The Nightmare On Elm Street Collection (Five Disc Box Set) [DVD]

The 2nd film proved to be a disappointing sequel, though not without merit. The plot focusses on Freddy's possession of a teen boy, and despite some rather overt homoerotic/phobic (it can't really decide) themes, the film has little else to offer. An interesting opening scene involving a school bus however does show the broadening of the series scope and reliance of imaginative set pieces. Like the film, the DVD has little to offer than biographies of a number of unrecognisable cast and crew members.

Part 3, co-written by Wes Craven is a vast improvement from the last outing. It is the presence of Craven which provide the stylistic consistencies with the first film. By now, the death scenes have become far fetched and contrived enough to the point where ex-heroin addicts are given forced overdoses and sleep walkers are manoevered like marionettes with veins instead of strings. However, the returning presence of Langenkamp as well as soon to be discovered stars Patricia Arquette and Laurence Fishburne, manage to keep it afloat. Freddy still manages to evoke a sense of fear, and the climax evokes the same sense of tension that the first did. Only a small step down from the original. Again, the DVD has little to offer, but a bizarre music video and the usual extras.

Director of part 4 - Renny Harlin - manages to sever the umbilical chord linking the entries from this point on, with all previous. Any sense of horror has vanished, with Freddy now taking star billing and often being portrayed as the protagonist in many scenes. Conventions of horror films such as a creepy, haunting score and darkly lit environments, have been replaced with soft rock tracks and fair-ground style sets. However, not taken as a horror film (a strange frame of mind to take, I know) this entry still proves entertaining on a humourous level. The script also manages to squeeze symbolism into the character of Alice's blank canvas 'painted' with the characteristics of her murdered friends. Again, some music vids on the DVD and little else.

Part 5 is perhaps the 2nd weakest in the set, however still serves as a visually interesting fairytale. As Alice from part 4 now becomes pregnant, Freddy invades the dreames of her unborn foetus. There is little in the sense of horror, with only 3 rather incomprehensible death scenes occurring throughout the film -each one played for laughs. Fans of the series will however enjoy the films exploration of Freddy's birth and his mother's character. This time, you get 2 daft music videos.

For die hard fans, the box set is perfect, as it doesn't look like a complete set, including parts 6 and 7, is coming to the shops any time soon. However, for those who are easily baffled or only searching for a genuine horror film, just seek out the original and the best.