Does the Nightmare on Elm Street Collection contain all of the theatrical versions?

Sounds like it may have been fluff added to pad the TV cut, rather than scenes cut from the original theatrical version.

The theatrical cut runs 96 minutes, and so does the version on the boxed set. The extra footage does indeed come from a TV cut that isn't available anywhere. The DVD does allow you to watch with either the 3D ON or OFF, and I'm pretty sure that the audience isn't told to put on the glasses "NOW" in the non-3D cut. I wasn't aware of a DVD version featuring an audio commentary, though.

I believe the commentary he is referring to is for the first Nightmare on Elm Street. That's the one with the Tina dropped on the bed scene. There is also a commentary for Wes Craven's New Nightmare in the set. I'm pretty sure as well that those scenes were added for the tv and not cut from the theatrical version. But, I'm not positive. I've got the set, and it seems to be the films as I remember them. The extra disc with the set is great as well.

I would recommend the set, personally. Those movies are always a fun watch (even if they did get progressively more silly). Of course, keep in mind, that I myself am not positive about that being just tv footage, it just appears that way to me. I'm sure you'll enjoy it though.

The UK DVD version of A Nightmare on Elm Street uses the same cut as the US version (same features, same excellent transfer, - but as it's censored, I'm not touching it.).

The first Elm St was indeed cut for an MPAA R rating, this footage, mere seconds was included in the UK theatrical print & the first UK video release via Fox (which I still own)It consists of Tina screaming and struggling on the ceiling a little more & the blood splash as she hits the bed.
Sadly the UK dvd release is the same cut US version New Line supplied Entertainment in Video.

Part 5 was also MPAA pruned & was again available on UK video uncut, this too has been replaced by the MPAA cut version

Of the others I heard part 4 The Dream Master was toned down during the editing process to gain an R rating.

The special edition Elite laserdisc release of A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET contained the footage cut to get an R-rating as a supplemental "clip reel"- it was basically a reel of film with all the cut footage playing together sans sound. As I recall, there are three bits of footage here- Tina hitting the bed and the blood splattering, a more lingering shot of Tina lying dead on the floor, and several extra seconds of the blood shooting out of Johnny Depp's bed.

The uncut version of ELM STREET 5 was released on laserdisc and VHS in the U.S., but for the DVD released they unfortunately used the edited R-rated print.

Vincent

I worked in a theatre when "Freddy's Dead" was out and am pretty sure they never said "Now!" before the 3-D part- I know I would have remembered something like that. I was mad that the VHS tape was only 2-D, and the laserdisc had the 3-D segment but seperately at the end of the disc. The DVD uses angles to show either the 3-D or 2-D version.

No, she doesn't say "NOW", my mistake. I guess I was a little too verbose. She just puts the glasses on and they disappear on her face. Then the 3D sequence begins. (Honestly, Alice Cooper in full 3D could be one of the most sinister movie moments in history.) I'm not a huge fan of this movie, but I do like the 3D sequence and the "Best of Freddy" montage during the credits.

If you're a fan of the series, then the boxed set is definitely worth buying. Some of the sequels are pretty good. Part 3, Dream Warriors, has always been my second favorite of the whole run. I watched #4, Dream Child, the other day and it was a lot better than I remembered. I have never liked #2 at all. New Nightmare is a clever idea, and I would enjoy the movie if it weren't for Freddy's horrible makeup.

Cathy Dennis' "Touch Me" was not released until 1990. Are you sure you aren't thinking of Samantha Fox? Her song called "Touch Me" was closer to that mid-80's timeframe.

It's the same song by a different performer (Cathy Dennis did it later). It's in another scene in the 2nd movie. Disco Forever!

The song played during the credits of part two is Eddy Duchin's Did You Ever See A Dream Walkin.

And Touch Me is performed by WISH and appears in the movie. I honestly have no idea if this was ever run during the credits in the VHS version or not.

I just threw in #4 and watched the shark scene. When Freddy puts on his sunglasses, there is no additional audio cue (like a Miami Vice type riff).

There's a different song during the beginning of part 3 on the vhs release I had. The dvd restores the original dokken song from the theatrical release.

OK, let ME ask a question for once- on #3 the "original" audio option is mono- I never saw this in theaters, but the original VHS release was in stereo. Was this actually only distributed in mono in theatres and got a stereo remix for the video release?? (There's no sound info during the end credits, and never saw any in the original ads for it either.)

It was apparently a mono release. If it was Dolby Stereo or Ultra Stereo theatrically, it would carry one of those logos at the end credits. That there was no logo at all implies it was a mono release. It would also be pretty odd for New Line to create a fake "original" mono mix for a film that was a stereo release.

DJ

Sorry for reviving an old thread but I was wondering in New Line had any plans to re-release this set with new se's of any or all of the films? If not I may have to pick this up soon.

Hopefully I can answer both questions. In two scenes music had to be changed for rights issues on the initial home video release. The first scene is at the beginning, when tina is listening to the radio and building her model. The second is after Freddy rips through the padded walls, everyone gets "lost" in feathers, and Tina finds herself back in her room at home.

Since Media Home Video had to replace some music, they went ahead and remixed the film in stereo, though it's pretty much limited to the music in the film. The later Elite laserdisc also used the Media Home Video mix.

The DVD is the first time the film's original soundtrack has been made available on home video, and the 5.1 remix is based on that soundtrack (i.e. no re-scored music).

-Lyle J.P.

Fangoria stated in one of their 1987 issues that Elm Street 3 had to be toned down to get an R rating...

Elm Street 1 and 5 are also cut as others have stated... There have been rumors that Elm Street 4 and FD were also cut to acheive an R...

Certain Elm Streets workprints are like entirely different movies...

Freddy's Dead for example... The workprint is better... I saw the workprint of this a couple years ago (The quality was of course in pretty bad shape)... The movie plays differently... It has a more serious tone in general... The tv scenes you mention were in this version... There were other scenes as well... There is more character development, the soundtrack was different and used the traditional Elm Street music, etc... Some of the dumb corny moments are missing... The really crappy looney tunes sound effects were missing... This version IMO was much better for what the movie was...

Nightmare on Elm Street 4 is a very different movie on it's workprint as well... I have not seen this, but have read about it... It's supposedly even way more ridiculous with highly campy moments... There is one scene on the beach where Freddy's shadow attacks Kristen and wherever it touches her, it gives her big sunburn... A very small part of this scene is shown in the trailer... It is right where he flicks his hand while he has the sunglasses on... That scene is not in the movie...

There is second old trailer (It's in the internet, not on the DVD) that shows us a scene not on the movie... It is Kristen in the Elm Street house... She says "I knew you would be back." This is not in the movie... Supposedly, this scene involved Kristen being stuck in some form of maze inside the house where giant Freddy nails came out of the wall and attack her... She gets out of the maze and standing right there is Freddy... She then sprouts that line...

There are other scenes as well... Freddy busts through a wall in an Alice dream... They show a dead Alices father in a dream, etc....

It is said that the movie was so highly ridiculous... Even campier than the version we have now that many of the moments were trimmed or changed... It wasnt allowed to be released by Bob Shaye...

Personally, I would love to see it just to see how far they really did take this movie...

Is there a dvd release of the first Nightmare on Elm Street available with Tina's death totally uncut? I see there is a Japanese dvd coming out at the end of March, I wonder if this will be uncut.

The theatrical cut does indeed run 96 minutes, but all home video released versions have cut 7 minutes out. Check the DVD and original tape... both are 89 minutes.