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Monday, September 28, 2009

Film Is It Dumb To Hope That This Is Good?

Posted by Paul Constant on Mon, Sep 28, 2009 at 2:56 PM

I know that I should expect awfulness from anything with a "Produced by Michael Bay" credit, but this trailer for the Nightmare on Elm Street remake (via Movieline)...

A Nightmare on Elm Street in HD

...actually makes it seem as though the movie might not suck. A lot of my hopes, admittedly, are pinned on Jackie Earle Haley, who was the best part of Watchmen. I'm hoping he is one of those rare actors who will bring three dimensions to even the pulpiest of genre roles. I refused to watch the Bay-produced Friday the 13th remake, but Elm Street seems like it has real room for quality. Or am I just falling for the same shit over and over again?

Comments (21) RSS

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i don't love that the remake just has the same shots from the original. when the original is so well known, having the same shots will bring on comparisons even more specifically. Even in this trailer, the knives coming from the water seems like a farce than something scary. I was excited at first watching this, but Jackie's freddy voice is more whiney than scary, which makes me concerned.

Posted by rostin79 on September 28, 2009 at 3:02 PM

Crap pure crap.

Posted by Sargon Bighorn on September 28, 2009 at 3:02 PM

After watching the trailer, I felt sympathetic for Freddy. Of course, this may have to do with my old-person dislike for teenagers (which I didn't have when I was a teenager, and ate the Elm Street movies like candy.) I think it could be good.

Posted by Luckier on September 28, 2009 at 3:12 PM

They made Freddy into a pussy...I bet it will end up that he isn't even a child molester.

Posted by Pussy Fred on September 28, 2009 at 3:19 PM

It's not dumb to hope, but it would be dumb to expect.

Posted by dwight moody on September 28, 2009 at 3:28 PM

Probably pure crap.

You'd be better off watching the remake of V instead.

Gerbils R Us.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on September 28, 2009 at 3:28 PM

It's not dumb. It's actually pretty common for abuse victims to believe their abusers can change.

Posted by T on September 28, 2009 at 3:46 PM

It certainly would make Freddy a much less one dimensional antagonist if he wasn't a child molester- the role of villain becomes much more muddled, and as a result brings much needed depth to the plot...

So yeah, probably not going to happen.

Posted by UNPAID COMMENTER on September 28, 2009 at 4:07 PM

Freddy's face make-up at the end looked kinda lame.

Posted by pasteyboy

on September 28, 2009 at 4:49 PM

@9 way to be that guy.

I feel you Paul....hope springs eternal. The movie will probably be shit but until I see for myself I will reserve my judgment. But I won't complain...this summer I got Star Trek, District 9 and Inglorious Basterds.

Posted by Rotten666 on September 28, 2009 at 5:05 PM

The tip off in the trailer that this is gonna be another piece of crap (other than Michael Bay's name being attached to it) is that, like every other recent, rotten remake, it feels like it has to go back and show us and explain the villain's backstory. What all these recent remakers don't get is that part of what made these villains so effective in the first place was letting the audience have a sense of creepy mystery or imagine how awful the villain had been. But now every freakin' director feels they have to illustrate every. little. point. and it's never as weird or scary or disturbing as what audiences can imagine if you instead give them enough credit to fill in the gaps. Why do all these recent filmmakers do this? And it's not just horror films: even Tim Burton felt he had to "explain" Willy Wonka by giving him daddy issues and making his dad a mean old dentist. Does anyone really want some psychological examination of Freddy Krueger? Just bring the g--damned scary.

Posted by bobbyjoe on September 28, 2009 at 5:44 PM

Aww damn - I always loved the Elm Street movies. Freddy was so scary (ok, when I was like 13 but still!) because he was an evil, unrepentant, child-diddling killer and also oh-shit, now he's immortal.

Also, Robert Englind has a great nasty smile and some nice comedic timing. I am officially sad.

Posted by Rebekah on September 28, 2009 at 6:13 PM

Robert Englund, even.

Posted by Rebekah on September 28, 2009 at 6:14 PM

Michael Bay is producing a remake of Nightmare on Elm Street, one of my favorite horror movies EVAR.

Great. Thanks for ruining my birthday.

Posted by AnnaL on September 28, 2009 at 7:03 PM

Looks like a better-photographed version of the same. The whole, "Don't fall asleep!" thing is tedious. It's difficult to imagine it being better than crap.

Posted by Michael of the Green on September 28, 2009 at 7:32 PM

I'm not sure what you think refusing to watch the remake of Friday the 13th accomplishes. I'm a big fan of the F13 and Nightmare franchises, with the only movie I disliked from either being Freddy vs Jason. I enjoyed the F13 remake and am looking forward to the new Nightmare.

People make such a big deal out of remakes and adaptations as though the original materials are some sort of bible. Check out the remake and if you don't like it, who cares? It doesn't change the original.

Also, you didn't even mention if you watched or like the original Nightmare.

Aaaanyway, this could be a fun reboot.

Posted by christopher575 on September 28, 2009 at 7:36 PM

I'm worried it will be so scary I won't be able to fall asleep in the theater.

Posted by Sitting By The Dock Of Michael Bay on September 28, 2009 at 9:39 PM

The only thing that could make this movie better would be to cast Mackenzie Phillips in it.

Posted by Ling Ling on September 28, 2009 at 10:30 PM

You are just falling for the same shit over and over again.

Posted by Grist on September 28, 2009 at 11:25 PM

I'm pretty critical of all horror movie sequels and remakes, especially ones that are YEARS later or involve a totally different cast. This appears to have the creepy child molester from "Little Children" as Freddy (typecasting anybody?). That guy is a very capable actor and Freddy was never scary himself...what he does is scary but what he says i humorous. I believe this trailer is well made and could lead to a good movie...but it could also have had all the budget goto editing this trailer (ugh...lots of horror remakes do that it seems).

I hope this is good...just as I hope "Where the Wild Things Are" is amazing.

Posted by str713gzr on September 29, 2009 at 12:32 PM