Product Details

• Actors: Robert Englund, Johnny Depp, Patricia Arquette, Mark Patton, Kim Myers
• Directors: Wes Craven
• Format: Box set, Color, NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Studio: New Line Home Video
• DVD Release Date: October 14, 2008
• Run Time: 374 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (56 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001DJLD1W
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,116 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

In the trinity of modern horror films, there's the father (Michael Myers of Halloween), the son (Jason of Friday the13th fame, a knockoff), and the unholy spirit, Freddy Krueger of the Nightmare on Elm Street films. The spectral man who haunted the nightmares of unsuspecting teenagers with deadly consequences, Freddy (as played by Robert Englund) was a truly frightening bogeyman and icon for the '80s. Unlike the hockey-masked Jason, who dispatched horny teenagers with mechanical and monotonous ease (he never talked, never took off his mask), Freddy was a truly creative and diabolical villain, with a sadistic and blackly funny personality. The hallmarks of the Nightmare on Elm Street series were imaginatively gruesome suspense pieces, set in the overactive imaginations of the teen victims. The first film of the series, Wes Craven's truly intelligent and scary film, was so hugely successful it begat not one, not two, but six more sequels, each pretty much diluting the originality and horror of its predecesor. (Horror fans will fondly remember Drew Barrymore's assertion in Scream that the first Nightmare film was great but all the rest sucked.) Still, there's fun to be had in the remaining films in the series, seeing as a number of aspiring filmmakers cut their teeth on the continuing saga of Freddy. Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption) and Chuck Russell (The Mask) worked on the third installment, Dream Warriors (starring a young Patricia Arquette), and Renny Harlin (Die Hard 2) came to prominence with the ingeniously macabre fourth film, The Dream Master, coscripted by Brian Helgeland (L.A. Confidential). Craven and original star Heather Langenkamp did return for the last film, New Nightmare, which presaged the tongue-in-cheek postmodernism of the Scream films and resharpened Freddy's ability to scare. --Mark Englehart

Product Description

Titles include: A Nightmare On Elmstreet, A Nightmare On Elmstreet 2: Freddy's Revenge, A Nightmare On Elmstreet 3: Dream Warriors, A Nightmare On Elmstreet 4: The Dream Master

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 48 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A tradeoff: you save space but lose packaging November 8, 2008

By Alex Faber

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is more of a review for the packaging than the movies, 'cause if you're here, you should know the drill on the movies. This set includes the classic first one and the so-bad-it's-good follow-up, as well as "Dream Warriors," which reinvigorated the series, and its lesser companion, "Dream Master." As Sean L. already stated, the first movie is the standard 1-disc edition, not the Infinifilm edition (A Nightmare on Elm Street (Infinifilm Edition)).

Combining these four movies as part of Warner Bros's "4 Film Favorites" series is a novel idea (and the second half of the series is available as a second "4 Film Favorites" set here: A Nightmare on Elm Street 5-8: 4 Film Favorites). All four movies feature the exact same transfer, menus, and features as the individual releases, but in a 2-disc standard-size plastic DVD case, meaning that this set takes up 75% less room than the individual releases.

However, what you save in space, you lose in packaging. As with all of Warner's "4 Film Favorites," there is no internal artwork, such as a chapter insert, and even the two discs themselves feature no artwork, as they're flipper discs, with 1 movie on each side of each disc. Because of this, the discs themselves look plain and are more prone to fingerprints and scratching.

So, do you care about space or about having the complete artwork for each movie? Personally, I'm a big fan of this "4 Film Favorites" series: I get to have all 7 Nightmare movies (and "Freddy Vs.... Jason") in 2 regular-size DVD cases, and the movies themselves have the exact same quality and content as the individual single-disc releases. However, if you can't stand flipper discs, or if you're a collector and care about each movie (and want the 2-disc editions of "A Nightmare on Elm Street" and Freddy vs. Jason (New Line Platinum Series)), then bypass this one. Read more ›

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Four nightmares at a great price May 22, 2011

By Tommy Sixx Morais

Format:DVD

These four film favorites pack are an excellent value for fans who want to own all the movies and buy them at a reasonable price. $10.99 for four movies is a very good deal, especially when you consider that a single individual Nightmare On Elm Street film is almost the same price as this four-in-one DVD. Put it this way, this is a cost-effective way of watching and owning the first four films in the Nightmare On Elm Street series, however you lose packaging (you could also buy the Nightmare On Elm Street collection, a complete series box set with individual discs if you're a more serious collector). Unless you really wish to own each film separately, this may be the best way to own all the Freddy movies. This four pack has two flipper discs DVDs with A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984) and Freddy's Revenge (1985) both on disc one, and Dream Warriors (1987) and Dream Master (1988) are together on disc two. To me the best Freddy remains the original but Dream Warriors is an excellent sequel and I like Dream Master as well. I'm not a huge fan of Freddy's Revenge and consider it one of the worst Nightmares but with this four film favorites DVD collection, I still own them all for a reasonable price.

A second "Four Film Favorites" is also available which include Freddy 5-8 : Dream Child (1989), Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare, Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994) and Freddy vs. Jason (2003). However, these are the lesser Freddy movies, the ones that are a bit more cheesy, too funny and over the top. Fans usually don't like all the sequels and 5-8 are the ones that aren't remembered too fondly. I say for the value this is an excellent deal, four Nightmares film for this low price is convenient for a movie fan and collector like me.... If you don't care about packaging and the flipper discs and just wish to save money, go ahead by all means. It's pretty obvious that some of the Nightmare films are better than others but we're not rating them individually, therefore collectively and with the cheap price this collection is deserving of a five for including what I consider the best Nightmare On Elm Street films. 5/5. Read more ›

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Some of the best Nightmares for nothing May 6, 2009

By New York Horror Reader

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

If you want awesome packaging, detailed liner notes, or any of the bells and whistles you wont find it here. If you want the first four, and some of the best Nightmare movies made for a very low price, than look no further. A great little collection for any horror fan.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Freddy's Greatest Hits October 16, 2010

By Wicked_Smaht

Format:DVD

If you're a fan of the Nightmare series and you're looking to own the movies on-the-cheap these 4-packs are really the way to go (the remaining Nightmare sequels are available on another 4-pack). The transfers are crisp and the sound quality is well-done for an on-the-cheap collection. There isn't a truckload of special features, but you're really not missing much unless you are a hardcore fan of the series. As for the movies themselves, whether you like this collection or the other collection really depends on which version of Freddy you enjoy - scary Freddy or wisecracking Freddy. For fans of the former, this is your collection. For fans of the latter, get the other collection. As for the films released in this collection, we start off with the original:

A Nightmare on Elm Street - Usually considered the best of the series, the original film treats the material with a seriousness usually lacking in subsequent visits and the film benefits greatly from that treatment. The film is filled with imagery and symbolism almost to the point where you feel like Wes Craven is trying to make more of an art film rather than a things-that-go-bump-in-the-night slasher film. To some that's a plus and to others that's a detrement, but there is something about the original that captures the imagination (of course, tapping into the universal fear of going to sleep and never waking up certainly helps.) Does the film hold up as well now as it did when it was released? Not necessarily. Craven has always had the ability to direct really terrifying sequences, but then surround them with the silliest dialogue/padding you're likely to see. However, in his defense, the silly parts exist solely to get you to like and/or care about the teenage leads (something the sequels did with less and less frequency....) The death of Tina still manages to shock and amaze and it truly is one of the more frightening sequences on film, but outside of the amazing nightmare/death sequences, Craven serves up a lot of mumbo jumbo about the power of dreams and the strength of fear. Unfortunately, as high-concept as his basic plotline is, it sort of falls apart near the end as the audience is expected to accept a rather ridiculous conclusion, which essentially contradicts the ending. If you're a subscriber to the theory that the whole film is one big long nightmare, then the ending is acceptable, but still a cop out. Be that as it may, the film still gets high marks for its exploration of the concept, its surreal imagery and its brutal death sequences.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge - Okay, here's where the Nightmare fans get divided. Although the majority takes the stance that this film sucks, it's really not as bad as you're led to believe. It's the last film in the series to treat Freddy seriously (that is, until Craven returns for New Nightmare) and it still tries for scares instead of chuckles. The basic plot of the film doesn't really hold water (Freddy's abilities and limitations seem to change from film to film, which usually results in one film contradicting another), but it essentially revolves around Freddy's attempt to possess a young teenager in order to carry out his brutal killings in the real world without the aid of dreams. Once again, there's some fantastic nightmare sequences (particularly the opening sequence with the bus) and a well-done transformation sequence which is surely the film's centerpiece, but the real star here is the entrance of make-up maestro Kevin Yeagher, who redesigns the Freddy make-up and makes Freddy look the most terrifying he will ever look throughout any of the films. Another bonus is Christopher Young's score to the film, which is probably the best of the series (sorry, Charles Bernstein - with the exception of your main theme, Young did it better.) Much has been made in later years about the film's supposed homoerotic subtext, but it depends on who you listen to (the writer insists it was intentional from the get-go, Robert Englund and Jack Sholder claim they were unaware of it at the time.) Despite its flaws, the film really isn't as bad as people claim and it's a hell of a lot better than some of the later sequels. Bottom line: it's still worth a look and, as the underdog of the series, it deserves a little more respect than it normally gets.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors - This is the one that introduces wisecracking Freddy, love it or hate it. Most fans cite this sequel as the 2nd best film in the series, but it does devolve into Velveeta land every now and again. Craven came back for this sequel, but only in a story capacity. Langenkamp returns as Nancy from the first film and we see a few familiar actors recruited for this adventure (Patricia Arquette, Larry Fishburne, John Saxon). The plot revolves around the last of the Elm St. children and their attempted suicides and problems involving dreams of the same psychotic monster (guess who?). Here they all are in a mental institution wherein they bond over their mutual restless nights. One survivor holds the ability to pull people into her dreams and, as such, may hold the key to destroy Freddy once and for all. In what was becoming a hallmark of the series, the effects and nightmare sequences are once again top-notch and the storyline finally sheds a little more background on our charred-face monster (once again, made up by Yeagher. Why do I keep mentioning him? Because it's important when you get to the other films and Freddy goes from looking organic to rubber-faced when other make-up artists tackle his visage.) Fans seem to respond to this entry because it moves at a quick pace and, for the first time, it seems like the kids might actually have a chance to stop Freddy once and for all with their various dream powers (though some are pretty laughable and completely dated. In example, "In my dreams, I'm beautiful... and bad!" If you know the scene, then you probably just laughed reading that.) This film even has a stop-motion fight sequence that would make Ray Harryhausen proud, though the script does suffer from some lapses in logic. There also seems to be the need for each of these films to continually have the most clueless adults on the planet, with each sequel presenting worse and worse totally oblivious adults - remember Nancy's dad from the original who didn't believe her? How about Jesse's dad from the last film who thought his son just needed some discipline? Now we have a female doctor who thinks these kids' nightmares are a result of the guilt they feel over sex, drugs and rock n' roll...) Despite these momentary lapses, it is fun to note the talent that exists behind the scenes - notice Frank Darabont (the writer/director of The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, The Majestic and The Mist) who co-wrote the script or what about director Chuck Russell (who would go on to helm The Blob, Jim Carrey's The Mask and Arnold Schwarzenegger's Eraser)? It seems as though the Nightmare series has always been able to attract some top-tier future talent in its earlier days and the results show in this entry. Is it worth a look? Most definitely - if you want to know where wisecracking Freddy started and you want to rock out to a ridiculous Dokken song.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master - Freddy's back, Yeagher's back, some of the cast from Nightmare 3 is back and we have some more talent behind the camera - this time in the form of Renny Harlin as director (Harlin directed Die Hard 2, Cliffhanger, the much-maligned Cutthroat Island as well as others). This film essentially picks up where 3 left off with probably the most inconceivable method of resurrection ever seen (flaming dog urine?) The set-up doesn't make much sense other than to get Freddy back to killing mode and he makes quick work of the survivors from Nightmare 3. However, there's a new player in town and her name is Alice. She somehow has the ability to control her dreams and is also able to "absorb" the essences of her friends that Freddy has killed. Thus, when it comes down to the big battle, she has the strength and abilities of all her friends - making her a match for our resident dream-stalker. This installment boasts the usual imagination and ingenuity in the nightmare sequences (with the Roach Motel sequence itself being a particular standout of the series as a whole.) The pace of the film is fairly kinetic (a result of Harlin, to be sure. His other films are generally paced the same way) and it results in a quick, enjoyable film experience. There's some silly 80's style montages as well as some ridiculous overacting on the part of the kids in this entry, but it's worth noting that this is probably the last enjoyable entry until Craven returns for the 7th installment. There's also some mumbo jumbo about gatekeepers of dreams that would make Craven proud in this entry, but overall, it's a solid investment on your 1 hour and 30 minute viewing time.

Bottom line: All of these films are worthy entries into the series and highlight an incredible amount of creativity from the special effects and make-up houses used to execute all of these films' various effects. In fact, for as cheaply as these movies are made, none of these entries ever manage to look cheap. Sure, some effects may seem outdated in today's modern times, but keeping in mind, they were high-tech at the time of release, you can see there was a lot of time, effort and money put into them. Don't let that be the only reason you decide to watch these movies - there are some genuinely creepy parts and there are some fantastic ideas floating around in these stories. If anything, this set is worth it to see the birth of one of the twentieth century's most notorious horror icons. See where it all began and, if you're a fan, we'll see you for the next collection. Pleasant dreams! Read more ›