31 Days of Horror: A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

Here's some horror classic for you. A Nightmare on Elm Street may seem dated now {it does to me}, Wes Craven was onto something at the time. Freddy Krueger became the stuff of nightmares and kick*$$ Halloween costumes.

Psychopath Freddy Krueger was burned alive years ago by an angry mob of parents. Then known as the Springwood Slasher, Freddy preyed on children viciously killing them with razor blades attached to his fingers. Fast forward a few years, and a couple of teens are having horrible nightmares of their own all of the same burning man with razor blades.

A Nightmare on Elm Street is a pitch-perfect fright. Writer/director Wes Craven mixes a delicious blend of gore, fear, plot and imagination to create a new take on the slasher flick. Playing on tangible fear, Krueger with his admittedly corny one-liners, manages a high body count.

The young cast plays well. Johnny Depp aside, it's Heather Langencamp as Nancy that really pulls the plot together. With Robert Englund, the two engage in a tension-filled game of cat-and-mouse. Their onscreen chemistry is amazing.

Craven paces the film exceptionally well, unfolding the story right on time. The effects are ridiculous now, but when taken in context, they're great. Glen's (Depp) death through the blood soaked bed is crazy insane. But Tina's demise is one of the film's strongest sequences. The elements in each frame are just perfectly executed.

The film is a true visceral and chilling experience. Easily deserving of it's classic status, A Nightmare on Elm Street, in essence, dares you to go to sleep.