Episode #10: Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare
Updated: May 9, 2021
Listen to Episode 10 of the Podcast here while you enjoy the show notes.
SUMMARY - Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare takes place 10 years after the events of the previous movie. All the kids and many adults of Springwood Ohio are now dead and gone, except for one surviving teenager. Freddy is constantly tormenting him, but keeps him alive. This teen, who has amnesia, is able to escape to a new city where he ends up in a shelter for teens and rests his hopes on the therapists to set him free.
Screenplay by Michael De Luca; Directed by Rachel Talalay and released on Friday the 13th of September, 1991.
FILM DISCUSSION
We discuss the merits of the movie in context of the full series (since we watched all the previous 5 "Elm Street" movies), and as a stand alone. Clearly, Freddy Kruger is a cartoon character at this point.
His job is just to deliver terrible one-liners as the death scenes become less creative and less memorable.
A lot of the effects are sub-par as well. This ear parasite was the best of the bunch.
But most of the time, it's lower effort, lower thought stuff in drawn out sequences like this "video game" death.
Plenty of cameos were wedged in
Generally speaking, the acting in this movie was far and away the best seen in the series by far.
The big gimmick, of course, was the 3D utilized in the last act. Evidently the theatrical cut was longer and New Line never made certain scenes available in home video ever again.
We didn't get to see the movie in 3D, but can clearly tell where the effects would have paid off and would have been a bit more fun.
Awards Talk - At the Fangoria Chainsaw Awards, the movie won Worst Film. But it was also nominated for Best Studio/Big-Budget Film.
Lezlie Deane was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress
In what I think is our first Razzie, we have a nomination for Worst Original Song - Iggy Pop “Why Was I Born (Freddy’s Dead)”
TRUE CRIME & POP CULTURE
This week, there was one bit of true crime we could tie to the movie, but we didn't go too in depth on it. You can read more here:
https://www.cinemablend.com/new/Nightmare-Elm-Street-Was-Inspired-By-Horrific-True-Story-67798.html
Jon contributes to the pop culture discussion
Picture found at
This was the first New Line 3-D movie. The glasses that were given out had an ad for "House Party 2" on the side, which is a movie we'll cover on the podcast down the line.
We discussed that there was a comic adaptation, but the company went bankrupt before the 3rd issue. Supposedly, it was never produced, but it does appear copies exist - https://www.mycomicshop.com/search?TID=417611
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince released "A Nightmare on My Street" back in 1988 as part of the "He’s the DJ, I’m the Rapper" album.
The NES game released in Oct 1989 as well. It has some fans amongst the gaming community but it also has an AVGN episode.
Nikki provides some additional tidbits about the film, in part thanks to this source.
We don't always talk about sports, but on this day, Joe Carter became the first baseball player to have consecutive 100 RBI seasons with three different teams (Indians, Padres, Blue Jays). Here's his 1991 Fleer Update card courtesy of Trading Card Database - https://www.tcdb.com/
On to music, the top songs of the week were:
Top #1 US Song - Paula Abdul, Promise of a New Day - A Different Paula Abdul song makes an appearance.
Top #1 UK Song - Bryan Adams, Everything I Do, I Do it For You - The same song as always shows up.
Top #1 R&B Song - Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam, Let the Beat Hit Em - Another new one for us
This week, despite it being Friday the 13th, ABC did not get spooky. They mostly had reruns, aside from a TGIF Comedy Special hosted by Melanie Wilson of Perfect Strangers
http://www.tvtango.com/listings/1991/09/13
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7938712/
RANKINGS & RATINGS
Nikki 1-5 star scale - 1 out of 5
Jon 0-4 star scale - 1 out of 4
Would you watch it again? - If we were in a theater with other people, or better yet if we could see it with the original 3D, then yes. Otherwise, we'd easily choose the earlier Elm Street movies.
If you want to watch Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare, as of this recording in April 2021, it’s available on HBO Max, Digital Rental, VHS, DVD. Check your local listings
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