A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET PART III: THE DREAM WARRIORS
A film review by Craig Good
Copyright 1987 Craig Good
One, two
Freddy's after you
Three, four
Better lock the door
Five, six
Get a crucifix
Seven, eight
Better stay up late
Nine, ten
Never sleep again
Yes, the inimitable Freddy Kroeger is back in NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET PART III: THE DREAM WARRIORS. In addition to the awkward title the latest nightmare from Wes Craven has a few flaws. The Girl from the first film is back, and can't act her way through wet tissue. But her acting is so bad that it begins to grow on you by the end of the film. The only other real problem is that the wires show once or twice too often.
End of bad news.
If you agree that the "Nightmare on Elm Street" series is the OUT OF AFRICA of slasher films, the CASABLANCA of dead teenager flicks, then you'll enjoy this trilogy-defining sequel. Besides learning more about Freddy's genealogy, physiology and ontogeny, we are treated to an almost endless stream of imaginative effects. I mean the practical effects and stop-motion animation are well executed and just plain fun. Freddy's incarnation as a television set (with an enjoyable cameo by Dick Cavett and Eva Gabor), and the tongue-spouting seductress, were particularly original. I was also impressed with the clay and skeletal animation.
Don't worry that it's formula. You should *enjoy* the formula. For THE DREAM WARRIORS they pull in almost every snatch of ghostie-ghoulie lore in moviedom except thunderstorms and oak stakes. Bad acting, stilted dialogue, shaky plot and all it's still worth seeing, especially in a big room full of screaming adolescent females. The person I saw it with liked it better than Part II, while I think I liked Part II just a little more. That should give you a pretty good idea where it rates.
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--Craig
...{ucbvax,sun}!pixar!good
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