Number 6: Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master
We’ll come to the Dream Warriors a little later in the countdown. Why are they relevant here? Because Part 4 is a direct episodic continuation of Part 3. And Part 3 is one of the best Elm Street movies. (Do I think it’s the best? You’ll have to wait and see. But it’s damn close, and honestly it can vary depending on the day of the week.)
So why would a direct sequel sit this low? A sequel with so much to like — and the highest‑grossing entry in the series, at least until Jason got involved.
Let’s get the “bad” out of the way first, if you can even call it that. The Dream Warriors brilliantly tied up the Elm Street saga. It was a direct sequel to the first film, and Freddy was written out in a way that felt neat and final.
Until a dog pee brought him back to life. How? Why?
I guess the idea was that the ground the Dream Warriors buried him in was no longer hallowed. Then the newly resurrected Freddy slaughters the Dream Warriors in the first twenty minutes. I’m not sure why they decided to do that. If you watch these films back‑to‑back, it’s jarring.
Now onto the good — and I’ve probably been harsh with this one’s placement. This is Freddy at his most MTV. He kills off the kids in more imaginative, over‑the‑top ways. There’s a scene where a character is turned into a giant cockroach. In many ways, this is the most 80s film I’ve ever seen.
We also have a new heroine, Alice, who goes from shy and timid to defeating Freddy in the finale. And it’s not a fluke — her arc is earned.
From here, we depart from the Elm Street formula. The next film pits Freddy against another horror icon in a grudge match that winds up being a lot of fun.