10 Nightmare On Elm Street Fun Facts!

New Line Cinema

1. The movie was inspired by real-life events

Director Wes Craven got the idea for the movie from a series of newspaper articles he read about a group of young men who were dying in their sleep. The men, who were all from the same town, reported having terrifying nightmares before their deaths.

2. Johnny Depp’s first film role was in “A Nightmare on Elm Street”:

The actor, who played Glen in the movie, was just 21 years old at the time. He was discovered by director Wes Craven when he accompanied a friend to the audition.

3. The iconic Freddy Krueger was almost played by a different actor:

The role of Freddy was originally offered to David Warner, but he turned it down. The part eventually went to Robert Englund, who went on to play the character in seven more movies.

4. The movie’s famous glove was made from real knives:

The glove worn by Freddy Krueger was made from real knives that were welded together. The blades were dulled for safety, but the actors still had to be careful when filming fight scenes.

5. The movie was a huge success:

“A Nightmare on Elm Street” was made on a budget of just $1.8 million, but it went on to gross over $25 million at the box office. The film spawned a franchise with multiple sequels, a TV series, and a remake.

6. The movie’s theme song was recorded in just one night:

The iconic theme song for the movie was composed and recorded in just one night by composer Charles Bernstein. The song features a creepy melody played on a synthesizer, which has become synonymous with the movie.

7. The movie was almost called “Scream”:

Director Wes Craven originally wanted to call the movie “Scream,” but the title was already taken by another horror movie. He later came up with the title “A Nightmare on Elm Street” after driving through a neighborhood with the same name.

8. The movie was shot in just 30 days:

“A Nightmare on Elm Street” was filmed in just 30 days on a shoestring budget. The crew had to work quickly to get all the shots they needed, often filming for up to 18 hours a day.

9. The movie’s famous bathtub scene was filmed in one take:

The scene where Nancy is pulled underwater by Freddy Krueger was filmed in one take. Actress Heather Langenkamp had to hold her breath for an extended period of time while the crew filmed the scene.

10. The movie was almost banned in the UK:

“A Nightmare on Elm Street” was initially given an X rating in the UK, which would have meant it could only be shown in adult-only cinemas. The film’s distributor successfully appealed the rating, and it was eventually released with an 18 certificate.