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Home » Blogs » Julia Miranda's blog » "Nightmare on Elm Street" gets a new Nancy

"Nightmare on Elm Street" gets a new Nancy

by
Julia Miranda

Like Friday the Thirteenth, 90210 and Melrose Place, the classic horror film Nightmare on Elm Street is being reincarnated. I have to admit, I’m kind of psyched.

Nightmare on Elm Street terrified the crap out of me when I was a kid. Truth be told, the original film, not the laughable sequels, still does. Freddy Krueger is an amazing villain and his mythology and terror have live long past the slumber parties of the 80s.

It makes sense that the studios would want to redo this classic given their recent success with Friday the Thirteenth. But the new one was nowhere near as scary or awesome as it should have been. I have higher hopes with for the new Nightmare on Elm Street primarily because of the cast. The whole movie hinges upon Freddy and I don’t think there’s an actor out there more capable of pathos and creepiness than Jackie Earl Haley. It’s brilliant casting and I think he’ll make an unbelievable Freddy, creating new layers of emotions and evil for the character.

In the role of the heroine, Nancy (played by Heather Langenkamp in the original), is relatively unknown actress named Rooney Mara, who has made appearances on ER and Law and Order: SVU.

I like that she’s unknown because in a way, it will make the movie more terrifying. If it’s Ashley Tisdale running around on screen you get less worried because, she’s Ashely Tisdale — you know she’ll be okay. But with an unknown, it’s easier to get lost in the film and relate to the character as a regular girl who just tries to stay up all night so she won’t get killed in her sleep by a burn victim with claw hands who used to kill children before he was burned to death by a group of angry parents.

I’m totally there opening night. Are you?

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    • Submitted by
    Julia Miranda
    on April 24, 2009 - 1:00pm.
    TAGS :: 
    nikkif99uk's picture

    I'm a horror buff so will

    Submitted by
    nikkif99uk (757 posts)
    on April 24, 2009 - 1:04pm.

    I'm a horror buff so will definately be watching it, I missed the Friday the 13th remake as it never came out at my local cinema. So having to watch that on DVD at some point when it comes out.

    Also waiting on Halloween 2 remake. Although the original Halloween is still my favourite but at least the remake was different and not a complete copy.

     

     

    suchapbear's picture

    Yes!

    Submitted by
    suchapbear (14 posts)
    on April 24, 2009 - 1:20pm.
    I am SO excited for this movie. I like that Nancy is an unknown actress as well, and Jackie Haley plays "creepy as hell" so well, I think he's perfext for Freddy. I really hope they don't stray too much from the orginal.
    ackat's picture

    One, two...

    Submitted by
    ackat (62 posts)
    on April 24, 2009 - 2:22pm.
    I feel better about this one now that I know they didn't go in the direction of hiring some disney channel cast off as Nancy. I'm not generally a fan of remakes but the casting of Jackie Earl Haley was an inspired move.

    Freddy scared the ever lovin crap out of me as a kid and to this day I tell people to check out the first Nightmare on Elm Street before they say that 80's slasher films aren't scary. I'll probably drag my friends to this one opening weekend. Hopefully it will turn out to be more like part one rather than Freddy's Dead.
    Nona J.'s picture

    The Remake is Coming for .......

    Submitted by
    Nona J. (355 posts)
    on April 24, 2009 - 2:29pm.

    I had to add my part to Ackat.  

    Nooooooo! The only horror film I like is Nightmare on Elm Street, because it was the only horror film that actually scared me.  I have seen what they have done with Friday the Thirteeth, so disappointing.  I do actually like Jackie Earl Haley, but the idea of remaking NOES actually scares me. I hope they don't screw this one up..

    " True enjoyment comes from activity of the mind and exercise of the body; the two are ever united" ~ Wilhelm von Humbolt

    Aimkat's picture

    I used to have the biggest

    Submitted by
    Aimkat (1 post)
    on April 24, 2009 - 2:56pm.
    I used to have the biggest crush on Heather Langenkamp... the original nancy.
    ladypythia's picture

    I loved Heather

    Submitted by
    ladypythia (16 posts)
    on April 24, 2009 - 4:23pm.

    too!!! I don't want to see her replaced. :-(

    I also love Ashley Lawrence from Hellraiser and Shawnee Smith from Saw.

     

     

     

    Rebecca's picture

    Really?

    Submitted by
    Rebecca (57 posts)
    on April 24, 2009 - 10:49pm.
    Ahh...that is really werid, just because she is my friend's mom and I see her all the time, haha.
    ladypythia's picture

    That is so awesome.

    Submitted by
    ladypythia (16 posts)
    on April 25, 2009 - 11:09am.

    I am totally jealous.

    Robin's picture

    Ooh same here.

    Submitted by
    Robin (51 posts)
    on April 25, 2009 - 5:07pm.

    I had a big crush on Nancy. Kinda still do.  It was something about her big blue eyes, which  look really cool in certain light.  I think Wes favored a lot of close up shots on her in Nightmare and in The New Nightmare, because it said something about her being the only one who 'sees' what's going on, IMHO. And it's featured on the poster too, see!?  She's also my favorite heroine because she never did the 'ooh running helpless and in heels' bit.   'ooh running helpless and in heels' bit.    'ooh running helpless and in heels' bit!

    I don't think they'll be able to top that poster either. That's one freakin' creepy poster. I love it.

    I hate these remakes, mostly because I know it ends before I see it. Why waste $11-14 on that?  Of course I know it's not meant for me but the teeners. 

    I'm a Sagittarius -- part ass, part dude with a loaded weapon, what's not to love?

    Joyous's picture

    hmmm...

    Submitted by
    Joyous (121 posts)
    on April 24, 2009 - 3:29pm.
    another remake.
    Anonymous's picture

    one, two, Freddy's coming for you....

    Submitted by
    Anonymous
    on April 24, 2009 - 5:03pm.

    I'm not keen for a flat out remake of this....but if done right, they could make a whole lotta money.

    Don't remake....reinvent. 

     

     

    WizardOfGore's picture

    Oh my....

    Submitted by
    WizardOfGore (32 posts)
    on April 24, 2009 - 9:36pm.

    *Sigh* I'm afraid to see this. It may be THAT bad. 

    ~I nearly fell apart~

    angela's picture

    well...

    Submitted by
    angela (16 posts)
    on April 25, 2009 - 12:42am.

    the people who remade texas chainsaw massacre and friday the 13th are also going to be responsable for this remake. so im not that excited about this movie. well deep down i am, but i dont want to be disappointed. i love horror movies to the core but the studio heads keep trying to make a quick buck and dont care about these movies followings and just end up making a horrible move. cause the new chainsaw blew. the prequel also blew. jason blew. and the studio heads blow!

    djdopesic

    ladypythia's picture

    Right on!

    Submitted by
    ladypythia (16 posts)
    on April 25, 2009 - 11:27am.
    Almost every remake sucks, except for Evil Dead II. I think we need some new themes in US horror movies. In the 1980's, it was slashers. In the 90's, it was pretty boring. There weren't many original horror films, except for the Scream movies. Then in the early 2000's, we had the torture flix, like Saw and Hostel. Now, we need something different. Maybe more supernatural or more critical of society's excesses?
    Joyous's picture

    Evil Dead

    Submitted by
    Joyous (121 posts)
    on April 28, 2009 - 2:30pm.

    Well that's cause Bruce Campbell rocks and rocks even harder with a chainsaw for a hand

     

    melinda6499's picture

    i agree!

    Submitted by
    melinda6499 (13 posts)
    on April 25, 2009 - 1:56pm.
    this movie terrified the hell out of me when i was a kid!!!! dunno if i can watch the new one in theaters, maybe when it comes out on bluray......
    smallfish444's picture

    They're filming in my town

    Submitted by
    smallfish444 (134 posts)
    on April 25, 2009 - 8:37pm.
    They're filming in my town starting soon! I'm so excited, one of my friends is being an extra for the film and they were supposed to actually film in our high school, those plans were shut down, but they're still filming here in Barrington. It's really exciting. haha
    Batman's picture

    whoop whoop

    Submitted by
    Batman (418 posts)
    on April 26, 2009 - 5:13pm.

    though I complain about remakes as soon as they come out, I am so excited...

    lynnejamneck's picture

    Holy Symbolism Hollywood!

    Submitted by
    lynnejamneck (19 posts)
    on April 27, 2009 - 12:20am.

    I blogged about switching an old, innocent blonde Nancy with goth-cool Nancy, and the symbolic repercussions there of at my blog; direct link to blogpost:

    http://lynnejamneckdiaries.blogspot.com/2009/04/remake-report.html

    Any thoughts?

    Lynne Jamneck

    Writer/Editor

    http://lynnejamneckdiaries.blogspot.com/


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