A Nightmare On Elm Street 4: The Dream Master | | Cast : | Rodney Eastman, Robert Englund | | Director : | Renny Harlin | | Studio : | New Line Home Entertainment | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen | | Released Date : | August 19, 1988 | | DVD Released Date : | August 22, 2000 | | Language : | English (Dubbed) | | Audience Rating : | R (Restricted) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | July 18, 2005 | | Summary | "You shouldn't have buried me..... I'm not dead." | Content
 | That's right folks the man with the mean right hand and gruesome smile is back on Elm Street for his fourth theatrical bout of mayhem! Taking place shortly after Part 3, Kristen is still haunted by dreams of the maniacal dream maniac. As her fear begins to grow, and we all know that fear is where his power is derived, the Fredman rises from his grave in the junkyard and begins to kill off the survivors of the Westin Hills Psychiatric Hospital Massacre. All the previous film survivors are killed off and now it's up to newcomer, and close friend of Kristen,Alice to fight Freddy. The film contains a little too much subplot. We've watch a Freddy movie to see Freddy but instead we focue more on Alice and her hard home life. But we can't reject a Nightmare film. The ending is completely and quite stunningly mindblowing. The fx in this film is probably the best in the series, and Freddy has some new twisted nightmares to throw at us. This film is probably my 3rd favorite of the Nightmare series. I suggest you check it out. |
| Rating | | | Date | July 11, 2005 | | Summary | A huge step down from part 3...this movie is a mess. | Content
| Unfortunately, like all extended sequels sooner or later, the horror movie series of "Nightmare on Elm Street" went downhill in a hurry with a "A Nightmare on Elm Street 4- The Dream Master". I think that the critical viewer will notice a sad and unfortunate progression of cheesey comedy and exaggerated scenes of absurdity involving Freddy Krueger in this movie that diminishes what was once a great horror movie villain...the result is an inept horror movie devoid of any credibilitly or ability to inspire actual horror in the audience. In effect, the audience views this ridiculous mess as a total joke and part 5 only solidifies this theory...this is a sad entry in the "NOES" series. The orignal "NOES" showed a horrifying and formidable Freddy of great prowess as a horror movie villain, but this movie portrays Freddy more as a joke than anything else. Last, but definitely not least, this dream warrior concept with Kristen having such incredible dream powers becomes absolutely stupid and ridiculous in the extreme...part 3 did okay with this idea, but part 4 runs it in the ground!! Is this movie about Freddy, the always formidable and powerful Kristen or just a total utter joke...I would argue that part 4 of this series is about the latter two. Don't buy this trash...stick with parts 1-3, the best of the series. |
| Rating | | | Date | June 03, 2005 | | Summary | A Nightmare On Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988) | Content
| In 1988, director Renny Harlin wanted to take the A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET movies one step further by directing the fourth installment, A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 4: THE DREAM MASTER. This installment to the series was actually the most successful, even more successful than the series original NIGHTMARE film.
KRISTIN PARKER (played by Tuesday Knight, who took over for Patricia Arquette) has been FREDDY KRUEGER (again played by Robert Englund). But she has the strongest feeling that Freddy will be coming back. She gets this feeling when she has a nightmare, where she is standing Nancy's old house on 1428 Elm Street, where the original nightmares all started. She uses her dream skills to pull in JOEY CRUSEL (again played by Rodney Eastman) and ROLAND KINCAID (again played by Ken Sagoes). They arrive in her dream and help her realize that Freddy is deader than dead, which is when Kincaid's dog, Jason, jumps in and bites Kristen's arm.
The next morning, Kristen drives to the Johnson's house. She is best friends with ALICE JOHNSON (played by Lisa Wilcox) and is dating Alice's brother, RICK JOHNSON (played by Andras Jones). Alice and Rick have lost their mother, and they deal with their father, DENNIS JOHNSON (played by Nicholas Mele), who is a drunk.
They arrive at school and meet up with their friends, DEBBIE STEVENS (played by Brooke Theiss) and SHEILA KOPECKY (played by Toy Newkirk). Debbie is a tough a**, while Sheila is the brain. Kristen is at her locker, where Kincaid and Joey appear, talking to Kristen about the night before. That night, both Joey and Kincaid are killed by Freddy. Kristen is now the last member of the Elm Street kids, whose parents killed Freddy Krueger.
The next morning, Kristen finds out about the deaths of Joey and Kincaid. She takes Rick, Alice, and DAN JORDAN (played by Danny Hassel) to where 1428 Elm, where it all started. Rick is best friends with Dan. Alice has a crush on Dan, so maybe there's a chance of Dan and Alice starting a little something.
That night, Kristen's mother, ELAINE PARKER (again played by Brooke Bundy) slips her sleeping pills, forcing Kristen to fall asleep. But Kristen remembers what Alice had told her: Dream someplace nice, you're in control. Kristen finds herself in a dream on the beach, but that is ruined, when Freddy turns it into the boiler room. Kristen accidentally brings in Alice. Protecting Alice, Kristen quarrels with Freddy, where he throws her into a huge flame, burning her alive. Kristen passes along her Bringing-Others-Into-One's-Dream talent to Alice.
The next morning, Sheila is killed. Alice seems to have received Sheila's brain smarts talent. Rick doesn't know what do with his sister. It tears him apart to see his sister this hysterical and upset.
The next afternoon, Rick falls asleep and is murdered by Freddy. But Alice receives his fighting skills, since Rick was sort of an expert in martial arts. At the funeral, Alice, Dan, and Debbie plan to meet at Debbie's house, to figure out what they are going to do about this. But Mr. Johnson won't let Alice out of the house.
She falls asleep and dreams of going to a movie, where she is sucked into a movie at a diner scene. The diner turns into the diner where Alice works. The waitress at the counter is an older version of Alice. Next to her is Freddy. He has already killed the last of the Elm Street kids and wants more that had nothing to do with his murder. Alice awakes and sets out to meet Dan at the diner, where she and he drive off to Debbie's.
Freddy appears by Debbie's side and plans her murder, by turning her into a roach. Making this complete, he keeps sending Dan and Alice in circles, repeating the same scene until he squishes a roach version of Debbie. At that moment of her death, Alice receives Alice's toughness and physical strength, causing her to get into an accident. Alice is fine, but Dan is pretty banged up.
Alice and Dan arrive at the hospital, where Dan hits surgery in fifteen minutes. Alice drives home, takes some sleeping pills and prepares herself to fight Freddy. She falls asleep at the moment, Dan is under the gas. She enters his dream and they both find Freddy. But as they find him, Dan awakes, after a successful surgery.
Alice has a brief battle with Freddy. But Alice beats him by reciting the Dream Master poem and causing Evil to see itself.
This is actually my favorite NIGHTMARE of them all. Freddy may have been more funny than scary, but this NIGHTMARE was the most outstanding of them all. There is one copy left on Amazon.com. Whoever wants it, better jump on it. |
| Rating | | | Date | May 13, 2005 | | Summary | A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (Four Stars) | Content
| This review refers to the edition found in New Line Cinema's "The Nightmare on Elm Street Collection" boxed set.
THE WHO'S WHO: Starring Robert Englund, Rodney Eastman, Danny Hassel, Andras Jones, Tuesday Knight, Ken Sagoes, Lisa Wilcox, Brooke Bundy, Nicholas Mele, Toy Newkirk, Brooke Theiss, Hope Marie Carlton, Linnea Quigley. Freddy Krueger Makeup By Kevin Yagher. Score Composed By Craig Safan. Co-Produced By Robert Shaye. Co-Produced By Rachel Talalay. Directed By Renny Harlin. (R) For Violence, Mild Gore, Profanity, Brief Nudity and Very Mild Sexual Content; 93m.; 1988.
WHAT'S GOING ON IN HERE?: The last of the original Elm Street kids thought they buried the nightmare that was Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund). But it's hard to keep pure evil down, and Freddy once again rises from the grave to invade the dreams of Springwood's children. However, with only three kids remaining (Kristen, Joey and Kincaid from "Nightmare 3"), Freddy needs to find a way to reach out and touch the souls of all the untapped children whose parents weren't a part of Krueger's mortal murder. Through Kristen, Freddy gains access to Alice Johnson's (Lisa Wilcox) dreams and opens up a whole new nightmarish world of possibilities. Director Renny Harlin ("Die Hard 2", "Cliffhanger") brings a lot of flair to this third "Nightmare" sequel which securely picks up where "Dream Warriors" left off. The lame, almost miscast Patricia Arquette is gone from the role of Kristen Parker. Replacing her is the highly commendable (not to mention extraordinarily cute) Tuesday Knight who also performs the opening song to this movie. Returning cast members Ken Sagoes and (particularly) Rodney Eastman have matured comfortably in their roles as Kincaid and Joey respectively. Newcomer Andras Jones (as Rick Johnson) is a nice addition to the new teenage cast, bringing with him a light-hearted cockiness that's appealing, but Lisa Wilcox steals the show. She owns this movie with her startling transformation from mousy introvert to confident demon stalker. Robert Englund, having played Freddy in all three previous entries, doesn't even have to exert himself to pull off a wonderful performance. Portraying the character of Freddy has become second nature to Englund and he delivers the goods in style. Viewers even have the chance to see him out of the Freddy make-up again in this film. Instead of showing up as a bus driver, however, he shows up as a school nurse...a female school nurse. There's a little more humor in this film than there was in the others, but it's a welcome addition to the formula. One touch that can be distracting is the lighting for this film. Often times, it makes the movie resemble a comic book instead of a dark world of slumber and fear. But the screenplay is engrossing enough to keep Freddy fans happy. Even the score will reel movie fans in. Composer Craig Safan offers up the best musical background since Charles Bernstein's original, always remaining true to his source material. Trivia buffs take note: in the first cemetery sequence, viewers are given the opportunity to see both Nancy Thompson and her father's tombstones. This is a brilliant piece of extra continuity that ties "Nightmare 4" to parts one and three. Also, after Alice falls asleep in the movie theater and gets sucked through the screen, pay particular attention to the applauding audience. The audience is comprised of all the teenagers who died in the film up to that point. Overall, this film has a late eighties feel to it that adds a nostalgic flourish to an already gratifying production. Long time fans of the series will find much to love about this film and the more casual viewer looking for a good time won't be let down either.
THEY SAY THEY'RE SPECIAL BUT...: There is a sparkling 1.85:1 widescreen transfer of the film that is a majestic sight to behold. The presentation is so clear that you can see the match head inside of the flame Kristen uses to light her cigarette. Outdoor locations appear so realistic that it's easy to feel you're looking through a window instead of watching a movie. The accompanying 5.1 surround sound is the best to date on any of the "Nightmare" DVDs. Every clanking chain and piece of shattering glass has its own unique sound and they are all bright, well separated manifestations. This disc also includes the original stereo audio track for the film and easy to read English subtitles which are placed within the frame of the movie. Not surprisingly, this is another paper case from New Line. The front is a miniaturized recreation of the original theatrical poster while the rest of the case is devoid of any artwork. The inside highlights the list of special features and the twenty-seven chapter stops which make up this ninety minute movie. The DVD itself has been painted with a picture of a shadowed Freddy Krueger standing in a smoky backlit area. Special features for this disc include the "Jump to a Nightmare" option. There's also a brief but enlightening cast and crew section taken from the original theatrical press kit for the film. DVD-ROM users can also view the interactive screenplay for the film, they can play the fourth "Dream World" trivia game and they can visit up-to-the-minute weblinks.
THE YOLK'S ON YOU: New Line Cinema has packed their boxed set so well that they don't need to place hidden easter eggs on the separate discs. You're more likely to make your way out of the maze of cars in the junkyard before Freddy slices and dices you than you are of finding easter eggs on this one.
THE LEWD AND NUDE ALERT: During Joey's dream sequence, the pin-up girl (Hope Marie Carlton appearing as herself) hanging on his wall disappears off the poster where she resided and pops up underneath the lining of his waterbed. We're treated to a lovely view of her breasts before she sinks back down into the watery depths. Later in the film, one of the girls (Linnea Quigley) trapped in Freddy's chest of souls bares her breasts, but that's more of a disturbing visual rather than an enticing one.
THE GORE REPORT: There's some mild gore early on in this film when Freddy is resurrected in the car junkyard. His bones reattach themselves and then his blood, tendons and muscles start to reform over those bones. Another segment of interest for the gore hounds comes later in the movie when Freddy turns one of the teenagers into a giant cockroach. Markedly grand is when her face is ripped off to reveal the roach head while she's trapped in Freddy's roach motel.
SAY AGAIN: "Welcome to Wonderland, Alice." - Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund)
THE FINAL SAY: Yes, I recommend buying this DVD. This is a prime example of late eighties horror and Freddy fanatics won't be able to get enough of Krueger's wry witticisms and uniquely inventive death scenes. As part of the "Nightmare on Elm Street Collection" boxed set, it is indispensable. Separately, this film represents a culmination of the terror, sarcasm and characterization "Nightmare" followers demand.
PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM: "Love Kills" Performed By Vinnie Vincent Invasion. "Angel" Performed By Love/Hate. "Don't Be Afraid of Your Dreams" Performed By Go West. "Back to the Wall" Performed By Divinyls. "Fatal Charm" Performed By Billy Idol. "In the Flesh" Performed By Blondie. "Anything, Anything" Performed By Dramarama. "Nightmare" Performed By Tuesday Knight. "Are You Ready For Freddy?" Performed By the Fat Boys. "Baila Baila (Dance With Me)" Performed By Girl Talk. "Pride and Joy" Performed By Joe Lamont. "Rebuilding the Big House" Performed By Nick Gilder. "Therapist" Performed By Vigil. "Under the Night Stars" Performed By Sea Hags. "Standing Over You" Performed By the Angels From Angel City. "I Want Your (Hands on Me)" Performed By Sinead O'Connor With MC Lyte. Soundtrack Available on Chrysalis Compact Discs, Cassettes and Records. Score Available on Varese Sarabande Compact Discs, Cassettes and Records. |
| Rating | | | Date | May 08, 2005 | | Summary | One of the series' strongest threads | Content
| The Dream Master is only a slight improvement over the superb Dream Warriors, but it delivers fantastic special effects and creative death scenes. Best scene: Debbie's demise. Very gruesome, and it finishes with a good Freddy one-liner: "You can check in, but you can't check out", in reference to a roach motel (you know, one of those little cardboard boxes with adhesive on the floor) which he promptly crushes in his fist.
The DVD has a superb digital transfer, and an extremely impressive 5.1 track which is really hard on the bass effects. It's a 1988 film, yet it looks and sounds like it was made in 1998. A vast improvement over the first three DVDs.
Overall, it's a very strong sequel with a great director (Renny Harlin) at the helm. 4 stars for the movie, 5 stars for the DVD. |
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