The evolution of the “Nightmare on Elm Street” remake went something like this for WWTW:
Oh, no, not another remake … boy, Freddy Krueger was pretty cool before they turned him into a clown … hmm, they cast Jackie Earle Haley as Freddy. Smart … wow, this is just another lame horror remake.’
Haley’s “Nightmare” leads off the list of new home video releases, reminding us not even inspired casting can save an otherwise doomed production.
- “A Nightmare on Elm Street” – The horror remake parade screeches to a halt with this fright-free installment. Haley takes over for Robert Englund, but the film telegraphs every scare a dozen miles away and shows way too much of the deformed bogeyman. Even the special effects can’t give us a reason to consider this film over the superior 1984 original. The Blu-ray extras include a “making of” featurette,” three additional scenes including an alternate beginning and ending, and “Maniacal Movie Mode” allowing viewers to watch how a particular scene was made while watching the movie.
- “Splice” – Oh, what could have been. This sharp science fiction feature follows two scientists who create a new life form out of human and animal DNA. The duo take the creature in as their own, but they soon realize playing God isn’t all its cracked up to be. Writer/director Vincenzo Natali creates a beautifully realized first half, but from them on the film devolves into a silly monster mash. Blu-ray extras include “Director’s Playground: Vincenzo Natali on the set of ‘Splice.’
- “The Human Centipede” – Yuck. A mad scientist (Dieter Laser) tries to connect three humans together through their digestive tracts. Suffice to say the participants are less than willing to play along with his scheme. This unsettling horror movie is for only the bravest horror fans. Extras include a deleted scene, a behind-the-scenes peek at the shoot, an interview with writer/director Tom Six and a look at how some of the gooey sound effects were made.
- “Holy Rollers” – Fact-based story about Hasidic Jews hired to be drug smuggling mules. Facts remain stranger than fiction in this yarn, which stars Jesse Eisenberg, Justin Bartha and Ari Graynor. Not reviewed by WWTW.
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