MJB SCRIPT REVIEW | A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET

Film No. 2 of my October frightfest script review; the horror legend A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET.

Plot in a nutshell; the teenagers of a small Los Angeles suburb are being hunted in their dreams and savagely slain by a demon with a clawed hand. The parents watch on, knowing a little too much…

This is one of those films that scared the living hell out of me when I watched it as a young teenager. Had nightmares about it for ages. Even though the sequels have grown steadily more tongue in cheek with every passing turn, the original is a work of genius. Wes Craven has perfected the art of not only turning the tension screws with deft effortlessness, but maintaining familiar character pace and real family pathos within the horror plot. The plot ramps up at a such a steady and masterful trot, that by the time you get to the end, you are just riveted to the edge of your seat, fingernails mere stubs at the end of your pale fingers. A truly thrilling piece of writing.

So, what piece of scriptwriting knowledge did I learn from A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET; 

Just like Halloween, the opening is a masterclass in writing action mixed with credits. This one masters the art of revealing credits as the scene unfolds, opening the film, creating the atmosphere and bringing us into the story. First time I’ve seen this in a script and probably won’t be the last. But if you want to write an opening scene where you include the credits in the opening action sequence, this is the puppy for you. 

Another horror classic and another high recommendation. This script was a riveting read and just so thrilling. Best of all, it even made me laugh, which if it’s intentional, in a horror film is brilliant. So much for getting any sleep for the next couple of nights…

Link to the script;https://thescriptsavant.com/.../A_Nightmare_On_Elm_Street...