There are a few, select films I have a like/hate relationship with. It's the Licence To Kill factor. Like that film, I can watch certain movies and, on occasion, absolutely detest them for being boring, dated, incoherent or ill-conceived....or, on other occasions, rather like the flawed film for what it is. A Nightmare On Elm Street 4: The Dream Master is one such movie. Once upon a time it was my favorite of the Elm Street franchise. Then a few years ago I rediscovered it on cable TV and checked it out. I found if cheesy, dated (it's all bright blues and reds with all the smoke machines that Hollywood can provide working overtime...not to mention the baggy, 90's fashions) and pretty run-of-the-mill compared with Elm Street 3. The cute Patricia Arquette had been recast into someone much plainer, the rest of the cast more traditional, irritating teens, the re-introduced high school setting seemed like a step backward and the set pieces less creative than the last franchise entry.
Then, as part of my Elm Street retrospective, I checked it out again. And you know what...it's alright. All of the criticisms still stand, but it has certain strengths that's hard to ignore. Like Elm Street 3, it brings back the survivors from the previous movie providing a strong sense of continuity and hope...with our heroes back, Freddy is surely bound to fail. Of course when they're slaughtered within the first 30 minutes, it adds to the tension regarding the new, out-of-their-depth protagonists. Renny Harlin, who would go on to direct Die Hard 2 and Cliffhanger, brings a fresh, cinematic feel to proceedings with clever use of the camera, stylish lighting and a hip, contemporary (for the time...utterly dated now) soundtrack, which gives the film it's own identity.
The strongest reason for it's success is that of Lisa Wilcox's Alice, who has the strongest character arc in any of the Elm Street movies. Her journey from introverted daydreamer to empowered demon fighter gives the film a mythic, coming-of-agr feel as well as providing some literary depth (the Alice in Wonderland connection) as Alice can harness her daydreaming, overactive imagination for her own benefit.
No longer a great film then, but still worth a watch...even more so when watched in the continuity and context of the other Elm Street films.
1 comment:
I just watched this today as I slowly work my way through all the Elm Street movies for the first time in many, many years.
I actually liked this a lot more than I remembered. It is amazingly glossy and colourful with lots of smoke and soft focus with the whole thing looking like it was shot in that late afternoon golden glow. So very 80's. However the cast are all likeable, the budget looks like it has been upped and Harlin's direction is pretty darn stylish and surprisingly imaginative at times. But, yes, you are right. It works best due to Lisa Wilcox's Alice and her character arc. A strong and interesting (and cute) central character who's abilities play up even more the fantasy elements begun in part 3. Oh, and Englund is clearly having tons of fun. Every other line from him may be a quip, but it certainly works. I especially enjoyed the beach dream when he does his Freddy shark thing and puts on his ray bans. Heh...Freddy rocks!
Not as good as part 3 then but a lot more fun than I remembered. Onwards to part 5.
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