With the remake of Wes Craven’s classic “A Nightmare on Elm Street” looming on the horizon, it comes as absolutely no surprise that a documentary about the beloved franchise is scheduled for release next week. “Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy” is a painstakingly in-depth look at the series, and features a metric ton of interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, and rare photos to satisfy even the hardest of Fred-Heads. Being as huge fan of the films, I’m surprised, not to mention a little embarrassed, to be arriving late to the proverbial nightmare. I will hang my head in shame as soon as I can find the time to do so. Promise!
Here’s a complete synopsis for the uninitiated:
Murderer. Dream Demon. The bastard son of a hundred maniacs. Any way you slice it, there can be only one man, one monster who epitomizes those words: Freddy Kruger. For decades he has slashed his way through the dreams of countless youngsters, scaring up over a half a billion box office dollars across eight terrifying, spectacular films. What’s more, it has become evident that Freddy may never rest in peace. In this thrilling retrospective, fans will find everything they’ve ever dreamed of as they enter the world of A Nightmare On Elm Street like never before; exploring what spurred mastermind Wes Craven to craft the first groundbreaking film; delving deep behind the scenes of the original and all of its sequels; learning how the cast and crew brought their worst nightmares to life on the screen; and, finally, understanding the impact the series and its mythos have had on modern pop culture and the horror genre. This fast-paced, exciting shockumentary narrated and starring Heather Langenkamp – star of Nightmare I, III and Wes Craven’s New Nightmare – features exclusive new interviews with cast and crew spanning all eight Elm Street films, as well as never-seen-before photographs, storyboards, conceptual art, publicity materials, archival documents and behind-the-scenes footage. Over 100 brand-new interviews with directors including Wes Craven, Renny Harlin, Ronny Yu and stars John Saxon, Alice Cooper, Monica Keena, and Freddy Kruger himself, Robert Englund.
Huge thanks to indie filmmaker extraordinaire Scott Schirmer for enlightening this wayward horror fan. “Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy” is scheduled to infect your dream on May 4th. Sleep tight, kiddies.
