Day Five: Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991)
I hope you're all sitting down, Freddy fans. Nice and comfy? Good. Because I have something I have to say that will shock you.
I did not hate Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare. In fact, I kinda, sorta, um, I dunno.... liked it?
I know, I know. This is the most reviled entry in the series by both critics and fans. But you know what? I don't see what all the fuss is about. I didn't grow up with this series, so I didn't have a feeling of acute disappointment with each new installment as the series strayed further from its horror roots. I'm not being intentionally contrarian; I can only report on the movie I saw. And Freddy's Dead is an unselfconscious and loony lark, one that jettisons Freddy's history for a campy, slightly cheesy tone that befits the direction the series had taken. It's never frightening, but taken on its own terms, Freddy's Dead offers modest pleasures.
As the film opens, Springwood's last surviving teenager (Shon Greenblatt) has been chased out of town by Freddy. Appearing to be homeless, and with no memory of his past, he's taken to a center for wayward youth. Maggie Burroughs (Lisa Zane), a bleeding-heart shrink, tries to help him and, after finding a newspaper article in his pocket, decides to drive him back to Springwood in order to jog his memory. However, three of the other residents of the shelter (which include a baby-faced Breckin Meyer) hitch a ride in Maggie's van in an attempt to escape.
As it turns out, Freddy was using the kid (known to everyone around him as John Doe) in order to lure Maggie back to Springwood, since he's apparently powerless beyond the town limit. Once our heroes arrive in town, they find the place to be an eerie wasteland in which older folks make believe that the young people are still among them. In an attempt to get some rest, the group decamps in an abandoned house on Elm Street (no points for guessing which one), and Freddy starts his reign of terror anew. Maggie soon learns why Freddy wants to meet her so badly: it turns out she's his daughter (say what?), and he hopes that she'll take over the family business. Maggie discovers that the only way to defeat Freddy is to drag him out into the real world, which will sap him of his power.
Maybe it's because I had absolutely zero expectations for this one (the good folks in the comments section have repeatedly reminded me that it's their least favorite) that I found myself enjoying Freddy's Dead. I'll concede that as a Freddy movie, it's the weakest of the bunch; I can imagine longtime fans groaning at the revelation that Freddy had a daughter, and that he was chosen by malevolent spirits to undertake his diabolical mission. However, the performances are strong throughout (especially Yaphet Kotto, who shines in his small role as a dream specialist), and there are a number of witty cameos (including Roseanne and Tom Arnold as a feuding couple, Alice Cooper as Freddy's abusive guardian, and Johnny Depp doing an amusing send-up of anti-drug commercials).
Perhaps because of the movie's goofy tone I found Freddy a much more refreshing, appealing presence this time out. I laughed out loud at an early scene in which Freddy is tailing a character who's lost his hearing aid in a dark factory -- he does a silly little dance behind the guy, flailing his arms and bouncing in a semi-circle, which might be the best bit of physical comedy in the series so far. In another scene, Freddy is controlling a character via joystick, and when he growls his utterly gratuitous wisecrack ("Now I'm playing with power!"), I couldn't help but smile. And even though I can't comment on the 3D effects in the final showdown (I don't own a pair of the requisite glasses), the simple fact of its existence solidifies the tone of Freddy's Dead: pure, William Castle-esque grade-Z entertainment.
A couple mores beefs, though. Earlier, I griped that The Dream Warriors opened with a Poe quote. The Dream Child begins with a passage from the Bible, and now, Freddy's Dead is preceded with a line from another famous Freddy, the philosopher Nietzsche. Come on. And would it have killed anyone to include a cover -- or better still, the original -- of the stone-cold classic Curtis Mayfield song Freddy's Dead?
Perhaps Freddy Krueger is too much a product of the 1980s to make it in the grunge era. Nevertheless, Freddy's Dead goes down swinging.
Tune in tomorrow as I tackle Wes Craven's return to the franchise with New Nightmare.
Schedule of Nightmares:
- Day 1: A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
- Day 2: A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985)
- Day 3: A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)
- Day 4: A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988)
- Day 5: A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Child (1989)
- Day 6: Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991)
- Day 7: New Nightmare (1994)
- Day 8: Freddy vs. Jason (2003)
- Day 9: A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)
Kyle V. writes: on Apr 27 2010 04:42 PM is it just my computer, or does it read "day 5" at the top? (Reply to this) |
filmmaniac123 writes: on Apr 27 2010 04:45 PM We all have opinions. Don't be embarrassed to like it, Tim. (Reply to this)
Gross Greg writes:
on Apr 27 2010 09:23 PM I agree...you're definitely entitled to your opinion. Like you said, you went in to the film with very low expectations. (Reply to this)
Gross Greg writes: on Apr 27 2010 09:24 PM I agree...you're definitely entitled to your opinion. Like you said, you went in to the film with very low expectations. (Reply to this) |
kassie p. writes: on Apr 27 2010 04:47 PM I don't hate any of the films per say... I enjoy all the camp they have to offer and this one does have a lot of campy 80's goodness. (Reply to this) |
Steven S. writes: on Apr 27 2010 05:00 PM So I think that the reason that I love movies like this so much is because when I was a kid I felt more grown up watching Freddy/Jason/Myers/etc. These movies all have a special place in my heart haha. I actually enjoy this movie for its awesome badness. I LOVE the credit sequence at the end with the great Freddy montage, and the opening Goo Goo Dolls song fits the movie perfectly. If people can't have fun and let go during these kinds of movies, then they really should try it. That being said, I'm really going to have trouble seeing the new "Nightmare" movie simply because I like the opinion I have about all of the 80's/early 90's awesomeness that comes with the series. I refused to watch the Friday the 13th reboot, and when I finally tried I turned it off 15 minutes in. Thanks to this article I will be going back soon and watching the entire series, and looking forward to doing it. (Reply to this)
Big Kahuna Burger writes: on Apr 27 2010 06:07 PM I love the freddy montage too! I remember recording each of these movies off of USA, Tbs and TNT as a kid. I loved these series'! I remember recording Freddy's Dead one halloween night and watching the montage over and over when I got home from trick or treating. (Reply to this)
Steven S. writes: on Apr 27 2010 10:23 PM I can still see the "parental discretion advised" warning after every commercial haha. I remember I had Freddy's Dead and Child's Play III on the same tape, and also had one with Halloween II and the Night of the Living Dead remake (my folks watched them with me the first time to make sure they were reasonable)...talk about fun watching them at 10 or 11 years old with your friends haha. Gotta give credit to series like "Nightmare" and "Friday." They were, and still are, a lot of fun. Plus, I used to love going through the horror section at the local movie store and looking at all of the video-box covers. Too cool! (Reply to this)
Matt R. writes: on Apr 28 2010 09:13 AM Dang man! you just sumed up my childhood. Thanks for the nostalgic flashbacks! (Reply to this) |
Joshua M. writes: on Apr 27 2010 05:01 PM I didnt actually mind this one. Really looking forward to watching the new one. (Reply to this) |
Alex T. writes: on Apr 27 2010 05:36 PM I greatly disliked this one slightly for the daughter reveal, but mostly because of the Dream Demons and the last like 5 minutes. But thinking back, this was a lot better than the dreck that was 4 and 5... bleh. (Reply to this) |
Steve R. writes: on Apr 27 2010 05:41 PM I liked this a little better than 5 and a little less than 4. Those 3 are all pretty equal for me. (Reply to this) |
Tim-A writes: on Apr 27 2010 05:41 PM I think all of them are entertaining for various reasons. The one exception being the 2nd one. I'm not too critical of the series b/c it defined a lot of my childhood (my brother was a huge fan) so it's all good to me. This one was fun I thought. (Reply to this) |
Neverender writes: on Apr 27 2010 05:52 PM I'd have to say this film is just plain bad no matter how you slice it. Longtime fan or otherwise. (Reply to this) |
Hot Pink Nation writes: on Apr 27 2010 05:56 PM Wow. Just Wow. You may no longer complain about anything in these movies ever, now. In fact, I insist you go back and delete or retract all of your criticisms of the other films flaws for defending this garbage. (Reply to this)
gigantor21 writes: on Apr 27 2010 06:17 PM I still have yet to watch this one in it's entirety. It just seems so...neutered. No menace, no gore, no "soul", no nothing. Ironically enough, the Wiki suggests that New Nightmare was made because this one did better than the studio expected--having the best opening weekend of all the movies in the original series. That's just LOLtastic if it's true. XD (Reply to this) |
Observation 99 writes: on Apr 27 2010 06:18 PM Huh. I thought New Nightmare would be the break from declining quality that he needed. Now I'm really curious about what he'll think of it right after seeing this one and liking it. (I guess I'd have a better idea if I hadn't skipped over part 5 and, this one, Freddy's Dead. Not the act of a true fan, I know, but they were only supposed to go downhill from Dream Master, which I barely approved of.) (Reply to this) |
The.Watcher writes: on Apr 27 2010 07:21 PM As a cheesy comedy, the movie's not bad. But it was not Freddy as he is meant to be, they could have easily replaced him with another villain, or maybe did this as a spoof of the nightmare franchise. (Reply to this) |
moviewizguy writes: on Apr 27 2010 08:28 PM I actually enjoyed this film at a dumb, campy level. I don't know. I just do. I can't explain it. 5.5/10 (Reply to this) |
ledawg1138 writes: on Apr 27 2010 09:00 PM You "liked" this? Don't worry. We all make mistakes. (Reply to this) |
Erik B. writes: on Apr 27 2010 09:24 PM I'm a HUGE Freddy fan and although I had seen all the movies it wasn't until Freddy's Dead came out that I truly fell in love with the franchise. I understand people's complaints but I love this move. I love goofy Freddy. I love scary Freddy. I love the whole package. (Reply to this) |
Dr.KevinBacon writes: on Apr 28 2010 05:54 AM I feel like i may be the only one but I've never really cared for any of the Elm St movies. New Nightmare and dream warriors were decent and the original was alright, but i dont see how anyone could consider it a classic horror film. When people describe why they believe NOES was a great movie it always seems like they are reaching for some deeper meaning when it really never appears to be anything more than an above average slasher film. Not saying they are all TERRIBLE or anything just a little overrated. 4-6 are all pretty awful though, watchable for their camp and humor but little else. (Reply to this)
Clint D. writes:
on Apr 28 2010 06:43 AM I think the reason why this series is so beloved by so many and held with such high regard is because for many of us (Myself included) NOES was the first Horror Movie that we saw that wasn't safe. Lets face it, the original doesn't play by the cookie cutter formula. There are some genuine scares and it plays on a fear that most children suffer from: being afraid of Nightmares. I agree that after the first, the scares for the most part subsided but creativity took its place and that had never happened before in a Horror franchise. Both Halloween and Friday the 13th had very little to no creativity to them outside of their original movies but NOES just continued to trade in the scares for more and more elaborate plots, kills and sets. Although this approach isn't everyones cup of tea, I really got excited as a kid when I heard that a new NOES movie was coming out because I truly could not predict where it was going to take me next. The Evil Dead trilogy is the only horror franchise that comes close, if even trumping NOES just for pure quality, for originality, scares and unpredictability. God, I love those two franchises and that is why I dread the remakes of both of them because it looks like they are just rehashing the best elements of these series that, lets face it, any true fan will just revisit the originals if they want to see them again. (Reply to this)
dj Mark writes:
on Apr 28 2010 07:36 AM I sort of agree. NOES movies involve lots of fantasy elements, which set it apart from other slasher movies. That and the charisma of Freddy himself are what made me a fan of a few of these films when normally I stay as far away from the slasher genre as I can. But you're right, when you drill down beneath the elements that make these movies unique, you're left with little more than trashy entertainment - which isn't always a bad thing. (Reply to this)
zgberg writes: on Apr 28 2010 11:33 AM NOES is the logical evolution of Craven's work (the original Hills Have Eyes and original Last House on the Left). I think why NOES stands out and had such a lasting impact is Craven's focus on the dreamworld and subconsciousness. (Reply to this) |
sinwin1 writes: on Apr 28 2010 07:09 AM This Freddy movie is on of my favs in the series. Sure it's cheeky, I mean c'mon it's the sixth Nightmare movie in almost as many years. I've enjoyed Robert Englund as Freddy in just about every film except the 2nd one(so gay and a pure snooze-fest, anti-climatic ending included). (Reply to this) |
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