A Nightmare On Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988) ***1/2 [Freddython 2021 Pt. 4]

1988: the year Freddy Krueger became a pop culture phenomenon. Robert Englund received top billing in A Nightmare On Elm Street 4: The Dream Master, which became the highest-grossing film in the Nightmare On Elm Street franchise in the United States until the release of Freddy vs. Jason in 2003. There was a (cheesy as hell) one hour MTV tie-in special. Freddy's likeness was on all sorts of merchandise. 

The Fat Boys had a song in the end credits of NOES4 (but not on the soundtrack), "Are You Ready For Freddy," and an accompanying music video—starring Englund, who also raps on the track (he had previously appeared in Dokken's "Dream Warriors" music video for the prior sequel). DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince wrote their own (better) song about Freddy, "A Nightmare On My Street," which was submitted but rejected by the producers for inclusion in ANOES4—and the once long-lost (and great) video for resurfaced in 2018. On the music front there was also this gem from "The Elm Street Group,” released the previous year.

1988 was also the year that the television series Freddy's Nightmares (which also included appearances from Englund) debuted (and ran until 1990). From 1987 to 1991 Mr. Englund was a very busy man when it came to anything and everything Krueger.

The Dream Master was the point in the NOES series where all pretense of scares was discarded in favor of fun (and this entry is definitely the most fun one). While I do prefer the first three films, I really like TDM as well. Freddy is super over-the-top but it's an evolution of the character that I have always been here for. The teens this go-around aren't as strong as in the Dream Warriors but Lisa Wilcox's Alice is really endearing. *SPOILERS* The way that Krueger is resurrected ("a dog pisses fire") is intensely amusing. The way that Alice takes Freddy down in the finale (he sees his own evil reflection) however is pretty weak, though his demise at the hands of the souls he’s taken is a practical effects delight. *END SPOILERS*

ANOES4 is filled with creative kills—the Kafkaesque cockroach transformation is an all-timer ("No pain, no gain.")—brought to life with the help of makeup wizards such as Screaming Mad George, Kevin Yagher, John Carl Buechler, and Howard Berger. Director Renny Harlin brought a big-budget sensibility to the franchise, which really shows on screen—this might just be the best looking film of the series, thanks to its marvelous production design. I long to have the NOES movies on 4K UHD, in particular because I think TDM, with its eye-popping visuals, will benefit the most from the greater color gamut and increased color depth of HDR.

ANOES4 has held up well for this viewer (particularly when compared to the nosedive its sequel, The Dream Child, took). The first four Nightmares (and to a certain extent 1994's New Nightmare) are the reason why this is my favorite slasher series. They are also the reason why I'm perhaps more forgiving of the flaws in the weaker entries (and I'm not including the 2010 remake in that sentiment because screw that film). "Fuckin' A."

You can find my reviews of the previous three NOES films here, here, and here.

You can find my Nightmare On Elm Street Films Ranked list here.