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Infini-Freddy
The original “A Nightmare on Elm Street” returns on a special edition DVD –
and this time, it’s got Infini-Film.A DVD Review
by
Carlos R Savournin
I’m not going to tell you what the movie’s about or who stars in it because if you don’t know, there’s no reason for you to be reading this article. What we’re going to talk about here is the newly released special edition DVD of Wes Craven’s original scare-fest, A Nightmare on Elm Street just in time for Halloween.Why is this DVD any different from the previous release that came in a nice gift package several years ago? For starters,
its picture and sound is newly remastered. The film that once looked like it was filmed in the late 70’s now appears as though it was filmed last year and with a much larger budget than originally granted. The DVD offers your typical 5.1 surround sound, but for those electronic geeks, the DTS-ES 6.1 track is definitely worth the listen. When Freddy Krueger calls for one of his victims and it sounds like he’s standing right behind you, you forget that you’ve seen the movie a hundred times over. The look is sleek, the sound is spectacular, and the movie is taken to a new plateau of frightfulness, you remember why you liked Freddy before he turned into the smart-ass cartoon of the later movies. All this aside, however, the newly remastered picture does not give the movie the justice it deserves.
I remember watching Nightmare with my sister as a child. Both of us were on the couch, the blankets pulled up to our chins so that the moment the dark figure appeared, we’d cover our eyes and pray for the daylight. But the new picture is much brighter. Freddy is completely visible from beginning to end, stripping the original film of its darkness. Fans of the film can appreciate the new look, but Freddy was much more mysterious and frightening as nothing more than a silhouette.
Now let’s talk about the Infini-Film Features. For those who don’t know what Infini-Film is, it’s New Line Cinema’s
alternative to the special features menu option found on every DVD created. Once the Infini-Film option is activated, the movie begins to play. Pop-up prompts tell us when to select Enter on our remote controls for exclusive, never before seen fact tracks, video clips and behind the scenes footage. From interviews with the original cast, to audition clips to the making of Johnny Depp’s gruesome death, the options are a Nightmare fan’s…wet dream. Remember the scene when Tina is dragged across the ceiling by an invisible Krueger? Imagine what it looked like when Freddy was visible. The Infini-Film option’s got it. Granted, watching the 90 film with the Infini-Film option will take you two hours and a half, but it’s worth it.
The second disc provides all the Infini-Film extras for those who prefer to watch the film straight through without the pesky pop-ups. The feature Never Sleep Again offers a behind the scene making of the film. Night Terrors takes us through the origins of nightmares from different cultures, and The House that Freddy Built tells us all about how the little independent film saved New Line Cinema from bankruptcy. And oh yeah, there’s four – count ‘em, four never before seen alternate endings.
A Nightmare on Elm Street is a classic. This new DVD offers a new look into the film and reminds us that Freddy Krueger could kick Jason’s ass any day of the week and twice on Sunday, despite what Freddy vs. Jason showed us. For fans of the movie, for fans of horror, or for those who remember what a scary son-of-a-thousand-maniacs Freddy Krueger really was, this DVD is a must have.
And what ever you do, don't....fall....asleep.
With superior being a bright full moon, this DVD rates:
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© Savournin, 2006
