Opened: November 9, 1984

Directed by: Wes Craven

Starring: Heather Langenkamp, John Saxon, Robert Englund, Johnny Depp, Ronee Blakely, Amanda Wyss, Jsu Garcia, Leslie Hoffman, Joseph Whipp, Charles Fleischer & Lin Shaye

Closing in on 40 years since being released, A Nightmare on Elm Street is one of those perfect ‘80s horror films with an iconic villain and terrifying deaths.

Nancy Thompson (Heather Langenkamp) and her friend Tina Gray (Amanda Wyss) both have dreams about a burnt man who wears gloves with razor fingers. As Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) haunts them in their sleep and gets closer to touching them, his presence in the real world becomes larger.

The film’s teen cast – including a notable first performance from Johnny Depp as Nancy’s boyfriend Glen – is believable and play up the horror. Englund’s Krueger will be seared into your head and will make you jump in several moments.

Like any older horror film, the scares aren’t top notch, but its classic status will keep you invested.

Final say: It’ll still give you nightmares. ★★★★☆