize his voice from the rears...another R2 discrepency? And i suppose thats because we have to compramise due to the fact they are PAL versions taking up more room on the discs....lol..These rating represent the UK release :- Extras virtually non-existant!

This is one for all the NIGHTMARE fans out there! Freddy is one of the most spiritual figures in the world at this very minute and this box set shows u y. At starts from Wes Cravens original "A Nightmare On Elm Street" and ends with "Wes Cravens New Nightmare" and also a NIGHTMARE encyclopedia and a 36 page collecters page. If u r a NIGHTMARE fan or a horror fan, then this should be your pick of the bunch.

This has to be one of teh best horror box sets to be made. New Line Cinema always know how to spoil their fans. This box set has Elm Street 1-7 and also an eighth disc full of games and interviews. It also has trailers from all movies and music videos. The only disappointment for me was that there where no deleted scenes on the discs.
Overall this box set as a great buy for horror fans as it gives everything for the fans of the series.