A Nightmare on Elm Street IV: The Dream Master *** (1988, Robert Englund, Lisa Wilcox, Rodney Eastman, John Beckman) – Classic Movie Review 5925

Robert Englund is back for a fourth time as fiendish pizza-face monster Freddy Krueger to torment the teenagers of Elm Street and take on his teenage arch-enemy Dream Master Alice Johnson (Lisa Wilcox), who has inherited the mantle of Kristen (Tuesday Knight).

Director Renny Harlin gives the fans more of the same – the film is virtually a remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) – but the budget is bigger and there is more room for spectacular special effects.

This 1988 third sequel is very horrible indeed, especially in the uncensored version, but the strong story (by William Kotzwinkle, and Brian Helgeland) in the screenplay by Helgeland, Jim Wheat and Ken Wheat [both credited as Scott Pierce], Harlin’s inventive direction and the touches of black humour add up to a stylish and scary movie for those who can take it.

On release, it was the highest grossing independent film of all time, costing $13 million and taking just under $50 million in the US.

Also in the cast are Rodney Eastman, Danny Hassel, Andras Jones, Toy Newkirk, Nicholas Mele, Robert Shaye, Jacquelyn Masche, Ken Sagoes, Brooke Bundy, and Brook Theiss.

The director has a cameo as Student in Classroom.

The run time is 93 minutes, with 99 minutes on DVD.

It follows A Nightmare on Elm Street, A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy’s Revenge and A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child followed in 1989.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5925

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