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S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

 

directed by Wes Craven
USA 1984

 

Product Description:
"1, 2, Freddy’s coming for you." And here he is, phantom fiend Freddy Krueger in all his razor-fingered infamy. Wes Craven (Scream movies) directs this trendsetting first in the slash-hit series. The premise is simple: Freddy (Robert Englund) homicidally haunts the sleep of Elm Street teens. The results are terrifying and mind-blowingly innovative. There’s another film debut too: Johnny Depp. He plays the ready steady of the hottie mcsmarty (Heather Langenkamp) who figures a clever way to flambé the fiend. But ever-say-die Freddy will be 3, 4 back for more…even returning to the screen in a killer 2010 remake of this diabolical original. Sweet dreams!

***

A Nightmare on Elm Street is the first installment in the dragged-on Nightmare series. A few characters are introduced and then, often, hacked to bits. The plot involves former Child Molester Fred Krueger, previously killed (burned to death) by neighborhood children's parents. He returns in their dreams killing off more kids in individual, gruesome, fashion. The appeals to those keen on these particular “slash thriller” movies. Personally I prefer the more “traditional” and refined horror cinema of the black and white variety. This, however, does have some notable merit.

Gary W. Tooze

Poster

 

Theatrical Release: 16 November, 1984

Reviews      More Reviews       DVD Reviews

Comparison:

New Line - Region 1 - NTSC vs. TF1 Vidéo (Edition Prestige) - Region 2 - PAL vs. New Line - Region FREE - Blu-ray

Big thanks to Vincent BOUCHÉ for all the DVD Screen Caps!

(New Line - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT vs. TF1 Vidéo (Edition Prestige) - Region 2 - PAL MIDDLE vs. New Line - Region FREE - Blu-ray - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers

Distribution

New Line

Region 1 - NTSC

TF1 Vidéo
Region 2 - PAL

New Line

Region FREE - Blu-ray

Runtime 1:31:19 1:27:29 (4% PAL speedup) 1:31:14.302
Video

Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 5.97 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 5.21 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

Disc Size: 39,064,533,121 bytes

Feature Size: 24,865,253,376 bytes

Average Bitrate: 27.58 Mbps

Dual-layered Blu-ray VC-1 Video 1080P

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate:

New Line

 

Bitrate:

TF1 Vidéo (Edition Prestige)

 

Bitrate:

 

Blu-ray

 

Audio English DD1.0 and DD5.1

English DD5.1, French DD1.0 and DD5.1

DTS-HD Master Audio English 5221 kbps 7.1 / 48 kHz / 5221 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -4dB / Dolby Surround
Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -4dB / Dolby Surround
Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -4dB
Dolby Digital Audio French 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -4dB
Dolby Digital Audio German 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -4dB
Dolby Digital Audio Italian 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -4dB
Subtitles English, None English, French, None English (SDH), English, Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Italian, Spanish, None
Features Release Information:
Studio: New Line

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic -
 1.85:1

Edition Details:
• Audio commentary by Wes Craven, Jacques Haitkin, Heather Langenkamp and John Saxon
• Filmographies
• Jump to a Nightmare - Direct scene access
• Credits
• Note : Missing extras are present on the bonus disc of The Nightmare on Elm Street Collection

DVD Release Date: February 8, 2005
Snap Case

Chapters 25

Release Information:
Studio: TF1 Vidéo

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.85:1

Edition Details:
• Audio commentary by Wes Craven, Jacques Haitkin, Heather Langenkamp and John Saxon
• Filmographies
• Jump to a Nightmare - Direct scene access
• Theatrical Trailer
• Prime Time - documentary
• Making the Glove - featurette
• The Revolving Room - featurette

 

DVD Release Date: October 17, 2002
Digipack

Chapters 25

Release Information:
Studio: New Line

 

Disc Size: 39,064,533,121 bytes

Feature Size: 24,865,253,376 bytes

Average Bitrate: 27.58 Mbps

Dual-layered Blu-ray VC-1 Video 1080P

 

Edition Details:
• Ready Freddy Focus Points: See alternate takes and learn filmmaking secrets behind the nightmare by jumping to video highlights while watching the movie

Two commentary tracks: (1) Director Wes Craven, co-stars Heather Langenkamp and John Saxon, and cinematographer Jacques Haitkin, (2) Wes Craven, co-stars Robert Englund, Heather Langenkamp and Ronee Blakley, producer Robert Shaye, and co-producer Sara Risher
• Three alternate endings (4:59)
• Three featurettes: The House That Freddy Built: The Legacy of New Line Horror (22:47), Never Sleep Again: The Making of A Nightmare on Elm Street (49:55), Night Terrors: The Origins of Wes Craven’s Nightmares (15:58)

Blu-ray Release Date: April 6th, 2010
Standard Blu-ray Case

Chapters 25

 

 

Comments

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: New Line - Region FREE Blu-ray - March 2010: I suppose this is one of the titles that can take credit for ushering in a new (and successful) series of teen slasher flicks. This first entry is relatively tame compared to what it eventually evolves to - and that, in my opinion, actually makes it even 'better'. There are positives with the film beyond the debut of a youthful Johnny Depp (yes, that's him in the second last capture below).

Colors take a dramatic shift at times - and I can't be 100% positive that it is not some digital manipulation on the part of New Line (at times it looks like it) or simply more accurate to the source. Hues do look a little enhanced to me but, frankly, in the case of this film I don't find it important enough to quibble over. There is an abundance of stronger 'greens' in this image. Detail rises to the occasion - the overall appearance is brighter and, certainly, sharper. Yes, I'd say it look significant enough on the dual-layered, progressively transferred disc. Fans of the film should be content and occasionally impressed with the visuals.

Audio gets a monster (pardon the pun) upgrade in a robust DTS-HD Master 7.1 at a whopping 5221 kbps (wow). Technically it sounds better than it is but this is still a decent mix considering the DVD. Sound effects in horror films can be half the battle for filmmakers and this war is won handily on this front. Snippets and subtleties work well with the script and it generates it's intended emotional response with zeal. An untested 2.0 channel original mono is also present and there are three foreign language DUBs and plenty of subtitle options supporting the transfer as my Momitsu has identified it as being a region FREE disc playable on Blu-ray machines worldwide.

Extras run the gamut from a new "Ready Freddy Focus Points" functionality allowing one to see alternate takes and learn filmmaking secrets behind the nightmare by jumping to video highlights while watching the movie, plus two (count'em 2!) commentary tracks: the first as heard on the compared DVDs with Director Wes Craven, co-stars Heather Langenkamp and John Saxon, and cinematographer Jacques Haitkin, the second has Wes Craven and Langenkamp again this time with co-star Robert Englund and Ronee Blakley, producer Robert Shaye, and co-producer Sara Risher. The second is more production oriented with the first having more appeal for the grassroots fans. We get the 5-minutes worth of 3 alternate endings and three featurettes: The House That Freddy Built: The Legacy of New Line Horror (22:47), Never Sleep Again: The Making of A Nightmare on Elm Street (49:55), Night Terrors: The Origins of Wes Craven’s Nightmares (15:58) - covering almost 1.5 hours in total. Annoyingly the features pepper lengthy intros into selling more New Line horror discs. Thumbs down for that but the supplements seem unrivaled for A Nightmare on Elm Street. Fans won't be left wanting if they venture into this area.

If the video has been under the colorist knife - so be it - the improved detail, exuberant audio and lengthy extras make the $16 purchase price worthwhile even for those with a passing interested in this seminal horror. I enjoyed my viewing better than ever before and the film has now found a place in my library. Recommended!

****

ON THE DVDs: Bitrate spikes and valleys are as good as identical as is the image quality to my eye. You can see the difference in subtitles below. The French edition has some extras that are only present on the bonus disc of the "Nightmare Boxset". Image quality is a little hazy, but not overly poor. Differences include that the NTSC has an option for the original mono, both have the 5.1 bump. Ohh... and the menu are different. I prefer the NTSC's personally.

 -Gary Tooze

 



DVD Menus

(New Line - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT vs. TF1 Vidéo (Edition Prestige) - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)


 

 

 

New Line - Region FREE - Blu-ray

 


 

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

Screen Captures

 

1) New Line - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP

2) TF1 Vidéo (Edition Prestige) - Region 2 - PAL - MIDDLE

3) New Line - Region FREE - Blu-ray - TOP

Subtitle sample NOT EXACT FRAME!

 


1) New Line - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP

2) TF1 Vidéo (Edition Prestige) - Region 2 - PAL - MIDDLE

3) New Line - Region FREE - Blu-ray - TOP

 

 


1) New Line - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP

2) TF1 Vidéo (Edition Prestige) - Region 2 - PAL - MIDDLE

3) New Line - Region FREE - Blu-ray - TOP

 

 


1) New Line - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP

2) TF1 Vidéo (Edition Prestige) - Region 2 - PAL - MIDDLE

3) New Line - Region FREE - Blu-ray - TOP

 

 


1) New Line - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP

2) TF1 Vidéo (Edition Prestige) - Region 2 - PAL - MIDDLE

3) New Line - Region FREE - Blu-ray - TOP

 

 


1) New Line - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP

2) TF1 Vidéo (Edition Prestige) - Region 2 - PAL - MIDDLE

3) New Line - Region FREE - Blu-ray - TOP

 

More Blu-ray captures

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Report Card:

 

Image:

Blu-ray

Sound:

Blu-ray

Extras: Blu-ray

 

DVD Box Covers

Distribution

New Line

Region 1 - NTSC

TF1 Vidéo
Region 2 - PAL

New Line

Region FREE - Blu-ray


 


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Gary Tooze

Mississauga, Ontario,

   CANADA

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