Welcome to the first Nightmare On Elm Street Roundtable discussion!
A Roundtable discussion contains questions and answers relevant to a certain subject, in this case the Nightmare series and its tie-ins. This discussion features the webmasters and affiliates of the most prominent Nightmare related websites giving their opinions about the current state of the series. The questions presented are listed below, along with each webmaster's response. As with any Roundtable discussion, the opinions given are those of the individual and do not reflect the opinions of New Line Cinema Corporation.
Roundtable Discussion Date: Friday, May 5th 2006.
Acting Moderator: Jon (SnakeV)
- The Participants -
Jed (www.noes.aimoo.com)
Sven (www.nightmareonelmstreet.de)
Will (www.nightmareonelmstreetfilms.com)
Matt (www.lairofhorror.com)
Jason (www.anightmareonelmstreet.net)
________________
A Roundtable discussion contains questions and answers relevant to a certain subject, in this case the Nightmare series and its tie-ins. This discussion features the webmasters and affiliates of the most prominent Nightmare related websites giving their opinions about the current state of the series. The questions presented are listed below, along with each webmaster's response. As with any Roundtable discussion, the opinions given are those of the individual and do not reflect the opinions of New Line Cinema Corporation.
Roundtable Discussion Date: Friday, May 5th 2006.
Acting Moderator: Jon (SnakeV)
- The Participants -
Jed (www.noes.aimoo.com)
Sven (www.nightmareonelmstreet.de)
Will (www.nightmareonelmstreetfilms.com)
Matt (www.lairofhorror.com)
Jason (www.anightmareonelmstreet.net)
________________
- A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET : ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION -
Give everyone a brief history of your website or affiliation.
Jed: How I became affiliated with the Nightmare Companion website was by trying to find a particular MP3 or some other file while doing a Google Search. Some time after that I decided to join the forum and to participate in the discussions on the forum which then eventually led to a Moderator for the forum, which I log on the forum almost every day. With some newbies (new members), I usually check their profile and see how many posts they made and to check if their posts are either two sentences or more.
Sven: The idea for my website was born in 2001. I started with some (bad) tryouts but with the lack of time it didn't work out. Between 2001 and 2004 I was collecting a lot of NOES stuff and the idea of the website was still in my head. Finally in spring 2004 I started it once again and I finished it. The website received good hits but after I did a makeover in 2005 it really kicked in. I'm planning on another facelift later on this year, but the time is still an issue.
Will: I began my website in 2002 as a companion to the Nightmare Encyclopedia, focusing on what the DVD didn't cover. Which was a lot actually. Considering Freddy vs. Jason would be released a year later, this would prove to be incredibly good timing. The site has become more balanced over the years too, covering most aspects of the series. A lot of material listed on the website has been submitted by fans, wanting to ensure the site is complete as possible. Also, I have gotten to meet with many individuals involved with the Nightmare series and this has allowed for a direct conduit to fans - which is severely lacking with New Line's website.
Matt: The Lair of Horror goes way back to 1999 when I first learned how to write HTML. At the time, there weren't any good horror movie websites out there, so myself, along with my best friend AJ, decided we could do a way better job than anything out there, so we launched Friday the 13th: Jason's Lair. It evolved the next year or so, then hit it big with our original novel "Return to Crystal Lake", written by us in 2000. Thats where we got our fan base, and it subsequently led to us creating two new 'Lair' sites: Halloween: The Lair of Michael Myers (2001) and A Nightmare on Elm Street: Freddy's Lair (2002). Now, with novels on every site, we are booming unlike ever before, and it ultimately led to us getting our first .com, www.lairofhorror.com, in 2005, where all three sites are under one banner.
Jason: It all began when I actually visited the Nightmare house in Hollywood, CA. I think it was around Xmas time and the people who lived there had a Xmas tree on the front porch. I thought it was really cool, I was standing in front of the actual Freddy house. So, I decided I was going to buy the DVD box set. And I did. After watching all 7 films, I really wanted to do something on the computer to express my appreciation of this film series. So, I started to mess around with MS Frontpage, adding pictures, text, sounds, etc. Then I thought, "Hey, what if I started a NOES website?" So, I did. And it started as a little fan website with 2-3 pages. In about 2.5 years, I think it has grown to a full fledged website! Tons of info, great sounds, creepy pictures, and so on. I have to say I'm proud of the site and all the other major ANOES websites out there that also inspired me to do this. If it wasn't for them, I would have never went through with it. So thank you everyone for keeping this series alive through the power of the internet.
What drew you to the Nightmare series? Do you have a favorite film?
Jed: What drew me to the Nightmare series was I think I saw one of the Nightmare films in the theater and almost constantly rented the original A Nightmare on Elm Street movie from my local video rental store. After that, I became a fan and left the series for a little while until a best friend who also liked the series and we would rent all of the movies, which there were six of them at the time, then had a marathon of the series. After my best friend reintroduced me to the series I became a fan again then started collecting everything Nightmare related from books to VHS/DVDs. I cannot say I have a favorite because I have two of them that are a tie and they are the original A Nightmare on Elm Street and A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors.
Sven: A good friend of mine showed me the original when I was about 14 or 15 years old. I was so fascinated and I started to watch and to love them all. I have no specific favorite, but I really like Part 3.
Will: I would say it's a toss up between the first film and New Nightmare. Both are exceptional. I remember the first film's release in 1984, and I viewed it at a party in 1985 when it was released to home video. I was only 6 at the time, but I was entranced by the movie. It was scary and very "neat". As I grew older, seeing the Nightmare sequels became a priority. I've always been drawn to the concept, the characters, and established mythos - it's very smart and imaginative.
Matt: The original Nightmare was what really did it for me. At the time I got into Freddy, I was extremely into Friday the 13th. There were many parallels between Freddy and Jason at the time, so I figured I would see what the buzz was about. What made A Nightmare on Elm Street special was how different it was. The whole aspect of a killer getting you in your dreams did so much more than your typical slasher in the woods movie. It meant you had to be smart to survive, as Nancy showed.
Jason: I've always been fascinated with Freddy Krueger, since childhood. The whole dream demon thing is brilliant. I've always loved the original. My personal favorite are 1,2,3 because they are the darkest and most scary to me. Some people may disagree. I think they're great, yes, even Part 2.
Thoughts about the rumored prequel film: Good or Bad, why?
Jed: My thoughts on the rumored prequel film would be good, because we get to see at least more detail of events that would lead up to 1984's A Nightmare on Elm Street movie. For this we would get to see a pre-burnt Freddy through-out the movie/film and Robert Englund would not have to get up at either 3am or 4am to be in the make-up chair at 5am and he would have to get up when the other actors do.
Sven: I like the idea of the origin of the springwood slasher. I made up my mind bout that myself and I think there is so much to tell and to reveal. I hope they don't screw it up.
Will: I would say bad to just a prequel film. If New Line decides to go forward with the project, I would suggest a hybrid of prequel/sequel. The viewing audience is there to see characters being threatened by a villain who haunts their dreams. If you remove this element, you don't have A Nightmare On Elm Street. Freddy's Dead dug heavily into Freddy's past, so it would have to be a story worth telling if they proceed. I think only with a hybrid approach will they make fans and the general audience happy.
Matt: Eh, kinda neutral. Both good and bad could be said about it, but if they do it, they better do it right. They should go back to the original Elm Street killings, when Freddy Krueger earned his reputation as the Springwood Slasher. It would be very interesting to get more of Fred Krueger the man before he became a monster.
Jason: I think a prequel would be a great idea, I would love to see the life of Freddy Krueger as he becomes what we all know him as. I think it would be very interesting.
Should a Freddy vs. Jason sequel be made? Why or why not?
Jed: I think a Freddy vs. Jason sequel should be made because to at least continue the Freddy vs. Jason part of both franchises. In the sequel I would like to see another horror icon to make an appearance and to reintroduce that horror icon again after some time since the last movie. I would like to see either Ash (Bruce Campbell) or Michael Myers to be included but I doubt that will happen due to the franchise rights to each of those two series.
Sven: We all love sequels, right?!? FvJ was funny, but not as good as the old stuff. But I wouldn't mind to have a sequel. Hopefully not with Lori and Will!
Will: Absolutely not! The original idea was fine, as it tied very heavily with both characters pasts. If they continue the trend, it will just water down the idea making it into a joke. Universal learned from this with the old Monster movies, so New Line should be taking notes on the subject.
Matt: Only if they do it right. A prime example would be a complete opposite of the first film. Instead of Jason killing kids in Springwood before Freddy could get them in their dreams, why not have Freddy killing kids at Crystal Lake in their dreams before Jason can get them in their cabins? Just a thought, considering the last one ended at Crystal Lake. It wouldn't be hard to pick up. Oh, and bringing Kane Hodder back would be GREAT.
Jason: I don't think there should be a FVJ 2, there's nothing there. What would it be about? Same thing. Freddy accomplished what he wanted to do with Jason already. No need to bring him back. Another Freddy sequel is always welcome!
If New Line Cinema continues the series, there's a good chance that another actor would be tapped to replace Robert Englund. Is this a good move?
Jed: If New Line Cinema decides to continue the series, I would not like to another actor to play Freddy Krueger because I think the actor would be either too tall or too short and make Freddy look odd. I do not think it would be a wise move at all for another actor to replace Robert Englund because they would not have the right type of face like what Robert Englund does.
Sven: At one point they will replace Robert, but I guess it wouldn't be a success anymore.
Will: I would say 'no'. Robert is the character. When Robert retires, so should the series. If there was ever a case of an actor owning a role - then this is it.
Matt: Not a good move at all. Robert Englund grew into the character of Fred Krueger, and no other actor can lace his boots. The same thing happened with Jason, after Kane Hodder more or less became Jason. After they replaced him with Ken Kirzinger, the difference was evident. And even when they used stunt doubles for Robert Englund in the film series, the differences were so obvious.
Jason: Absolutely not! Robert Englund IS Freddy Krueger. No one can ever capture Robert's essence and passion for his character.
Does New Line need to invest in a reboot of the series, ala Texas Chainsaw Massacre?
Jed: I think New Line should reboot the series like they did with TCM, but to do it right not like what happened in the 1980's release 5 movies within a 10 year period. A wise move would be making one movie now (using the year 2006 as an example), then make another one either in 2009 or 2010. This is like what another studio (Paramount Pictures), started doing with the feature film part of the Star Trek franchise make one about every 2-4 years.
Sven: I don't think so, but if they can make money out of it they would definitely do it.
Will: This is a tough question, because I'm not a fan of the general remake or reboot. As long as they stayed true to the themes and mythos, I guess a remake could work. Does this mean they should? No, as I don't think it's really needed at this time.
Matt: No, I don't think a reboot of the series is the answer. The movies were classics in themselves, and any remake would be disastrous. If anything, they should do a prequel, then get on with the series.
Jason: Not at all. Come on, this movie is only 22 years old. What, is there like a rule saying a horror movie has to be re-made if its over 20 years? Come on! This is one series that does not need to be remade. Just re-release the originals in theatres! They don't wanna do that anymore.
In the early 1990's, there were numerous Nightmare related comic books available to fans. Avatar Press began releasing a new series in 2005. Do you think comic licensing helps or hurts the series, why?
Jed: I think comic licensing helps the series by bridging a gap between two movies like what another comic book publisher did kind of between A Nightmare on Elm Street 5 The Dream Child and Freddy's Dead The Final Nightmare. Comic licensing will also introduce more possible fans to the franchise too.
Sven: I like the Nightmare Comics, they are mostly crap but entertaining. I wouldn't say it hurts the series but I would say it keeps it alive.
Will: I love the licensing tie-ins New Line uses. As long as the presented story doesn't interfere with the established mythos, there really isn't a problem. I think the more attention you bring to the series, the better - as long as it's the good kind. The Nightmare series is very comic book-like in its presentation anyway, so this different medium approach isn't that much of a stretch. New Line does need to stay on top of it though, as they are doing with Avatar's current series.
Matt: It can only help. Any exposure at all is great at this point, especially for younger fans who didn't have the opportunity to grow up with the films like most of us did.
Jason: Um, I never got into the ANOES comics, but they're cool though.
Also in 2005, Black Flame began releasing original novels based on the Nightmare series. Aimed at mature readers, these stories continue the Nightmare mythos. Does Black Flame do a good job of representing the series? What can they do better?
Jed: I think Black Flame does an excellent job at representing the series to give fans the ability to use their minds to visualize what the book will look like in movie form. I do not think there is anything they can do better, but I would like them to re-release book versions of the past 7 movies, but I don't think it will happen due to the previous publishers' rights.
Sven: I like some of the books and the ideas are not too bad. I think they overact with Freddy being Funny and they're trying every possible one liner. It gets boring after a while. I would like to have a darker Freddy and not too funny!
Will: I've been very torn on the Black Flame novels. I like the fact that they are geared toward mature readers and have a full novel length. Some stories on the other hand leave much to be desired. I don't think Dreamspawn should have ever seen print, as it's a poorly executed story with many elements not recognizable for a Nightmare based novel. These novels must clear the channels at New Line before they go to print, so it's a surprise to me that Dreamspawn made it. I would suggest to future authors that they if stay true to the mythos and setup of the series, they won't go wrong. Suffer The Children and Protégé are really the highlights so far, so we'll see what the future brings.
Matt: I've read them all so far, and believe me, they are ruining the series. They put Freddy in situations he would never be in, and have him doing things he would never do. That's just not Freddy to me. Freddy is the demented slasher stalking children in his boiler room. Freddy is NOT a body-jumper looking to have sex like some horny teenager. That's just one example, and I comment on this a lot on my reviews of the novels on lairofhorror.com, but I really think Black Flame is the worst thing to ever happen to the Freddy series. (And the Jason series, too, for that matter).
Jason: I don't know who Black Flame is, or their books, so I couldn't tell ya.
In October 2006, a special edition of A Nightmare On Elm Street is being released on DVD. What are your thoughts?
Jed: My thoughts on this special edition of ANOES on DVD are good and hope to see what it may look like. I was very happy to contribute to the merchandise part of the documentary, but until I learned that Will's, the website and my name were not going to be included in the credits. Only two things made me P.O.ed were the name not being included and the blades on my Nightmare Horror Globe broke off.
Sven: I'm looking forward to it but is there anything more than what is on the Anchor Bay Limited Collector's Edition?
Will: I'm always a fan of Anniversary releases as long as they add something new. I had the privilege of helping with the production of this release - though the finished product will not have a credit attributed. For inclusion, I pushed for the deleted scenes and outtake footage, along with some fan questions for Wes Craven & Bob Shaye. The website was used to create the new Trivia feature and my personal collection of merchandise (along with Jed's) should be featured on a new Documentary. I haven't seen a finished cut of the new Documentary, nor the features, so I cannot say for sure what will end up being included. New Line has the rough "package" and they'll make the changes they feel are needed.
Matt: If they truly make this a special edition, packed with stuff we never saw before (like deleted scenes, behind the scenes footage, more trailers, etc), then great. I am all for it. However, if they just simply repackage the DVD they already have and cannot beat the contents of the 1999 box set, then they should stay away from it.
Jason: I dont know why they're releasing a special edition. We all already have the box set with the nightmare encyclopedia, with a crap load of extras. If there are no new extras, or if it's not an extended cut, then I don't see the point.
If you were in control of the Nightmare series, how would you continue it?
Jed: If I were in control of the series I would release a movie about every 3-6 years depending on how the previous movie did in Box Office, Rentals and DVD buy rates. How I would continue it going to the roots of how each movie was done and not using CGI at all in it.
Sven: I would like to bring back the survivors and it would be fun if some of his victims revenge their deaths in the dream world.
Will: I think I would make one more movie, having it end the series. Wes Craven did an outstanding job of ending his involvement with an original and definitive concept. New Nightmare can be a bookend no matter what is done with the original mythos. Having a true ending to the original "universe" would be terrific, so I think that's where I'd focus my energies. I think I'd like to see the comic/novel tie-ins continue too, as long as they stay true to the series.
Matt: I personally would convert my two Nightmare novels into movies. For any of you who may have read 'The Springwood Slasher' and its sequel 'Westin Hills', you may agree that its good to get Freddy back to doing what he does best. I am not giving a self-plug here, but in short, I would simply recapture the originality exhibited in the first, third and fourth films and get away from the less realistic 2nd, 5th, and 6th films.
Jason: I would have Freddy come back through Will or Lori, and waste em! Then, start going after Loris "new friends". Then somehow, Freddy would find his daughter again, and try to come back through her again. Somethin like that would be cool.
Jed: How I became affiliated with the Nightmare Companion website was by trying to find a particular MP3 or some other file while doing a Google Search. Some time after that I decided to join the forum and to participate in the discussions on the forum which then eventually led to a Moderator for the forum, which I log on the forum almost every day. With some newbies (new members), I usually check their profile and see how many posts they made and to check if their posts are either two sentences or more.
Sven: The idea for my website was born in 2001. I started with some (bad) tryouts but with the lack of time it didn't work out. Between 2001 and 2004 I was collecting a lot of NOES stuff and the idea of the website was still in my head. Finally in spring 2004 I started it once again and I finished it. The website received good hits but after I did a makeover in 2005 it really kicked in. I'm planning on another facelift later on this year, but the time is still an issue.
Will: I began my website in 2002 as a companion to the Nightmare Encyclopedia, focusing on what the DVD didn't cover. Which was a lot actually. Considering Freddy vs. Jason would be released a year later, this would prove to be incredibly good timing. The site has become more balanced over the years too, covering most aspects of the series. A lot of material listed on the website has been submitted by fans, wanting to ensure the site is complete as possible. Also, I have gotten to meet with many individuals involved with the Nightmare series and this has allowed for a direct conduit to fans - which is severely lacking with New Line's website.
Matt: The Lair of Horror goes way back to 1999 when I first learned how to write HTML. At the time, there weren't any good horror movie websites out there, so myself, along with my best friend AJ, decided we could do a way better job than anything out there, so we launched Friday the 13th: Jason's Lair. It evolved the next year or so, then hit it big with our original novel "Return to Crystal Lake", written by us in 2000. Thats where we got our fan base, and it subsequently led to us creating two new 'Lair' sites: Halloween: The Lair of Michael Myers (2001) and A Nightmare on Elm Street: Freddy's Lair (2002). Now, with novels on every site, we are booming unlike ever before, and it ultimately led to us getting our first .com, www.lairofhorror.com, in 2005, where all three sites are under one banner.
Jason: It all began when I actually visited the Nightmare house in Hollywood, CA. I think it was around Xmas time and the people who lived there had a Xmas tree on the front porch. I thought it was really cool, I was standing in front of the actual Freddy house. So, I decided I was going to buy the DVD box set. And I did. After watching all 7 films, I really wanted to do something on the computer to express my appreciation of this film series. So, I started to mess around with MS Frontpage, adding pictures, text, sounds, etc. Then I thought, "Hey, what if I started a NOES website?" So, I did. And it started as a little fan website with 2-3 pages. In about 2.5 years, I think it has grown to a full fledged website! Tons of info, great sounds, creepy pictures, and so on. I have to say I'm proud of the site and all the other major ANOES websites out there that also inspired me to do this. If it wasn't for them, I would have never went through with it. So thank you everyone for keeping this series alive through the power of the internet.
What drew you to the Nightmare series? Do you have a favorite film?
Jed: What drew me to the Nightmare series was I think I saw one of the Nightmare films in the theater and almost constantly rented the original A Nightmare on Elm Street movie from my local video rental store. After that, I became a fan and left the series for a little while until a best friend who also liked the series and we would rent all of the movies, which there were six of them at the time, then had a marathon of the series. After my best friend reintroduced me to the series I became a fan again then started collecting everything Nightmare related from books to VHS/DVDs. I cannot say I have a favorite because I have two of them that are a tie and they are the original A Nightmare on Elm Street and A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors.
Sven: A good friend of mine showed me the original when I was about 14 or 15 years old. I was so fascinated and I started to watch and to love them all. I have no specific favorite, but I really like Part 3.
Will: I would say it's a toss up between the first film and New Nightmare. Both are exceptional. I remember the first film's release in 1984, and I viewed it at a party in 1985 when it was released to home video. I was only 6 at the time, but I was entranced by the movie. It was scary and very "neat". As I grew older, seeing the Nightmare sequels became a priority. I've always been drawn to the concept, the characters, and established mythos - it's very smart and imaginative.
Matt: The original Nightmare was what really did it for me. At the time I got into Freddy, I was extremely into Friday the 13th. There were many parallels between Freddy and Jason at the time, so I figured I would see what the buzz was about. What made A Nightmare on Elm Street special was how different it was. The whole aspect of a killer getting you in your dreams did so much more than your typical slasher in the woods movie. It meant you had to be smart to survive, as Nancy showed.
Jason: I've always been fascinated with Freddy Krueger, since childhood. The whole dream demon thing is brilliant. I've always loved the original. My personal favorite are 1,2,3 because they are the darkest and most scary to me. Some people may disagree. I think they're great, yes, even Part 2.
Thoughts about the rumored prequel film: Good or Bad, why?
Jed: My thoughts on the rumored prequel film would be good, because we get to see at least more detail of events that would lead up to 1984's A Nightmare on Elm Street movie. For this we would get to see a pre-burnt Freddy through-out the movie/film and Robert Englund would not have to get up at either 3am or 4am to be in the make-up chair at 5am and he would have to get up when the other actors do.
Sven: I like the idea of the origin of the springwood slasher. I made up my mind bout that myself and I think there is so much to tell and to reveal. I hope they don't screw it up.
Will: I would say bad to just a prequel film. If New Line decides to go forward with the project, I would suggest a hybrid of prequel/sequel. The viewing audience is there to see characters being threatened by a villain who haunts their dreams. If you remove this element, you don't have A Nightmare On Elm Street. Freddy's Dead dug heavily into Freddy's past, so it would have to be a story worth telling if they proceed. I think only with a hybrid approach will they make fans and the general audience happy.
Matt: Eh, kinda neutral. Both good and bad could be said about it, but if they do it, they better do it right. They should go back to the original Elm Street killings, when Freddy Krueger earned his reputation as the Springwood Slasher. It would be very interesting to get more of Fred Krueger the man before he became a monster.
Jason: I think a prequel would be a great idea, I would love to see the life of Freddy Krueger as he becomes what we all know him as. I think it would be very interesting.
Should a Freddy vs. Jason sequel be made? Why or why not?
Jed: I think a Freddy vs. Jason sequel should be made because to at least continue the Freddy vs. Jason part of both franchises. In the sequel I would like to see another horror icon to make an appearance and to reintroduce that horror icon again after some time since the last movie. I would like to see either Ash (Bruce Campbell) or Michael Myers to be included but I doubt that will happen due to the franchise rights to each of those two series.
Sven: We all love sequels, right?!? FvJ was funny, but not as good as the old stuff. But I wouldn't mind to have a sequel. Hopefully not with Lori and Will!
Will: Absolutely not! The original idea was fine, as it tied very heavily with both characters pasts. If they continue the trend, it will just water down the idea making it into a joke. Universal learned from this with the old Monster movies, so New Line should be taking notes on the subject.
Matt: Only if they do it right. A prime example would be a complete opposite of the first film. Instead of Jason killing kids in Springwood before Freddy could get them in their dreams, why not have Freddy killing kids at Crystal Lake in their dreams before Jason can get them in their cabins? Just a thought, considering the last one ended at Crystal Lake. It wouldn't be hard to pick up. Oh, and bringing Kane Hodder back would be GREAT.
Jason: I don't think there should be a FVJ 2, there's nothing there. What would it be about? Same thing. Freddy accomplished what he wanted to do with Jason already. No need to bring him back. Another Freddy sequel is always welcome!
If New Line Cinema continues the series, there's a good chance that another actor would be tapped to replace Robert Englund. Is this a good move?
Jed: If New Line Cinema decides to continue the series, I would not like to another actor to play Freddy Krueger because I think the actor would be either too tall or too short and make Freddy look odd. I do not think it would be a wise move at all for another actor to replace Robert Englund because they would not have the right type of face like what Robert Englund does.
Sven: At one point they will replace Robert, but I guess it wouldn't be a success anymore.
Will: I would say 'no'. Robert is the character. When Robert retires, so should the series. If there was ever a case of an actor owning a role - then this is it.
Matt: Not a good move at all. Robert Englund grew into the character of Fred Krueger, and no other actor can lace his boots. The same thing happened with Jason, after Kane Hodder more or less became Jason. After they replaced him with Ken Kirzinger, the difference was evident. And even when they used stunt doubles for Robert Englund in the film series, the differences were so obvious.
Jason: Absolutely not! Robert Englund IS Freddy Krueger. No one can ever capture Robert's essence and passion for his character.
Does New Line need to invest in a reboot of the series, ala Texas Chainsaw Massacre?
Jed: I think New Line should reboot the series like they did with TCM, but to do it right not like what happened in the 1980's release 5 movies within a 10 year period. A wise move would be making one movie now (using the year 2006 as an example), then make another one either in 2009 or 2010. This is like what another studio (Paramount Pictures), started doing with the feature film part of the Star Trek franchise make one about every 2-4 years.
Sven: I don't think so, but if they can make money out of it they would definitely do it.
Will: This is a tough question, because I'm not a fan of the general remake or reboot. As long as they stayed true to the themes and mythos, I guess a remake could work. Does this mean they should? No, as I don't think it's really needed at this time.
Matt: No, I don't think a reboot of the series is the answer. The movies were classics in themselves, and any remake would be disastrous. If anything, they should do a prequel, then get on with the series.
Jason: Not at all. Come on, this movie is only 22 years old. What, is there like a rule saying a horror movie has to be re-made if its over 20 years? Come on! This is one series that does not need to be remade. Just re-release the originals in theatres! They don't wanna do that anymore.
In the early 1990's, there were numerous Nightmare related comic books available to fans. Avatar Press began releasing a new series in 2005. Do you think comic licensing helps or hurts the series, why?
Jed: I think comic licensing helps the series by bridging a gap between two movies like what another comic book publisher did kind of between A Nightmare on Elm Street 5 The Dream Child and Freddy's Dead The Final Nightmare. Comic licensing will also introduce more possible fans to the franchise too.
Sven: I like the Nightmare Comics, they are mostly crap but entertaining. I wouldn't say it hurts the series but I would say it keeps it alive.
Will: I love the licensing tie-ins New Line uses. As long as the presented story doesn't interfere with the established mythos, there really isn't a problem. I think the more attention you bring to the series, the better - as long as it's the good kind. The Nightmare series is very comic book-like in its presentation anyway, so this different medium approach isn't that much of a stretch. New Line does need to stay on top of it though, as they are doing with Avatar's current series.
Matt: It can only help. Any exposure at all is great at this point, especially for younger fans who didn't have the opportunity to grow up with the films like most of us did.
Jason: Um, I never got into the ANOES comics, but they're cool though.
Also in 2005, Black Flame began releasing original novels based on the Nightmare series. Aimed at mature readers, these stories continue the Nightmare mythos. Does Black Flame do a good job of representing the series? What can they do better?
Jed: I think Black Flame does an excellent job at representing the series to give fans the ability to use their minds to visualize what the book will look like in movie form. I do not think there is anything they can do better, but I would like them to re-release book versions of the past 7 movies, but I don't think it will happen due to the previous publishers' rights.
Sven: I like some of the books and the ideas are not too bad. I think they overact with Freddy being Funny and they're trying every possible one liner. It gets boring after a while. I would like to have a darker Freddy and not too funny!
Will: I've been very torn on the Black Flame novels. I like the fact that they are geared toward mature readers and have a full novel length. Some stories on the other hand leave much to be desired. I don't think Dreamspawn should have ever seen print, as it's a poorly executed story with many elements not recognizable for a Nightmare based novel. These novels must clear the channels at New Line before they go to print, so it's a surprise to me that Dreamspawn made it. I would suggest to future authors that they if stay true to the mythos and setup of the series, they won't go wrong. Suffer The Children and Protégé are really the highlights so far, so we'll see what the future brings.
Matt: I've read them all so far, and believe me, they are ruining the series. They put Freddy in situations he would never be in, and have him doing things he would never do. That's just not Freddy to me. Freddy is the demented slasher stalking children in his boiler room. Freddy is NOT a body-jumper looking to have sex like some horny teenager. That's just one example, and I comment on this a lot on my reviews of the novels on lairofhorror.com, but I really think Black Flame is the worst thing to ever happen to the Freddy series. (And the Jason series, too, for that matter).
Jason: I don't know who Black Flame is, or their books, so I couldn't tell ya.
In October 2006, a special edition of A Nightmare On Elm Street is being released on DVD. What are your thoughts?
Jed: My thoughts on this special edition of ANOES on DVD are good and hope to see what it may look like. I was very happy to contribute to the merchandise part of the documentary, but until I learned that Will's, the website and my name were not going to be included in the credits. Only two things made me P.O.ed were the name not being included and the blades on my Nightmare Horror Globe broke off.
Sven: I'm looking forward to it but is there anything more than what is on the Anchor Bay Limited Collector's Edition?
Will: I'm always a fan of Anniversary releases as long as they add something new. I had the privilege of helping with the production of this release - though the finished product will not have a credit attributed. For inclusion, I pushed for the deleted scenes and outtake footage, along with some fan questions for Wes Craven & Bob Shaye. The website was used to create the new Trivia feature and my personal collection of merchandise (along with Jed's) should be featured on a new Documentary. I haven't seen a finished cut of the new Documentary, nor the features, so I cannot say for sure what will end up being included. New Line has the rough "package" and they'll make the changes they feel are needed.
Matt: If they truly make this a special edition, packed with stuff we never saw before (like deleted scenes, behind the scenes footage, more trailers, etc), then great. I am all for it. However, if they just simply repackage the DVD they already have and cannot beat the contents of the 1999 box set, then they should stay away from it.
Jason: I dont know why they're releasing a special edition. We all already have the box set with the nightmare encyclopedia, with a crap load of extras. If there are no new extras, or if it's not an extended cut, then I don't see the point.
If you were in control of the Nightmare series, how would you continue it?
Jed: If I were in control of the series I would release a movie about every 3-6 years depending on how the previous movie did in Box Office, Rentals and DVD buy rates. How I would continue it going to the roots of how each movie was done and not using CGI at all in it.
Sven: I would like to bring back the survivors and it would be fun if some of his victims revenge their deaths in the dream world.
Will: I think I would make one more movie, having it end the series. Wes Craven did an outstanding job of ending his involvement with an original and definitive concept. New Nightmare can be a bookend no matter what is done with the original mythos. Having a true ending to the original "universe" would be terrific, so I think that's where I'd focus my energies. I think I'd like to see the comic/novel tie-ins continue too, as long as they stay true to the series.
Matt: I personally would convert my two Nightmare novels into movies. For any of you who may have read 'The Springwood Slasher' and its sequel 'Westin Hills', you may agree that its good to get Freddy back to doing what he does best. I am not giving a self-plug here, but in short, I would simply recapture the originality exhibited in the first, third and fourth films and get away from the less realistic 2nd, 5th, and 6th films.
Jason: I would have Freddy come back through Will or Lori, and waste em! Then, start going after Loris "new friends". Then somehow, Freddy would find his daughter again, and try to come back through her again. Somethin like that would be cool.