Wes Craven’s 1984 classicA Nightmare on Elm Streetintroduced one of the most iconic horror villains of all time. The film produced six direct sequels, a spin-off entitledFreddy vs Jason,and a 2010 remake in which Robert Englund didn’t reprise his role of Freddy Krueger. According toScreen Rant, Craven wasn’t exactly too pleased with the revised studio ending of his dream-scape film. Indeed, he desired to have the film leave more to the audience’s imagination, and to allude to more of a question-mark style ending. However, in the eyes of studio heads, being evasive doesn’t sell tickets.
A Nightmare on Elm Street’sepic conclusion makes it appear that Nancy Thompson (played by Heather Langenkamp) defeated Krueger by taking back all the energy she ever gave him. Overall, this not only makes Nancy one of the most powerfulfinal girls in 1980s horror, but suggests a much larger theme — especially for an ’80s slasher. As Nancy seemingly destroys Freddy, or the idea of him, the film concludes, restoring everything back to how it was. That is until Freddy shows back up.
A Nightmare on Elm Street
On Elm Street, Nancy Thompson and a group of her friends (comprising Tina Gray, Rod Lane and Glen Lantz) are being tormented by a clawed killer in their dreams named Fred Krueger. Nancy must think quickly, as Fred tries to pick them off one by one. When he has you in your sleep, who is there to save you?
Setting the Trap
A Nightmare on Elm Streetwas one of the earlier slashers to pin its final girl against someone that was definitively immortal. Unlike Michael Meyers, Jason Vorhees, and Leatherface, Freddy Krueger is one of the original slashers who possesses supernatural abilities. Yes, the others always come back, but Freddy doesn’t require much of an explanation as to how.
Despite Freddy’s many defining idiosyncrasies, Craven’s ability to transform his final girl is what makes the film stand out all the more. According toCBR,Craven had no desire to continue on with theNightmarefranchise, and his ending to the 1984 film was meant to be definitive. Although the director returned withNew Nightmarein 1994, Craven’s motives for the character still remained the same.
A Nightmare on Elm Streetwas a major financial success, and is the second highest-grossing film in the entire franchise. So, when the people asked for more Freddy, the studios delivered. Craven’s desire to keep the ending elusive allowed the first film to be able to stand on its own, but begged the question of the true reality at the end. Was Nancy still dreaming? Did she and all of her friends survive Freddy?
Once it is revealed that Fred Krueger is targeting the Elm Street kids after being persecuted and murdered by their parents, Nancy takes her attempts to beat Kruger to another level. After the death of her boyfriend Glen (Johnny Depp in his first movierole), Nancy sets a string of traps in her house before heading to bed in an attempt to catch Krueger to pull him into the real world. Nancy’s plan works, and Freddy is transported out of the dream world and into Nancy’s house. The two battle and her traps work, but in the process, Freddy ends up burning Nancy’s mother to death in her sleep.
Just when Krueger thinks he has won, Nancy decides to take back any of the energy that she spent on him. She states, “I take back every bit of energy I gave you. You’re nothing.” — thus, defeating Krueger in the process. As definitive as this ending may seem at the moment, it is hard not to question what this all means. From a feminist standpoint, Nancy is literally taking her power back from her attacker and allowing her voice to define her life. However, the next scene that follows suggests something a bit more cynical.
Related:Top 10 Freddy Krueger Kills, Ranked
1, 2, Freddy Will Always Come for You
Horror movies are notorious for implementing a bait-and-switch at the end, alluding to a happy ending before ripping it all away. Craven teases this inhisScreamfranchise, noting that the killer always comes back for one last scare.A Nightmare on Elm Streetends on a similar note, but with a little less clarity. After Nancy denounces Freddy, she wakes up and everything is back to how it was before. In fact, it’s even better! Nancy’s mother declares that she has quit drinking, and a car pulls up to take Nancy to school.
Glen, Rod (played by Jsu Garcia) and Tina (played by Amanda Wyss) are all alive and waiting for Nancy. Her mother sees her off, and Nancy gets in the car, only for it to be revealed that the car’s roof is the same pattern as Freddy’s sweater. The car starts driving away on its own as the kids scream in terror, and Nancy’s mother is pulled through the door window by Freddy’s arm. The picture-perfect ending has been shattered by Freddy once again, and demonstrates the idea that Freddy was never truly gone.
Craven’s original vision holds true for not only how he views his final girls, but the immense amount of respect that he has for them. However, the studio’s vision didn’t exactly allow for Craven’s to be depicted as clearly as it should have been. On one side of the coin, Nancy defeats Freddy by declaring ownership of her world and mind. Similar to Santa Claus, it is suggested that Freddy’s power comes from the energy that the kids of Elm Street exhume by believing in him. However, when Nancy takes this away, Freddy ceases to exist.
Overall, this ending would make perfect sense if that is where the film stopped. Yet, in the final frame, Freddy comes back to claim Nancy’s mother. Adding this idea to the film takes away the validity of Nancy’s actions entirely, and makes it definitive that Freddy can’t be defeated. Sure, this sets up a franchise’s worth of films, but it weakens Nancy’s claims just a few scenes prior.
A Nightmare on Elm Street’sending is often misunderstoodby audiences who are in it for the gag of the final scare. The real final scare is the idea of an inescapable evil that lurks in the shadows at your deepest vulnerability. Nancy only “wakes up” from her nightmare because Freddy allows her to, and because he’s the dream master, he’s able to manipulate the calm before the ending’s storm. The only one truly in control at the finale ofA Nightmare on Elm Streetis, and always has been, Freddy Krueger.RentA Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)on AppleTV
If you like ’80s horror movies, check out our video below about which films from the decade we think should get a remake.
