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* MisaimedMarketing: Though the marketing of his R-rated movies to said 12 year olds doesn't help. This was particularly prevalent with the heavy promotion leading up to the fourth movie, which downplayed his more gruesome aspects for mainstream appeal as a comic villain. This included an "interview" on MTV, his own rap number, and even a cheesy pop album (because [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fapwDPKzXLE "happy feet dancing to the beat"]] is apparently [[SoundtrackDissonance fitting music for a serial child killer]]).

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* MisaimedMarketing: MisaimedMerchandising: Though the marketing of his R-rated movies to said 12 year olds doesn't help. This was particularly prevalent with the heavy promotion leading up to the fourth movie, which downplayed his more gruesome aspects for mainstream appeal as a comic villain. This included an "interview" on MTV, his own rap number, and even a cheesy pop album (because [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fapwDPKzXLE "happy feet dancing to the beat"]] is apparently [[SoundtrackDissonance fitting music for a serial child killer]]).
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* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: The suggestion from the first film that defeating Freddy can resurrect his victims is something some fans would have liked to be real rather than AllJustADream to find a way to save the colorful supporting casts of victims in films 3-6.
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Crosswicking

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* StarTrekMovieCurse: Many fans of the series regard its trajectory this way. [[Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet1984 The first movie]] is a classic, but its sequel ''[[Film/ANightmareOnElmStreetPart2FreddysRevenge Freddy's Revenge]]'' is extremely divisive for the changes it made to the first film's formula, even if its HomoeroticSubtext has earned it an LGBTFanbase over the years. The next two films are generally well-liked; ''[[Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet3DreamWarriors Dream Warriors]]'' is considered by some fans to be a genuine rival to the original for the title of best in the series, and while ''[[Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet4TheDreamMaster The Dream Master]]'' is regarded as the point where the series' mounting problems really became visible, a large contingent of fans will still defend it as the pinnacle of "Freddy Krueger as pop culture icon". The next two films, ''[[Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet5TheDreamChild The Dream Child]]'' and ''Film/FreddysDeadTheFinalNightmare'', are treated as an AudienceAlienatingEra where the series slid into SelfParody, but the follow-up ''Film/WesCravensNewNightmare'' is regarded as an interesting {{spinoff}} and one of the series' best and scariest films, especially in how many of its [[MetaFiction metatextual ideas]] served as a prototype for ''Film/Scream1996'', while ''Film/FreddyVsJason'' was well-liked (albeit not universally) by fans of both ''Nightmare'' and ''Franchise/FridayThe13th''. The [[Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet2010 2010 reboot]], though... exists.
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Up To Eleven is a defunct trope


* MoralEventHorizon: Freddy Krueger crosses the line when he murders his own wife for discovering he was the Springwood Slasher. He likely crossed it long before that, as he was already murdering the town's children. [[UpToEleven And he ups the ante in every subsequent film with the cruel and sadistic ways he torments his victims as a dream demon.]] Really, Freddy's entire life is one big MoralEventHorizon.

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* MoralEventHorizon: Freddy Krueger crosses the line when he murders his own wife for discovering he was the Springwood Slasher. He likely crossed it long before that, as he was already murdering the town's children. [[UpToEleven And he ups the ante in every subsequent film with the cruel and sadistic ways he torments his victims as a dream demon.]] demon. Really, Freddy's entire life is one big MoralEventHorizon.
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* FirstInstallmentWins: The first film is hailed as a horror classic. Opinions on the sequels vary (though ''The Dream Warriors'' and ''New Nightmare'' are considered quite good by the fanbase).

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* FirstInstallmentWins: The first film is hailed as a horror classic. Opinions on the sequels vary (though ''The Dream ''Dream Warriors'' and ''New Nightmare'' are considered quite good by the fanbase).
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TRS cleanup


* ParanoiaFuel: The ''premise alone'' qualifies, obviously. It's one thing when you fall off a cliff in your dreams and wake up safe at home seconds later. But it's [[AndNowForSomethingCompletelyDifferent completely different]] when that can cross over into the ''real world''.

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* ParanoiaFuel: The ''premise alone'' qualifies, obviously. It's one thing when you fall off a cliff in your dreams and wake up safe at home seconds later. But it's [[AndNowForSomethingCompletelyDifferent completely different]] different when that can cross over into the ''real world''.

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* AudienceAlienatingEra: ''The Dream Master'' still has its fans, but the decay set in hard with the fifth film, ''The Dream Child'' in 1989, a FranchiseKiller that convinced New Line Cinema to end the series with the next film. That film, ''Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare'' in 1991, was the point at which the series became completely impossible to take seriously.



* DorkAge: ''The Dream Master'' still has its fans, but the decay set in hard with the fifth film, ''The Dream Child'' in 1989, a FranchiseKiller that convinced New Line Cinema to end the series with the next film. That film, ''Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare'' in 1991, was the point at which the series became completely impossible to take seriously.
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** Fans of ''A Nightmare On Elm Street'' are also friendly with fans of ''Film/{{Scream}}'' due to both being horror franchises with creative input from Creator/WesCraven.
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* {{Moe}}: Between coming across a savvy but victimized GirlNextDoor in her first appearance and a sadder and wiser TeamMom in her second one, recurring protagonist Nancy inspires such feelings.
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Moving Fan Nickname entries to YMMV per the TRS thread.

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* FanNickname: They’re often called "Fredheads".
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** Let's see...a FauxAffablyEvil demonic entity who has AbsurdlySharpClaws, wears a fedora, can enter other peoples' minds, and [[spoiler: gets beheaded in his final appearance?]] ''And'' two of his enemies are [[Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet4TheDreamMaster a shy, quiet girl with the same powers as him and her older brother?]] We talking about Freddy Krueger or [[Manga/DemonSlayerKimetsuNoYaiba Muzan Kibutsuji?]]

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** Let's see...a FauxAffablyEvil demonic entity who has AbsurdlySharpClaws, wears a fedora, can enter other peoples' minds, and [[spoiler: gets beheaded in his final appearance?]] ''And'' two of his enemies are [[Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet4TheDreamMaster a shy, quiet girl with the same powers as him him, and her older brother?]] We talking about Freddy Krueger or [[Manga/DemonSlayerKimetsuNoYaiba Muzan Kibutsuji?]]
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** Let's see...a FauxAffablyEvil demonic entity who has AbsurdlySharpClaws, wears a fedora, can enter other peoples' minds, and [[spoiler: gets beheaded in his final appearance?]] ''And'' two of his enemies are [[Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet4TheDreamMaster a shy, quiet girl with the same powers as him and her older brother?]] ''[[Manga/DemonSlayerKimetsuNoYaiba Hmmm...]]''

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** Let's see...a FauxAffablyEvil demonic entity who has AbsurdlySharpClaws, wears a fedora, can enter other peoples' minds, and [[spoiler: gets beheaded in his final appearance?]] ''And'' two of his enemies are [[Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet4TheDreamMaster a shy, quiet girl with the same powers as him and her older brother?]] ''[[Manga/DemonSlayerKimetsuNoYaiba Hmmm...]]''We talking about Freddy Krueger or [[Manga/DemonSlayerKimetsuNoYaiba Muzan Kibutsuji?]]
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* Let's see...a FauxAffablyEvil demonic entity who has AbsurdlySharpClaws, wears a fedora, can enter other peoples' minds, and [[spoiler: gets beheaded in his final appearance?]] ''And'' two of his enemies are [[Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet4TheDreamMaster a shy, quiet girl with the same powers as him and her older brother?]] ''[[Manga/DemonSlayerKimetsuNoYaiba Hmmm...]]''

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* ** Let's see...a FauxAffablyEvil demonic entity who has AbsurdlySharpClaws, wears a fedora, can enter other peoples' minds, and [[spoiler: gets beheaded in his final appearance?]] ''And'' two of his enemies are [[Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet4TheDreamMaster a shy, quiet girl with the same powers as him and her older brother?]] ''[[Manga/DemonSlayerKimetsuNoYaiba Hmmm...]]''
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* Let's see...a FauxAffablyEvil demonic entity who has AbsurdlySharpClaws, wears a fedora, can enter other peoples' minds, and [[spoiler: gets beheaded in his final appearance?]] ''And'' two of his enemies are [[Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet4TheDreamMaster a shy, quiet girl with the same powers as him and her older brother?]] ''[[Manga/DemonSlayerKimetsuNoYaiba Hmmm...]]''

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* CompleteMonster: [[Characters/ANightmareOnElmStreetFreddyKrueger Freddy Krueger]].
** Original continuity:
*** [[CardCarryingVillain Freddy Krueger]] is the dream-invading ghost of a [[WouldHurtAChild child murderer]], who seeks to continue [[SerialKiller killing]]. In life, he kept missing children's pictures of his victims in a scrapbook and posed as an unassuming, caring father before his wife discovered the truth; he then murders his wife with no hesitation. When he got off on a technicality, the people of Springwood lynched Freddy, at which point he makes a [[DealWithTheDevil bargain with demonic forces]] to become, in his own words, "what nightmares are made of". He uses his newfound powers to find increasingly creative ways to torture and murder his dozens of victims for his own amusement by using their primal fears against them, all the while [[EvilHasABadSenseOfHumor cracking sick jokes]]; afterwards, he [[YourSoulIsMine harvests the souls of his victims]] and keeps them in a [[AndIMustScream hellish state]] within his body to draw their power. By the time of ''[[Film/FreddysDeadTheFinalNightmare The Final Nightmare]]'', Freddy's body count was in the hundreds, reducing Springwood to a child's graveyard and driving the adults into madness. He goes on to taunt a girl by appearing as her sexually abusive father, and even attempts to murder his own daughter Kathryn upon reuniting with her. Freddy makes it clear to Kathryn of his intent to continue his killing spree across the world until he runs out of victims, declaring "every town has an Elm Street." Freddy is one of the few SlasherMovie killers with a distinct and talkative personality, and has always simply been a sadistic monster who extends his victims' suffering [[ForTheEvulz for its own sake]].
*** ''Film/FreddyVsJason'': [[WouldHurtAChild Freddy Krueger]] is just as vile and revolting as he is in the main series. Seeking to [[Film/FreddysDeadTheFinalNightmare regain his powers]] and start a new killing spree, Freddy resurrects [[Franchise/FridayThe13th Jason Voorhees]] from [[Film/JasonGoesToHellTheFinalFriday Hell]] and sics him onto Springwood to spread fear in his name. Growing annoyed that Jason is [[KillSteal killing those he wanted for himself]], Freddy makes an attempt to kill his pawn. It's later revealed he murdered Lori Campbell's mother, and attempts to rape Lori herself in her nightmare when she tries to help Jason.
** [[Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet2010 2010 reboot]]: [[SerialKiller Freddy Krueger]] is just as monstrous. A sadistic [[WouldHurtAChild pedophile]], Freddy used to be a preschool gardener who would take the children to his underground cave, where he would rape them and take photos of them, his favorite being Nancy. When the parents of the kids find out and murder him, Freddy [[BackFromTheDead returns from the dead]] years later in order to kill the kids for snitching on him. In their dreams, Freddy gives the teens a head start so that he can enjoy their screaming and fear before he brutally murders them, all the while making snide comments at them. He then hangs the bodies up in his [[TrophyRoom boiler room]] as [[CreepySouvenir trophies]]. Setting his sights on Nancy once again, Freddy saves her for last, so that, once her brain goes into a coma via sleep deprivation, he can keep her as his sex toy forever. Despite getting killed again, Freddy immediately returns, killing Nancy's mother.

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* CompleteMonster: [[Characters/ANightmareOnElmStreetFreddyKrueger Freddy Krueger]].
** Original continuity:
*** [[CardCarryingVillain Freddy Krueger]] is the dream-invading ghost of a [[WouldHurtAChild child murderer]], who seeks to continue [[SerialKiller killing]]. In life, he kept missing children's pictures of his victims in a scrapbook and posed as an unassuming, caring father before his wife discovered the truth; he then murders his wife with no hesitation. When he got off on a technicality, the people of Springwood lynched Freddy, at which point he makes a [[DealWithTheDevil bargain with demonic forces]] to become, in his own words, "what nightmares are made of". He uses his newfound powers to find increasingly creative ways to torture and murder his dozens of victims for his own amusement by using their primal fears against them, all the while [[EvilHasABadSenseOfHumor cracking sick jokes]]; afterwards, he [[YourSoulIsMine harvests the souls of his victims]] and keeps them in a [[AndIMustScream hellish state]] within his body to draw their power. By the time of ''[[Film/FreddysDeadTheFinalNightmare The Final Nightmare]]'', Freddy's body count was in the hundreds, reducing Springwood to a child's graveyard and driving the adults into madness. He goes on to taunt a girl by appearing as her sexually abusive father, and even attempts to murder his own daughter Kathryn upon reuniting with her. Freddy makes it clear to Kathryn of his intent to continue his killing spree across the world until he runs out of victims, declaring "every town has an Elm Street." Freddy is one of the few SlasherMovie killers with a distinct and talkative personality, and has always simply been a sadistic monster who extends his victims' suffering [[ForTheEvulz for its own sake]].
*** ''Film/FreddyVsJason'': [[WouldHurtAChild Freddy Krueger]] is just as vile and revolting as he is in the main series. Seeking to [[Film/FreddysDeadTheFinalNightmare regain his powers]] and start a new killing spree, Freddy resurrects [[Franchise/FridayThe13th Jason Voorhees]] from [[Film/JasonGoesToHellTheFinalFriday Hell]] and sics him onto Springwood to spread fear in his name. Growing annoyed that Jason is [[KillSteal killing those he wanted for himself]], Freddy makes an attempt to kill his pawn. It's later revealed he murdered Lori Campbell's mother, and attempts to rape Lori herself in her nightmare when she tries to help Jason.
** [[Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet2010 2010 reboot]]: [[SerialKiller Freddy Krueger]] is just as monstrous. A sadistic [[WouldHurtAChild pedophile]], Freddy used to be a preschool gardener who would take the children to his underground cave, where he would rape them and take photos of them, his favorite being Nancy. When the parents of the kids find out and murder him, Freddy [[BackFromTheDead returns from the dead]] years later in order to kill the kids for snitching on him. In their dreams, Freddy gives the teens a head start so that he can enjoy their screaming and fear before he brutally murders them, all the while making snide comments at them. He then hangs the bodies up in his [[TrophyRoom boiler room]] as [[CreepySouvenir trophies]]. Setting his sights on Nancy once again, Freddy saves her for last, so that, once her brain goes into a coma via sleep deprivation, he can keep her as his sex toy forever. Despite getting killed again, Freddy immediately returns, killing Nancy's mother.
See [[Monster/ANightmareOnElmStreet here]].
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** ''Freddy's Revenge'': An excellent film that deserves praise for not imitating the plot of the first film and trying to do something different, besides having an interesting homoerotic subtext and a more frightening Freddy Krueger than ever? Or a shameful continuation that breaks all the rules of the franchise, with terrible protagonists and whose homoerotic content makes the film more comical than really interesting?
** ''The Dream Master'': The last good film in the franchise, with some of the most impressive and creative scenes in the franchise, in addition to introducing the great protagonist Alice? Or the first bad sequel, more interested in the visual effects instead of telling a story, in addition to treating Freddy Krueger as a joke?
** ''The Dream Child'': An interesting experiment that tries to find a balance between the darker tone of the first two films and the more exaggerated tone of parts 3 and 4, with some of the most frightening deaths in the franchise, and a beautiful Gothic look? Or a awful sequel, which is disastrous when it comes to mixing the darkest tones with the most comical tones, in addition to bringing a plot that makes no sense at all?

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** ''Freddy's Revenge'': An excellent film that deserves praise for not imitating the plot of the first film and trying to do something different, besides having an interesting homoerotic subtext HomoeroticSubtext and a more frightening Freddy Krueger than ever? Or a shameful continuation that breaks all the rules of the franchise, with terrible protagonists and whose homoerotic content that makes the film more comical (and arguably [[ValuesDissonance homophobic]]) than really interesting?
** ''The Dream Master'': The last good film in the franchise, with some of the most impressive and creative scenes in dream sequences and the franchise, in addition to introducing introduction of the great protagonist Alice? Or the first bad sequel, more interested in the visual effects instead of telling a story, in addition to treating the beginning of Freddy Krueger as a joke?
Krueger's slide into SelfParody?
** ''The Dream Child'': An interesting experiment that tries to find a balance between the darker tone of the first two films and the more exaggerated tone of parts 3 ''Dream Warriors'' and 4, ''The Dream Master'', with some of the most frightening deaths in the franchise, franchise and a beautiful Gothic look? Or a an awful sequel, which is disastrous when it comes to sequel that disastrously fails at mixing the its darkest tones with the its most comical tones, in addition to bringing a and whose plot that makes no sense at all?



** Combined with AdaptationDisplacement, many viewers refer to Freddy Krueger as a pedophile in the original continuity. While it was heavily implied and Wes Craven originally wrote him as such, the original films carefully referred to him as a child murderer with the remake being the film that used child molestation as part of his backstory.

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** Combined with AdaptationDisplacement, many viewers refer to Freddy Krueger as a pedophile in the original continuity. While it was heavily implied and Wes Craven originally wrote him as such, the original films carefully referred to him as a child murderer ''murderer'', with the remake being the film that used child molestation as part of his backstory.



* CompleteMonster: [[Characters/ANightmareOnElmStreetFreddyKrueger Freddy Krueger]]

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* CompleteMonster: [[Characters/ANightmareOnElmStreetFreddyKrueger Freddy Krueger]]Krueger]].
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** Freddy's motive for coming BackFromTheDead being that he wants revenge on his killers. While Nancy's mother admits that she and the other parents killed Freddy to prevent him from getting away with his crimes, Freddy himself never brings this up as a reason for originally targeting Nancy and her friends, and later starts targeting unrelated groups of teens. If anything, he just seems to be continuing where he left off, rather than as some sort of outrage over his vigilante execution.

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** Freddy's motive for coming BackFromTheDead being that he wants revenge on his killers.killers (for instance, ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' Halloween ''Nightmare'' spoof explicitly had Willy the Groundskeeper vow revenge on the parents of Springfield for their part in his death). While Nancy's mother admits that she and the other parents killed Freddy to prevent him from getting away with his crimes, Freddy himself never brings this up as a reason for originally targeting Nancy and her friends, and later starts targeting unrelated groups of teens. If anything, he just seems to be continuing where he left off, rather than as some sort of outrage over his vigilante execution.
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** Freddy's motive for being BackFromTheDead is that he wants revenge on his killers. While Nancy's mother admits that she and the other parents killed Freddy to prevent him from getting away with his crimes, Freddy himself never brings this up as a reason for originally targeting Nancy and her friends, and later starts targeting unrelated groups of teens. If anything, he just seems to be continuing where he left off, rather than as some sort of outrage over his vigilante execution.

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** Freddy's motive for being coming BackFromTheDead is being that he wants revenge on his killers. While Nancy's mother admits that she and the other parents killed Freddy to prevent him from getting away with his crimes, Freddy himself never brings this up as a reason for originally targeting Nancy and her friends, and later starts targeting unrelated groups of teens. If anything, he just seems to be continuing where he left off, rather than as some sort of outrage over his vigilante execution.

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