Top 10 Nightmare On Elm Street/Friday The 13th Films
For a millennial, are there two horror icons who have been connected and compared more than Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees? The arguments growing up were about who was scarier or what movies were better. I remember a kid at school said Freddy’s glove appears at the end of JASON GOES TO HELL: THE FINAL FRIDAY (1993). I thought it was made up, but then a couple years later I caught the end of the movie TV and holy shit it was true. Since then, it was rumored for years there would be a movie pitting the two against each other, and it finally happened in 2003 with FREDDY VS. JASON. I was there opening night with family who I dragged to see it.
The two franchises have been a huge part of my upbringing and started my fascination with horror movies. The street next to me growing up was Elm Street, so my cousins told me that Freddy Krueger was real. Recognizing the letters of the street name, I thought it was true. They even showed me the original NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (1984) on HBO when I was about 4 years old. I survived. Even as a teenager, I avoided going down that street to walk home. Also, one Halloween after coming back from trick-or-treating, my uncle jumped out behind a bush with a hockey mask on. I tried to laugh it off ( I was about 8 years old this time), but he remained in character, and I started screaming in terror. I survived.
The two franchises are synonymous with each other, so instead of ranking each Friday the 13th or A Nightmare on Elm Street film, let’s rank the top ten amongst the 20 films the two franchises share because they are forever linked.
10. FRIDAY THE 13TH, PART III (1982)
The one where Jason finally wears the hockey mask. It’s funny how such an iconic mask doesn’t even appear until the second sequel. Such an iconic sequence. The film picks up right where FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 2 (1981) left off, so you get to see how PART 2 ended. I would have placed PART 2 at #11 on my list because it’s a great slasher too. Both are directed by Steve Miner, who did an excellent job connecting the two films.
A couple of things stand out from PART III aside from the basic plot of young attractive people having sex and doing drugs by Crystal Lake. First, better kills than PART 2, and then the musical score, which includes disco! Composer Harry Manfredini is synonymous with the franchise and composed most of the Friday the 13TH films, but in this installment, he collaborates with another composer, Michael Zager, to create a spooky disco theme. Along with the new theme song, it was also theatrically released to be seen in 3D, so some scenes are blatantly shot to show the special effect. It doesn’t always work, but then I saw the film in 3D a few years ago; it was campy but fun.
9. FRIDAY THE 13TH, PART VII: THE NEW BLOOD (1988)
My hot take is THE NEW BLOOD is underrated. It’s also the first Friday the 13TH I saw, so I have a soft spot for it. It is known that the film was heavily edited to tone down the violence. There are some suspenseful sequences and creative kills that you can tell should have been better. The “sleeping bag kill” is the one you must see for yourself. It’s disappointing we didn’t see the true vision of director John Carl Buechler. Recently, there have been rumors online that an original version of the film may exist. Fingers crossed!
This installment also introduces the first Jason Voorhees performance played by legendary stuntman Kane Hodder. He brought a menacing, more physical presence to the role as compared to previous performances of the character. Something about his head tilts and shoulders always gave him distinctive characteristics that stood out. Also, the look of Jason, which is a rotting zombie-Frankenstein look, is to me the scariest version of the character. Only THE NEW BLOOD is where his talents match the direction of the film. Despite his enthusiasm for the character, the franchise went downhill from here despite his great performances.
THE NEW BLOOD is also the one known as “Jason vs. Carrie” as he faces off against a teenage girl named Tina (Lar Park Lincoln) who has telekinetic abilities. The climax when they face off includes some phenomenal stunt work, but their fight doesn’t compare to Jason’s future opponent in…
8. FREDDY VS. JASON (2003)
The one film that finally had them meet! Unfortunately, Kane Hodder is not in this installment, but to this day it is Robert Englund’s final theatrical performance of Freddy. He delivers, and Freddy’s monologue at the beginning of the film still gives me goosebumps.
The film met the hype surrounding it that summer of 2003. It was surreal watching these two monsters not just appear together but face off. Director Ronny Yu had the impossible task of trying to make all fans happy, but he mostly delivered. It is more of a continuation of the previous A Nightmare on Elm Street installments, which never bothered me, but if you are a fan of Jason, you may be a little disappointed.
Not to say this film has its flaws; there is some lame CGI and some very questionable choices of dialogue. Also, I was a little disappointed in Yu’s version of Jason compared to what Hodder accomplished. Nonetheless, the film delivers what is promised, which is a messy, bloody, violent, and final confrontation years in the making.
7. WES CRAVEN’S NEW NIGHTMARE (1994)
The one where Freddy Krueger invades the real world. Well, sort of. For some casual fans, this installment is often overlooked, but it is one of the best in the franchise. Heather Langenkamp, the actress who played Nancy Thompson in the earlier films, is terrorized by “Freddy,” who she believes is not just in the movies anymore. A meta take on the franchise that brought back the original A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (1984) writer/director Wes Craven. It’s an original take I wish more horror franchises would swing for and a precursor to Craven’s other popular franchise—Scream. I’ve always pushed others to watch this installment and championed it before, and you can read more of my thoughts here.
6. FRIDAY THE 13TH (1980)
The one that started it all. The first installment could have been just a HALLOWEEN (1978) ripoff. But it stands alone as a tension-filled “whodunit.” It popularized the premise in many later slashers of being out in the woods camping, not knowing that someone is watching and stalking you. The film is much more atmospheric with the camp setting and beautiful shots of the forest and Camp Crystal Lake. The cinematography is very underrated, and I don’t think director Sean Cunningham gets enough credit for creating his own take on a slasher. Legendary special effects artist Tom Savini delivers iconic kills that hold up today. For me, being out in the woods has always scared me more than a killer in suburbia. Something about being far away from people and not knowing what’s out there has always gotten under my skin.
I learned when I was a kid that Jason isn’t the killer in the original, so I kind of knew what to expect. However, even when I first saw it, I was shocked by the introduction of his mother: Pamela Voorhees, played by Betsy Palmer. The highlight of the film arguably has the best jump scare of both franchises, even HALLOWEEN (1978) could not match.
5. FRIDAY THE 13TH: THE FINAL CHAPTER (1984)
For many fans, THE FINAL CHAPTER is the quintessential Jason movie and probably the most memorable. I mostly agree, as this installment has all the best parts of the previous chapters amplified. The kills, the plot, the suspense, and Jason are scarier than ever. Director Joseph Zito delivers what could have been a great send-off for Jason, and the creative team brought back Tom Savini for the special effects, so every kill is as good as ever.
The key component of why THE FINAL CHAPTER is so memorable is the introduction of 12-year-old Tommy Jarvis, played by Corey Feldman. He was a great child actor. Unlike the other installments that just have teenagers partying on Crystal Lake, we have the Jarvis family next door. A good change to the typical slasher formula that creates better suspense because you care for this kid and his family.
There are just so many iconic scenes, but one that is so hilariously random is the dance scene by actor Crispin Glover, who plays one of the teenagers named Jimmy. Glover would, of course, later be known as George McFly in BACK TO THE FUTURE (1985), but it is such a bizarre scene that it makes THE FINAL CHAPTER more unique with a little bit more humor than the previous films. He stands out so much from the entire cast. It’s not common for a franchise to stay fresh with a fourth installment, but that can be true, which leads me to..
4. A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 4: THE DREAM MASTER (1988)
Robert Englund at the peak of his powers portraying Freddy Krueger. DREAM MASTER may not be the scariest chapter of Nightmare on Elm Street, but arguably one of the most creative. Director Renny Harlin delivered an MTV-style blockbuster. Some may disagree with this approach, but I do not. The film has so many creative kills that get overlooked compared to earlier installments, with great one-liners such as “How’s this for a wet dream!” “Wanna suck face?” or “Rick, you little meatball!” It also features the most disgusting and most creative kill by Freddy featuring a “roach motel.” The use of practical effects in this movie is amazing for a slasher, considering how fast these movies were made.
Nancy Thompson will always be known as the “final girl’ of this franchise, but Alice Johnson, played by Lisa Wilcox, should not be overlooked. She has a great character arc, and then goes toe to toe with the “bastard son of a hundred maniacs”. I’ve always loved her showdown with Freddy. I remember watching it with my family on TV (edited down, unfortunately), glued to the screen of how the hell she was going to kill Freddy. The climax is almost like a scene out of a Mortal Kombat video game when you face the final boss. For some, this is when the franchise went downhill because it got too campy, but I disagree.
3. FRIDAY THE 13TH, PART VI: JASON LIVES (1986)
My favorite and the best Friday the 13th film. Controversial take? Maybe, but it is the best version of why a “slasher” is so fun to watch. What it lacks in gratuitous sex and drugs from THE FINAL CHAPTER, it makes up for with comedy and great performances. Probably the most meta of the franchise, director Tom McLoughlin reinvented the approach to a slasher almost perfectly.
Jason is resurrected and unstoppable in an epic opening sequence, which sets the tone. This time, a camp of children is actually in danger (kids in peril always makes it better) with likeable camp counselors trying to save them. It also brings back Tommy Jarvis as an adult, played by Thom Matthews, so there is great continuity that rarely is done successfully in horror movies. Slashers don’t always have to be so serious, and JASON LIVES hits that balance perfectly as I heavily discussed before here.
2. A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 3: DREAM WARRIORS (1987)
“Welcome to primetime bitch!” With that quote, Freddy was cemented in cinema history in DREAM WARRIORS. The best sequel between both franchises and one of the most iconic horror movies of the 1980s. Just like JASON LIVES, director Chuck Russel (who unfortunately recently passed away) creates a fresh take on the franchise as the teenagers are no longer being terrorized on Elm Street but in a psychiatric hospital.
We meet a wonderful cast of DREAM WARRIORS. They are funny, sympathetic, with distinguishable characteristics and backgrounds that make you emotionally connected. They are not just characters to be killed; you feel for each one's struggles. Nancy Thompson is reintroduced, and we learn more of Freddy’s backstory, giving this monster some creative but disturbing lore. Also, Freddy is portrayed as still menacing but with just the right amount of demented humor that makes the performance so iconic. Englund looks awesome in the makeup, and you can tell Russell let him own the character.
What makes the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise above most slashers is the inventive kills in the nightmares. In DREAM WARRIORS, Russell created the standard that each nightmare sequence would try to emulate in later sequels. DREAM WARRIORS is as close as you can get to being better than the original.
1. A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (1984)
The greatest horror film of the 1980s. Wes Craven created the most inventive horror story possibly ever. Not just a guy with a mask killing people, but someone who can only get you in your dreams. A mind-blowing, horrifying premise. If you saw this as a kid, you don’t really understand dreams or nightmares, so how can one not get freaked out by this premise? What is scarier than a child killer that gets you in your dreams, and as an adult, what is scarier than not being able to protect your kids in their dreams? It’s perfect. Having a nightmare of Freddy Krueger (which I did) feels as real as the movie.
Everything that Wes Craven puts on screen is phenomenal, and there is much to unpack; you can write a whole textbook on the layers of this film. The setting feels like your own if you grew up in the suburbs so kind of safe, but then the dream sequences look and feel really unnerving. The musical score by Charles Bernstein matches the tone and setting perfectly.
The feeling of absolute dread when I first saw the ambiguous ending had me terrified because I was used to movies having happy endings. Was it all a dream? Is Nancy Thompson just having another nightmare? It blew me away. It is so rewatchable; I always feel transported to the first time I watched it as a kid. The final shot of the little girls playing jump rope with the nursery rhyme still gives me goosebumps because we all know “1, 2,..Freddy’s coming for you.”
