Wes Craven’s iconic supernatural 80s slasher A Nightmare on Elm Street is finally getting a 4K release Blu-ray release. The release is part of an Ultimate Collectors Edition celebrating the horror film’s 40th anniversary. While the restoration is the product’s main selling point, the collection comes with numerous special features and physical goodies.
A Nightmare on Elm Street
Released in 1984, A Nightmare on Elm Street is one of the most beloved films in the 80s slasher boom, which is why this historic 4K release warrants so much celebration.
Written and directed by Wes Craven, it follows a group of teenagers tormented in their dreams by Freddy Krueger. The vengeful spirit of a child murderer, Freddy infiltrates the dreams of his victims and kills them in ways that utilize dream logic, making them wonderfully unique.
A Straightforward Horror Film
A Nightmare on Elm Street is notable for its darkly comical antagonist, which sets the film apart from silent slashers like Friday the 13th’s Jason Vorhees and Halloween’s Micahel Myers.
While later films in the franchise would lean even more heavily into comedic moments, the original film is a straightforward horror film, and Freddy’s gleeful quips only make him scarier.
With his iconic quips and surreal kills, sure to be even more glorious in 4K, it’s easy to see why Freddy Krugger has become one of the most popular slashers of all time.
Spawned A Franchise
Like other 80s slasher films, A Nightmare on Elm Street spawned a multi-film franchise. The franchise includes five direct sequels, a standalone spin-off, a Friday the 13th crossover movie, and a poorly received reboot. Hopefully, this restoration of the original means more 4K releases are in the works for the franchise.
A Nightmare on Elm Street Ultimate Collectors Edition includes a Blu-ray copy of the movie restored in Ultra HD 4K and other physical collectibles. In addition to the Blu-ray, it includes a double-sided movie poster, art cards, and a booklet. It’s worth noting that the product is being released in the UK, though the Blu-ray included will be region-free.
Special Features
The 4K Blu-ray of A Nightmare on Elm Street includes numerous special features, making it a must-have for Freddy Krueger super-fans.
Three different bonus tracks will be included: two commentary tracks from different creators involved in the film and an interactive trivia track. The other bonus features are alternative takes, behind-the-scenes information, alternate endings, and three featurettes about the making of the film.
Johnny Depp Debut
A Nightmare on Elm Street has an amazing cast of horror icons, many of whom can be heard on the 4K release’s commentary tracks. In addition to Johny Depp in his film debut, the cast includes horror royalty like Heather Langenkamp, John Saxon, and Amanda Wyss.
But of course, the film’s most important actor is Robert Englund as Freddy Krueger in his career-defining role.
A Nightmare on Elm Street In 4K
The 4K release of A Nightmare on Elm Street comes out on December 31, 2024. Preorders for the Ulitmate Collectors Edition are already available on Amazon, but only through the UK version of the site. Hopefully, a US release is forthcoming, but at least one of the greatest horror movies ever made is finally getting the restoration it deserves.
