I’ve always loved the Nightmare On Elm Street films although I’ve never been in love with bloody slasher flicks. Give me a creepy psychological or supernatural “horror” instead and I’m happy. I liked a few slashers in the fake-looking gore of my beloved Eighties but I stay the hell away from gory modern day films. Gross. There was something about the Elm Street series, though, that I found fascinating from the first time I saw the first film at a party at the age of 13. Dream Warriors was my second Elm Street movie a year or so later and remains my most-watched as I recorded it off of TV & played it over & over again. I eventually watched the rest but, let’s face it, those two are by FAR the best.
Admittedly, this top ten list is very heavy on Elm Steet 1 & 3 as those are the most special to me. And as with all my lists, this is my own personal top ten so I’m sure some won’t agree with all my choices. For the record, I’ve not included any Freddy “deaths”, only those of his victims. So here are My Top Ten Nightmare On Elm Street Deaths:
**SPOILERS (obviously)**
10. Ceiling Death: Part II
Victim: Julie Peyton McKenna in Wes Craven’s New Nightmare
This one probably deserves to be a bit higher but I’ve not watched New Nightmare since the night I went to it when it came out in 1994. It deserves a mention, though, for re-creating one of the original film’s most iconic scenes.
9. Waterbed Death
Victim: Joey Crusel in A Nightmare On Elm Street 4: The Dream Master
It was only a matter of time before a waterbed was used in an Elm Street death scene! Waterbeds were weird things… Has anyone here ever had one?? Anyway, the water turning red with blood was pretty effective. And there were boobs in this scene, too!
8. Video Game Death
Victim: Spencer Lewis in Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare
I know this might not make most lists. It’s indeed one of the more “cheesy” kills but, hey – at least I’ve not included the roach motel kill! I also admit to having a soft spot for Freddy’s Dead as it’s the first Elm Street film I was able to go & see and I had a fun time seeing it with a couple of friends. And… Breckin Meyer! Someone who actually went on to do some non-horror stuff after being in a horror film!
7. Impaled On Car’s Tail Fin Death
Victim: Donald Thompson in A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
This is the first of two Elm Street deaths that upset me. Well, upset is a strong word… Anyway, I was still young when I first watched this & I think I somehow thought that heroes from the first film would somehow survive (I’d clearly not yet watched enough slashers). This death ties in with the more obvious one that’ll be higher on the list. And… John Saxon! Did this dude love being in movies or WHAT?! (IMDB lists him as being in 201 things. Way to go, John Saxon!)
6. Television Death
Victim: Jennifer Caulfield in A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
Another cheesy but fun death and one of my favorite Elm Street lines: “Welcome to prime time, bitch!”
5. Comic Book Death
Victim: Marcus “Mark” Gray in A Nightmare On Elm Street 5: The Dream Child
Do people like this one? I have no idea but I always loved it. It also lacks gore, which is nice for a wuss like me. I suppose it totally rips off A-ha’s Take On Me video but, oh well – that video rules.
4. Cruel Trick By Freddy Death
Victim: Nancy Thompson in A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
This one made me so mad. How could they kill off Nancy?! And to have Freddy pretend to be her dad was just cruel. 😦 😦 😦 😦 (okay, I’m over it now)
3. Sucked Into Bed Death
Victim: Glen Lantz in A Nightmare On Elm Street
Ah, my beloved Johnny Depp… I miss you, 80s & 90s Johnny Depp! Come back to us! What an awesome scene this was. Sucked into a bed! A geyser of blood! So weird but so original. And cool.
2. Ceiling Death
Victim: Christina “Tina” Gray in A Nightmare On Elm Street
I’ll never forget this one. Unlike a lot of Elm Street deaths in later films, which started becoming cheesy and almost played for laughs, this death was genuinely disturbing. I’ve always preferred the mood of the first film and the fact that it feels like an actual scary horror film in a way that the rest don’t. Well, I don’t need to convince anyone that the first film is by far the best – we all know that. But this was the very first slasher movie I ever watched and this death did creep me out (well, I was 13!). That’s what horror movies are meant to do, though. Yet so few manage it.
1. Marionette Death
Victim: Phillip Anderson in A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
This one is pretty messed up. It’s also a bit gross for me but I think it’s Freddy’s most clever kill. This is the first death where I thought “Oh… That was cool”. Which is disturbing as I don’t exactly like watching people get killed! (This is why fans of only horror movies do scare me a bit). 😉 Seriously, though, who thought this scene up? Was it Frank Darabont? I’d like to think so – I’m a big fan of so much of his work. Whoever actually wrote this death is a sick & twisted genius. It still kind of grosses me out. Here you go!:
Cinema Parrot Disco 