Freddy's Nightmares

Freddy's Nightmares
Title sequence
Also known as	Freddy's Nightmares: A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Series
Genre	Horror anthology
Created by	Wes Craven (characters)
Presented by	Robert Englund
Theme music composer	Nicholas Pike
Composer(s)	Peter Bernstein Junior Homrich Gary S. Scott Randy Tico
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	2
No. of episodes	44 (List of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Jeff Freilich Robert Shaye Scott A. Stone
Producer(s)	Gilbert Adler
Camera setup	Single-camera
Running time	45–48 minutes
Production company(s)	Stone Television New Line Television Lorimar-Telepictures (distributor 1988–1989) Warner Bros. Television (distributor 1989–1990)
Broadcast
Original channel	Syndication
Original run	October 8, 1988 (1988-10-08) – March 12, 1990 (1990-03-12)

Freddy's Nightmares (full title: Freddy's Nightmares: A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Series) is an American horror anthology series, which aired in syndication from October 1988 until March 1990.^[1] A spin-off from the Nightmare on Elm Street series, each story was introduced by Freddy Krueger (played, as in the movies, by Robert Englund). This format is essentially the same as that employed by Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Tales from the Crypt, or The Twilight Zone. The pilot episode was directed by Tobe Hooper, and begins with Freddy Krueger's acquittal of the child-murdering charges due to his officer's lack of reviewing the Miranda warning at the time of Freddy's arrest. A mob of parents eventually corners Freddy in a power plant (his workplace), leading to him being torched by the police officer, dying and gaining his familiar visage.

The series was produced by New Line Television, producers of the film series, and Stone Television. It was originally distributed by Lorimar-Telepictures. However, Warner Bros. Television would assume syndication rights after acquiring Lorimar-Telepictures (New Line Television is now a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Television).

Premise

Due to the murderous basis of the Freddy Krueger character, New Line Cinema opted to not develop a television series with a regular batch of characters to mix it up with Krueger on a continuous basis; deeming it futile, since he would inevitably kill most of them, and there would be no one left. Instead the producers created an anthology series, employing a new crop of actors to be used for each episode.

Each week Freddy's Nightmares told a different story, or stories, of a dark rooted and/or grim nature that took place in the fictitious town of Springwood, Ohio, and in particular, on Elm Street; the same setting as the A Nightmare on Elm Street films. Though the Freddy Krueger character would occasionally play a part in the plot, most of the stories did not involve him (it was, however, often hinted that Krueger indirectly influenced the desolate nature of the plotlines).

Krueger's primary function was to host the series. He was featured in regular bumper segments, where he would offer an ominous or slapstick reaction to the happenings of the episode—culminating in him giving a quick, and usually eerie, epilogue at the end.

One element that makes the series unique is its two-tier story approach. Most of the episodes feature two different stories that each take up the first and second halves. Every second story, however, usually built on a character who played a minor (or supporting) role in the first. For instance, in one episode a woman plays in a game show hosted by the devil. In the second part she meets an old woman, who is actually her future self, who tells her she is going to kill her husband.

Cast

Few actors from the Elm Street series appeared in Freddy's Nightmares. Among them were Robert Englund, as Freddy Krueger. Others included Lezlie Deane, Burr DeBenning, Don Maxwell and Clayton Landey.

Due to budget restraints, the producers of the series were forced to use unknown actors, rather than some of the stars associated with the theatrical franchise. The only actor from the film series retained for the TV series was Robert Englund, as Freddy Krueger.

Some of the featured actors who went on to later become notable were:

• Robin Antin
• Sarah Buxton
• Kyle Chandler
• Morris Chestnut
• Joshua Cox
• Richard Eden
• Mariska Hargitay
• Eva LaRue
• Phill Lewis
• John Cameron Mitchell
• Bill Moseley
• Yvette Nipar
• Lori Petty
• Brad Pitt
• Tim Russ
• Richard Speight, Jr.

Other notable guest stars featured in the series were:

• Timothy Bottoms
• Jeffrey Combs
• Jeff Conaway
• Ellen Albertini Dow
• Tony Dow
• Joyce Hyser
• David Lander
• George Lazenby
• Lar Park Lincoln
• Dick Miller
• Susan Oliver
• Jay Thomas
• Tracey Walter
• Jill Whitlow
• Dick Gautier
• Mary Crosby
• Bob Goen
• Diane Franklin

Home video releases

VHS

In the USA, five VHS tapes were released by Warner Home Video in September 1991. Each tape featured one episode. The episodes released were:^[2]

• "No More Mr. Nice Guy"
• "Lucky Stiff"
• "It's My Party and You'll Die If I Want You To"
• "Dreams That Kill"
• "Freddy's Tricks and Treats"

In the UK, eight VHS tapes were released by Braveworld Ltd. in 1993. Each tape features two episodes. The tapes released were:^[2]

• The Nightmare Begins Again: "No More Mr. Nice Guy" and "Killer Instinct"
• Freddy's Nightmares 2: "Sister's Keeper" and "Freddy's Tricks and Treats"
• Rock My Freddy: "Judy Miller, Come on Down" and "The Bride Wore Red"
• Saturday Nightmare Fever: "Saturday Night Special" and "Cabin Fever"
• Do Dreams Bleed?: "Do Dreams Bleed" and "Rebel Without a Car"
• Freddy's Mother's Day: Mother's Day" and "Black Tickets"
• Safe Sex: "Safe Sex" and "Deadline"
• It's a Miserable Life: "It's a Miserable Life" and "Love Stinks"

DVD

In 2003, Volume 1 (the first 3 episodes) was released on Region 2 DVD in Ireland and the UK, by Warner Home Video.^[3] Volume 2 was also planned for release later that year, however, sales were so poor, that Warner canceled the release of Volume 2.^[4]

In 2011, a Blu-ray collection of the original seven A Nightmare on Elm Street films was released in the UK. The set included a DVD with special features, which included two episodes of the show ("It's a Miserable Life" and "Killer Instinct").^[5]

Current airings

In 2006, AOL teamed up with distributor Warner Bros. Television to bring Freddy's Nightmares to its new In2TV broadband service.

NBC Universal's horror and suspense-themed cable channel Chiller previously aired Freddy's Nightmares with marathons once a month. Season one and two were shown one after another, with commercial breaks, however, the channel stopped broadcasting the show on April 1, 2011, with the last episode shown on March 31, 2011.

In the UK, Sky and Virgin Media customers could watch the entire first series, one episode per night, at 8pm on Zone Horror, starting Monday, 8 June, 2009.

In Sweden TV4 Guld is airing the show every week.

References

External links

• Freddy's Nightmares at Nightmare on Elm Street Companion
• Freddy's Nightmares at the Internet Movie Database
• Freddy's Nightmares at TV.com