Sleep Tight: Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994)

 How did I never get around to this Meta Sequel?  Dunno.

This is Wes Craven's New Nightmare, the 1994 Film that attempted to revive the Franchise.  After 6 Films, was there anything left to do?

Well, the answer was to bring the original Director back.  Duh.

The Plot involves the Star of the Original (and third) Film playing a version of herself, alongside her fake Husband and fake Son. 
Freddy turns out to be real...sort of as Wes Craven (playing himself) writes a new Film.

Even if this didn't actually revive the Franchise, is it good?
To find out, read on...

In what is technically a Cold Open (as the Film doesn't feature proper Opening Credits), work has begun on a new Elm Street Film- this time using a remote control glove.

It attacks the three Special Effects guys, but...

It was all a dream!

Heather Langenkamp plays a fictional version of herself who doesn't want to be associated with the Films after a Stalker harasses her.

What she doesn't know is that her Husband- who was also an Effects guy IRL- is working on said Film and now has cuts on his hand like in the dream!

Her weird kid- every Horror Mom has one- says that Freddy is appearing at night and Rex, his dinosaur doll, is keeping guard.

She doesn't believe it...but then who sliced up the Dinosaur?!?

Weird things involving the kid and the phone calls make Langenkamp ask her Husband to come home early.

He does that, but starts to fall asleep along the way back and then the glove attacks him!

The Cops think that his massive stab wound is just from the accident.  Right...

The kid, meanwhile, is getting weirder and I'm getting The Ring flashbacks...but this came out years before Ringu.  It is even a year before The Ring- Kanzenban, the original TV Movie Adaptation.

So is this just based on the Book OR sheer coincidence?

The kid continues to freak out and he's clearly not sleeping.

Let's get Lin Shaye (before James Wan made her a Star again) to help him out.

Heather goes to see Wes and he explains that he's writing what he sees in his dreams.  Apparently he did that with the original...while also apparently basing it on strange cases in the U.S.

He's our Exposition Dump- well, he is the Writer- and he tells us that Freddy is just the latest form of some deep, immortal evil and only the Films being popular/relevant keep him in check.

'Who wrote this nonsense?  Oh...right.'

Like in Part 5, Freddy seems to want the kid (who is at least born this time).  Why?

Unclear.

He kills people to get to him and then keeps him alive via vague bs powers he now has.

The darker, angrier Freddy eventually gets the kid, so Heather goes into his dreams to save him.

It involves some dated special effects, a second case of Robert Englund and a killer tongue & burning the guy up in an oven...in the Dream World.

It's weird, but we're almost done!

Back in the real World, Heather than reads...the Script to her Son?!?

The End.

A Film that works on many levels- hopefully ones that you relate to.

This Film is all about Family, Motherhood and responsibility.

To be fair, Freddy has strong opinions on pregnancy- especially in teens.

In a way, this makes sense- this is the Franchise aging up with their Audience.  In the 10 years since the first Film, it is easy to imagine young people having a kid (or two).

As such, this one- based on Heather's real life- could hit close to home.

The Meta aspect of the Film is very weird and I don't know if it is for everyone.  There is also more teases of Horror than actual killings, so understand the slower pacing.

All of the things that make this Film feel so weird and interesting are the same things that make it a weird sell to many.

I'm a fan, but I see the issues.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to tell John Saxon that his Script for an Elm Street Sequel is never going to be made (and actually just sold on eBay) ...

For the sake of the joke, this was done sometime before 2020.

Next up, I turn my focus to Ghosts and their ilk.  Should I do a famous Comedy or a serious Drama?  Stay tuned...

Forgotten Sequels: A Nightmare on Elm Street 2- Freddy's Revenge

 Let's give this bastard child of the Series some love.  Can it be as bad as so many people say?

Freddy's Revenge was made a year after the last one and there were many changes made.  The original Stars weren't planned to return- yes, even Englund.  After shooting for 2 weeks with the Stunt Man (because Englund wanted an understandable pay raise), they gave him what he wanted.

The Plot involves Jesse having nightmares involving a figure trying to kill him.  He doesn't know who it is or why he's having them.  All he knows is that they started after his family moved into their new home.

As he learns the truth about Krueger, people around him start to die.  Is he the cause?

The Film is known for 2 things- 'breaking' the lore and being 'the gay one.'

Is it 'the bad one' though?  To find out, read on...

In the Intro, Jesse and some students are on the bus...when it drives off of the road and into the desert, nearly killing them before he wakes up!

What's funny is that people on IMDB once said that this was a Plot Hole...forgetting that it was a nightmare.

Jesse is having nightmares in his new home and hasn't even unpacked all of his boxes.  He wakes up screaming from every one of them.

So it really messes with him when his friend says that murders happened in their house!

He continues to have nightmares and is one night confronted by Fred(dy).  He says that he wants to take Jesse's body!

Is this different from the first Film?  Yes.
Is it different to make changes in the 2nd Film (see Halloween II making Michael her brother) than the 7th Film?  Yes.

Do I like this Plot point?  Yes.

The nightmares cause Jesse to have blackouts and he's found one night naked on the highway.

This follows after he seems to spot the Coach at a Gay Bar and then see him killed by Fred in the Showers.

He never seems to wonder why he's in the Showers in the middle of the night, I guess.

He's invited to a Pool Party by his platonic lady friend- who was allegedly cast due to looking like Meryll Streep) and they start to get busy...until he can feel himself turning into Fred(dy)!

He goes to see his male friend and, yeah, that was probably supposed to be subtext.
The Bar and S&M- not so much.

Sadly, he can't stop the change and kills his friend as Fred(dy).

This leads to the controversial climax where she tries to free Jesse from Fred(dy) and he kills a bunch of people at the Barbeque.

This fully formed Fred(dy) can affect reality in the waking world...until he's stopped by the power of love.

...and then another dream ending.  Sigh.

I don't hate this Film.  Is that a hot take?  Should it be?

The Plot is different, but I can actually see it working as an extension of the first Film.  In that one, his weakness is being pulled into the real world.  With 5 years passed on Earth (is time different in the Dream World?), is it impossible to imagine him trying a new tactic.

With a human body, he's less restricted.  If this had been followed up on, it might have been good for this Film's reputation.

The gay stuff.  The elephant in the room.  If that bothers you, fine.  Just don't use that as your excuse to dislike the Film and ignore it as part of the Franchise.

For better or worse, Freddy's Revenge takes risk, changes things up and is a unique (and enjoyable) entry in the Franchise.  I'm cool with that.

Next up, I make another dent in my DVD pile.  More Horror or Action?  Stay tuned...

Shudder Sunday: Scream Queen- My Nightmare on Elm Street (2019)

 A bit of a caveat here as between the time I watched the Film and now, it's off Shudder (for now, at least).

What happens when you get your dream come true and it ruins your life?  Hopefully you never find out, but Mark Patton did.

In 1985, Patton was a young Actor in Hollywood trying to become a Star.

He got the Lead in a Sequel to a smash Horror hit.

What could go wrong?

Everything.

As the AIDS epidemic changed everything, he had to 'be straight' to get work.
He had to watch friends/lovers die.
He had to watch a culture where Actors were blood tested before they could get on a Show/Film.

Is it any wonder why he left Hollywood?

He fled from Hollywood, being a footnote in Horror Film History and, unfortunately, being an excuse for people to dislike Elm Street 2.

Look at all of Elm Street media- comics, games, TV etc- and see which Film is never referenced or mentioned.

It's not Elm Street 3...or 4...or 5...or 6. 
You get it.

In 2010, he was interviewed for the Never Sleep Again Documentary and people suddenly realized that he was still around.

That set him off to do the Convention circuit, punctuated by a 2019 Cast Reunion.
RIP Clu Gulager.

The one person missing was the Writer, who is the focus of Mark's (understandable) indignation.

He's spent the last few Decades going from playing coy (what subtext) to blaming Casting (read: Mark) to embracing it (it was totally my intention).

So what happens when the pair finally meet for the first time since 1985?

To find out, stream the Film (just not on Shudder atm) now.

A solid Documentary that is all about History and how we should not forget it.  In an age where Trans People are the new targets, a reminder is sadly due.  Oh no-I said a political.

Mark is a good subject as he, sadly, experienced all of the highs and lows that a documentary subject has to.  In the time since, he's gotten really sick, so hopefully things are better by the time of this writing.  Help here if you can- Fundraiser by Peter Valderrama : DONATION TO HELP MARK PATTON RECIEVE MED CARE (gofundme.com)

His story is a sad one, but he makes it as happy as possible.  He's found himself.  He's found life again in Mexico.  He has become an advocate and not a punch line.  

The Film shows you an interesting side of fandom as the candid interviews that are less positive (being nice) about him are later juxtaposed with all of the people who formed a bond with him over the Film.  Whether you like him, or the Film is pretty immaterial.

If he's considered to be a Male Scream Queen, then so be it.

A good Documentary to watch in any Month, but obviously it hits harder in Pride Month.  A strong recommendation.

My Crazy Youth: The Time that Freddy Kreuger Taught Brad Pitt About... Teen Pregnancy?!?

 Since it is Robert Englund's Birthday, let's look at some Elm Street stuff.  Hell, let's do more this week- just because!

Let's begin with Freddy's Nightmares aka *deep breath* Freddy's Nightmares: A Nightmare on Elm Street- The Series.

The real nightmare is me having to write out that full Title multiple times...so I won't.

This Show featured Freddy sometimes interacting with his victims, but usually just popping up between Scenes a la The Cryptkeeper.

What about this Episode?
Let's see...

A young couple- hey look, it is Brad Pitt- run away from home because there Parents don't want them to get married.

Hit the road!

They wander around a tiny Studio Set that is lit black so you can't tell that it is a small Studio Set.

See how well it worked?

Their car breaks down and a nice couple robs them.

Is this a dream?  Dunno.
They go back and forth between them so long that I almost expect to wake up suddenly and...

Nope- still here.  Shit.

They end up at a crazy Hotel thanks to Bill Moseley.

Everything goes wrong between dream sequences and they learn that maybe they should go home.

That's a weird way to tell a lesson, but you do you, Freddy.

So we're done here, right?

Nope.  This is a 2-Part Story, instead of featuring two tales.

Now we see the Couple together in Springwood- Freddy's Town- and they have a pregnancy scare.

This leads to a bunch of Nightmare Sequences focusing on her- with Pitt popping up randomly- imagining the worst.

It's not subtle.

Her Nightmares continue until she finally wakes up in bed and checks the test.  She's not pregnant.

She jumps around on the bed to celebrate...and falls off, hitting her head and putting her in a vegetative state.

See- it's ironic, because she's a baby now...I guess.

Also Freddy didn't do that, so...huh?!?

It's a weird one, to say the least.  For folks that don't know, Pitt worked a bunch before hitting it big in the '90s.  This isn't his only Horror Film/TV appearance.  If you know the big one, you know.

The problem here is that Freddy does nothing.  Unless you assume that any Nightmare is him doing it, he's absent for the whole thing story-wise.  He does the interstitial bits- so that they could call it Freddy's Nightmares- but that's it.

Also that Title is a bit confusing thanks to lazy Grammar.  Is it the Nightmares that Freddy makes OR the Nightmares had by Freddy?  Fans want to know!

The two-part natures of this Episode is also quite odd.  They both feature the duo, but the connection is tenuous at best.  Were they from Springwood?  If so, what was the point of scaring them in Town if the first lesson was NOT TO LEAVE TOWN?!?

I still enjoyed the bits as a whole, but it definitely leaned more on the 'what is real?' schtick.  That said, there's probably a real reason to watch for many of you out there...

A weird bit of a Morality Play in a Nightmare on Elm Street tale.  It's really disjointed, but kind of fun all the same.

Impossibly-Familiar Cover Art: Charly: Days of Blood (1990)

 A barely-known Slasher Film rips off a barely-remembered Slasher Film.  That seems about right, I guess.

In 1990, Argentina made a Slasher Film called Charly: Days of Blood.

I haven't seen it (yet) and the Reviews aren't great.
The Poster, however, is pretty neat...

Nice.

Wait...what is that feeling of Deja Vu though?

Oh, I get it now...

Yep, back in 1985 a similar Poster was made from Elm Street 2.

Given the fact that the Film has gained more prominence in the last Decade, I wonder how many people know that it *inspired* a Foreign Poster like this.

You wonder why I have yet to actually a Review a Film from you, Argentina.  Get it now?

Lost in Translation?: Freddy vs. Jason

Art is subjective.

Some people love Fine Art and hate Modern Art.
Other people hate Fine Art and love Modern Art.

I think we can all agree on one piece though...

Oh Ghana- never change!

Yes, the Internet is chock full of these bizarre, hand-made Posters.

They always look weird.
They always look silly.

I will say that this one is at least close to the Plot and gives us a new, silly subtitle- The War of Doom!

Hmm...sounds more like a Marvel Comics thing.

Lost in Translation?: A Nightmare on Elm Street 2- Freddy's Revenge

A brand new Month and a chance to highlight a Film that took a Franchise in a new direction.

It wasn't well-received and got all but ignored.  Before that, however, it got a kick-ass Poster from Japan...

Damn!

This is one bad-ass Poster, giving you a hint at the Plot while also being freaky.  All of the color!

As always...

I mostly just enhanced the Color and Contrast.  If you notice though, I did specifically color in the dark reflection, while not doing as much on the actual people.

Hold your applause.

Lost in Translation: A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child

Kids.

We all hate them.

To see why, just watch this Film.  That or just see the strange Poster that Japan used to market it...

...um, okay.

I mean, the Series was practically 'jumping the shark' by this point- I mean, Super Freddy!-, so why not be this silly and random.

And now, the original version...

A subtle change, but I think that it is for the better.

Lost in Translation: A Nightmare on Elm Street

Another Asian Poster that just sure delights.  For whatever reason, they like the weird, collage-style format.  Let's see how it works with a Horror Classic...

Weird!

It looks like this Film takes place on QuestWorld ('90s shout-out!) and is full of bright, vibrant neon.

I do like the 3-D effect it gives off, even if the Film is 2-D.

As always, the original...

You don't always have to do anything massive when it is this crazy.  Even so, I think my improvements are good.

Sleep Tight: A Nightmare on Elm Street 5- The Dream Child

Another Nightmare that I woke up from.  

Today's Film is A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child, the 1989 Sequel that exists somewhere in a limbo.  

It isn't as well-liked as Part 1 or Part 3, but nor is it as polarizing at Part 6 or Freddy vs Jason.  Just like The Dream Master, this one is remembered, but not as much as the rest.  

This time, Freddy is back for more killings, but also more subtext about growing up and maturing.  The theory is that the Film was aimed to a slightly older audience, figuring that the fans of the Original were getting to the 'thinking of having kids' phase that many go through.  

This was the least financially successful Film in the Series, so you be the judge.  

The whole thing feels similar in a bad way (it is Part FIVE), but also different in a confusing way.  Will this work better with less actual killings?  

To note, we actually get returning Actors in the Lead Roles this time- hurray!  We also brought a couple of odd Retcons too- yes hurray.  

To find out if this mostly-ignored Chapter (save for leading to one of the Comics) is good or bad, read on...

In spite of some weird dreams (that try to fill in Freddy's backstory), Alice is convinced that everything is alright.

This doesn't last long as she ends up in a dream (memory?) that involves Freddy being born as an It's Alive baby, crawling to his remains from Part 4 and comes back to life...somehow.

Look- it is better than a dream dog peeing fire on his dream body, so...improvement?

This time, Freddy can attack people in their dreams, but also channeling Alice somehow.  

This leads to her boyfriend being turned into some weird mix of Ghost Rider and Hardware.

Does she want the good news or the bad news?

The good news- she's Pregnant.
The bad news- Freddy is using her unborn fetus to channel his power...or something.

This kid appears at the Hospital, but nobody but Alice sees him.  

No, it is NOT the same Evil Kid Actor from Children of the Corn III.  I double checked.

Gee- I wonder who he is?

Now he's the odd thing: this one actually gives you more teases of kills than ever.  

While the one girl dies famously by choking on food via Freddy, Alice's friend here escapes her fate.

This leads to the Film Series' original Shark-Jumping moment: Super Freddy.

Some context- the one guy loves and draws Comics, so he's killed by a 'Super Villain' in his dreams.  

That...is still dumb.

Oh and the Retcons I talked about?  Well, Freddy now fears his Mother's spirit...who now shows up as her younger self (contradicting Part 3) and her body needs to be freed from the Asylum to come back...even though...

a) She freely appeared and helped Dr. Gordon in Part 3.
b) She was shown to be buried in the Cemetery (also in Part 3).

After a whole Film's worth of build-up, she is released and...tells Alice's unborn kid to beat Freddy.

Oh, alright then.  Now dead for reals, Freddy...is teased with returning in the Film's last shot...again.

Getting kind of stale, unfortunately.  

While I'm not as in love with Part 3 as most, it was a solid entry.   Part 4 was a bit shaky with the Recasting, odd Story bits and generally feeling of malaise.  That is not helped with this one, even if there is no Recasting.  

Freddy still kills people with continually-more-silly Dream Scenarios.  

Teens run around and die.  

Freddy dies, but you know that he'll be back.  

Not counting the weird detour that the much-maligned Part 2 took, the Films have all been this way.  They do mix things up here with the new stuff involving the fetus, but it is super-bizarre.  Freddy has escaped dreams to exist physically in Alice's body?  He's channeling his power through her unborn child, since it 'dreams.'  A Doctor actually tells someone that a fetus dreams?  

On top of that, the aforementioned Retcons/inconsistencies.  It just feels weird that this is a direct Sequel, but now I'm being told something different.  

I also have to wonder what happened to Dr. Gordon, although he was absent from the last Film too.  

How does nobody remember all of the mysterious deaths that happened in the last 2 Films?  This one has some good moments, some especially ridiculous ones (Super Freddy!) and some just plain strange ones.  

A mixed bag overall- not good enough to keep this one going for much longer though.  

On the plus side, this M.C. Esher bit is neat.  

On the negative side, they kind of borrowed it from Labyrinth (made 3 years earlier)...

Next up, I dig through my own collection for some content.  Considering all the random crap I bought recently, who knows what will come next.  Stay tuned...