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9 Pies

Reviewed by Limey

Plot Summary

When a child murderer is released from prison on a technicality, furious parents take justice into their own hands and burn him alive, but now he is back and once again stalking their offspring, this time from within their dreams.

Review

I awoke this morning to find a little note that was left by myself reminding me that today is the twenty fifth anniversary of A Nightmare on Elm Street , the movie that gave birth to Freddy Krueger – the character responsible for making me a horror fan.

I decided that the best way to celebrate would be to simply watch my copy of the film and remind myself why it is loved by so many. Alas, my enjoyment was spoilt by a nagging voice in the back of my mind throughout that just would not go away.

That nagging voice turned out to be my third reminder of the day - that in six months from now the legacy of this classic film will be severely tested by an utterly pointless remake arriving in the cinemas. Most upsetting of all is that it is virtually guaranteed to make an obscene amount of money and be lauded as superior to the film it has ripped off by many and considered a harmless replica by everyone else.

While the idea that it will be superior is laughable, it is my opinion that it can never truly be considered an exact replica either. That is because there is one small but incredibly important difference between the two films – inspiration.

The film that I watched today was a case of genuine inspiration, based on things Wes Craven had actually seen and read. The concept of teenagers trying to avoid going to sleep came from an article he read about refugees that were terrified of sleeping and died when they finally did. The name Krueger came from a boy that bullied him at school. The list goes on...

On the flip side of the coin we have the remake. Has it been developed because there was something new to say? Was it produced because there was some improvement that could be made? Was there even anyone asking for the film to be remade?

No, the only reason the remake has been filmed is because someone decided it would be easier to copy a previously successful movie, right down to recreating entire scenes, than to think of anything new. With a few minor edits scattered throughout the film, of course, so that they can brag about what they have done differently.

At the end of the day, the difference is clear. It may have a bigger budget and all the benefits of modern technology to play with but the remake means nothing to anyone involved with making it other than how much money it will generate. It's just a job.

The original is a work of art.

Quotes:

Nancy : This is just a dream, this isn't real. This is just a dream, he isn't real. He isn't...  

Fred Krueger: I'm your boyfriend now, Nancy!

Spook Factor: 1 Pie

The character of Freddy Krueger gave me nightmares the first time I saw him, there can be no argument that the idea of being killed in your sleep is anything but damn scary, and the jump rope song gives me the willies every time I hear it.

Antagonist: 1 Pie

Again, this guy is the reason I went on to create this website. He is the greatest screen villain bar none; he is scary, sadistic, clever and even funny. He has a personality and a reason for doing what he is doing – and scariest of all? He's in your dreams. You can never escape.

Story: 1 Pie

The story is simple but effective, with plenty of shades of grey. A child murderer is released from prison on a technicality and killed by the neighbourhood parents. Years later, it is their children that must deal with the repercussions of these series of events when Freddy returns to exact his revenge. Simple & effective, with shades of grey.

Acting: ¾ Pie

There are some outstanding performances on display. There are a few flaws here and there but for the most part the entire cast comes together for a strong showing, with no one person worthy of mention more than the others.

Directing: 1 Pie

A film could have all the right ingredients but if there wasn't a skilled director there to bring it all together, it wouldn't work. Thankfully, Wes Craven was at the top of his game here, writing and directing one of the greatest horror films ever made.

Soundtrack: 1 Pie

I really do not understand why horror films are given such a hard time by so many when frankly some of the most talented people working today ply their craft in the horror genre, and composers are just one example. There are far more iconic soundtracks in the horror genre than any other and this is another example of one.

Special Effects: ¾ Pie

This film is a perfect example of how practical effects and camera tricks can be much more effective than computer imagery. There are one or two dodgy moments, thanks to the extremely small budget they were working with but for the most part everything seems far more real and solid than anything you see today – and that's because it was.

Gore: ¾ Pie

It may seem tame if you have previously only watched the films of today, but frankly I find the gore displayed here – such as someone being slashed while dragged across the ceiling plus the bed of blood – far more effective.

Replay, Rewatch, Rewind: 1 Pie

Anytime. Now would be a good time to say that I have lost count of how many times I've seen this, but truth be told, I was never actually counting to begin with. Let's just say that I have seen it a lot.

Pros

The Pros would have to be the script, the acting, the music, the directing, the… well, you get the idea.

Cons

The final scene is admittedly ever so slightly dodgy.

Final Word

Little remains to be said except that I stand by the miniature rant I went on in the main review above. It genuinely annoys me that this film is being remade for reasons that have nothing to do with creativity and everything to do with making as much money as possible while doing as little work as possible. I may have said it more poetically above, but frankly the remake will be a shallow cash cow while the original is fucking brilliant.

Nine, ten…