One of the most frequent questions I am always asked being the host of the greatest movie podcast ever (opinions may vary) is “What’s your favorite movie?” That answer has been the same since I was 11 years old. But it also isn’t as easy to explain why I love some movies more than others.
As an art form, movies are by their nature interpretative. Some people will point to a film’s box office total as a barometer for a film’s quality, this might not be true again because although it might be popular to the masses it might not appeal to you. I am looking at you Avatar, which is not one of my favorite films, not by a longshot.
Also, if the film wins an Academy Award for Best Picture, that hardly means it’s one of my favorite films, looking at you The English Patient, in fact I hardly agree with the Academy. Having said that, I am sure that some people love Avatar and The English Patient. And that’s what makes movies so great.
I, also am not a professional critic. I love film. I try and find merit in all film. As a host of a podcast that attempts to give every movie a chance, I believe that is the best way to approach movies, let the lights go out and try and enjoy yourself. You might find a “diamond in the rough.”
When thinking of my favorite movies to share with you, my loyal listeners, I thought 100 wasn’t going to be enough. So, I am proud to present my 150 Favorite Films, right now. These will change, I know they will.
See you at the movies!
***Spoilers Ahead!***
123. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) Directed by Wes Craven
The Movie: Tina Gray (Amanda Wyss) is attacked in her dreams by a man (Robert Englund) that has blades on a glove. The attack happens in a darkened boiler room. Somehow, Tina’s nightgown has been slashed. How can this be if it happened in her dream?
Tina tells her friend Nancy Thompson (Heather Langenkamp) and Nancy’s boyfriend Glen (Johnny Depp). Nancy and Glen tell Tina that they will stay at her house while her mother is out of town. Tina learns that Nancy is also having the same dream of the man, wearing a hat, disfigured and blades on his hand.
At the Tina’s house, her boyfriend Rod Lane (Jsu Garcia) decides to stay the night as well. That night Tina is attacked by the man again. She starts to thrash in her sleep, waking Rod up. Rod is terrified when Tina’s sleeping body is picked up and slashed, killing her in a violent and bloody attack. Rod flees and Nancy and Glen find her lifeless body.
Rod is arrested the next day by Don Thompson (John Thompson) a Lieutenant at the police department. Nancy meanwhile is at school, where she falls asleep, and once again is attacked by the disfigured man. Nancy sensing that she is asleep, burns herself, waking her up. Nancy notices the burn mark on her arm, understanding she can be hurt in the nightmares she has about the disfigured man.
Nancy visits Rod in jail. When Rod explains his nightmares and what happened to Tina, Nancy is convinced that the disfigured man is attacking all of them in their sleep. Nancy believes that the disfigured man is responsible for Tina’s death not Rod.
Nancy returns home, only to fall asleep in the bathtub. The ominous glove appears from the depths, attacking Nancy. Nancy escapes death but asks Glen to stay with her when she falls asleep and keep her safe. Glen agrees but he too falls asleep. In her nightmare, Nancy sees the disfigured man about to kill Rod in his jail cell. Interrupted, the man goes after Nancy. Nancy is woken by her alarm clock. Rod is not so lucky, he is killed by hanging, looking like a suicide.
Sensing that her daughter is in trouble, Nancy’s mother Marge (Ronee Blakley) takes her to a sleep disorder clinic. There she has another nightmare, during a fight with the ma, she pulls off his fedora, wakes up and is shocked to learn that she pulled the fedora into the real world. Written in the fedora is the name “Fred Krueger”.
Marge confesses to Nancy that Krueger was a child murderer who escaped prosecution on a technicality and the parents of Springwood took matters into their own hands. They cornered Krueger and burned him alive. Nancy now knows that Krueger is after her and her friends by him as revenge.
Nancy attempts to warn Glen; however, his parents will not allow her to speak with him. That night, Glen falls asleep and is killed by Krueger.
Nancy realizes that the only way to kill Krueger is to bring him into her world. Nancy tells her father to break into her home and wake her up in twenty minutes. Nancy sets booby traps around her house and goes to sleep.
Nancy grabs Krueger and pulls him into the real world. Krueger chases Nancy and falls victim to her traps. Nancy lights Krueger on fire and locks him into the basement. The police rush into Nancy’s home, and go upstairs and find Krueger, on fire smothering Marge on her bed. They both disappear into the bed after the fire is put out. Krueger, is not finished as he rises from the bed and lunges at Nancy. Nancy realizes that fear gives Krueger his powers, she simply turns her back. Krueger vanishes, unable to inflict damage onto Nancy.
The next morning Nancy leaves her home, and goes to Glen’s car, all of her friends are now alive. But everything is not what it seems. The top of Glen’s convertible closes, revealing the colors of Krueger’s sweater. The car tears off down the street. Children are playing jump rope in the front yard singing Krueger’s nursery rhyme, “One, two, Freddy’s coming for you…” Marge who is also alive is pulled through the door window by Kreuger…
Why I Love A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984): The slasher craze was slowly winding down in 1984. After being the most popular subgenre of horror thanks to Friday the 13th and Halloween, it seemed that the formula was getting stale. And with no boogeymen as terrifying as Jason Voorhees or Michael Myers was unleashed to the movie going crowd, most were as undistinguishable as the lifeless bodies of Jason’s exploits.
In comes Wes Cravens sinister A Nightmare on Elm Street and an awesome new villain in Freddy Krueger. It is refreshing in revisiting this film how scary Krueger is. Robert Englund delivers an all-time performance that is menacing and full of glee for the macabre. Kreuger would slowly devolve into a court jester, spewing of “funny” one-liners and it would take Craven returning 10 years later and Wes Craven’s New Nightmare for Freddy to regain his past glory. And truth be told, I really only like a couple of the films in the series, but when they are working they are great entertainment.
Heather Langenkamp gives Nancy the smarts and the toughness we want from a “Final Girl”. Her determination to end Kreuger’s reign of terror makes her easy to root for. The special effects are first rate. Freddy’s makeup is bone-chillingly memorable. But perhaps the most memorable sequence is Glen’s death. Johnny Depp’s first movie is highlighted by a geyser of blood that emanates from his waterbed after Freddy pulls him into his nightmare.
A Nightmare on Elm Street succeeds by tapping into our fear of not being in control of our dreams. But further cements its legacy by giving birth to one of films greatest villains in Freddy Krueger.