This document provides a frame-by-frame analysis of the opening title sequence of A Nightmare on Elm Street. It summarizes each shot, highlighting how they establish the killer's point of view and sadistic nature, introduce the victim as vulnerable, and set an ominous, suspenseful tone through the use of lighting, music and camera angles. The analysis concludes by teasing the audience to watch the full movie to see if the killer catches the sinking victim.

1. 9 frame analysis
a nightmare on elm street
By James Brewer
With a special thanx to mr Wes Craven
for making such a splendifferous movie

2. • The image flickers on from a black
background, bringing special attention to itself.
With the bright colours and eeiry undertone of
what would later become signature Freddie
music the audience is told this is not your average
horror movie.
• At the time new line cinema were BIG meaning
this was THE movie to see with famous actors
and probbably a class A/B director.

3. • We are shown low shots of the antagonist building something that looks
sharp and lethal, and we see it from his view. This asks the audience the
question who is it? Why are they here doing this? And it tells them that if
we see things from his point of view so soon he is essential to the plot.
• From the care he is taking to build this we know it will be his signiture and
parting card, something he wants to keep safe and close by.
• We know it is the antagonist due to the low lighting which makes it hard to
see anything not illuminated by the candle he has set, and the heavy
breathing of the man (the breathing also shows it is a man.
• The breathing itself shows us a lot, that it is a man and he is taking great
fondness for what he is making.
• The underlying quiet music is also sinister and almost hypnotic. Such music
is often used to add mystery and a sense of foreboding. It is also seductive
in a way, showing something of the character. To me it says that this person
enjoys what he does, and does it with glee. Like the death of innocence.
• The small image also helps lure the audience in and almost traps them in
the image, by clearly showing the 4 lines we can see there is no escape.

4. • This scene showing the killer (still from his point of view) flourishing his weapon.
• With such a violent instrument we know this is a killer, and from his cry of pleasure
and anticipation we know it is a violent killer ad that this will be a psychological
horror as well as a slasher flic.
• We see this because the small weapon shows the killer will want to get up-close
and personal to kill, and by using blades he will have to get bloodied up some with
each kill.
• A person who enjoys that is obviously a strange twisted individual who probably
sees his sick obsession as a form a blood art, so the killings will be shown as
interesting and different than a simple stab and go.
• After all the audience is asked, why take such care and time to make a signature
weapon if you don’t intend to sue it to its full? The killer would simply use a knife
or gun if his intent was simply murder.
• The music gets high and we finally see what he has created as the title comes up.
• A “nightmare on Elm Street” this movie is a horror and is either about the
nightmarish time of the people of Elm Street, or we will have nightmares for
watching.
• Its written in blood red over a black background for definition.

5. • We see this shot and instantly know we are seeing a
horror movie, or a very bad comedy.
• As if the slash over the flesh covered material were not
bad enough, the scream and ominous (now high
pitched) music certify it.
• Still from the now apparent killers point of view we cut
right from him flourishing the claw glove (showing us
this man is more animal than man)right to the dark
deed.
• The low light obscures most of the background so our
focus is only on the victim (another key element of
horror, the where doesn’t matter there will be no help)

6. • We finally move to a full screen, showing we are
no longer trapped in a small room with a killer
and the music slowly fades out to reveal a
confused, filthy girl that looks lose.
• Cutting right from the killers view to this girls face
makes us think that this killer is a threat to her
and is possibly stalking her, while the white
background shows this girl is innocent, but the
dirt on her white (purity) dress shows that she
has either done something or something is going
to happen to kill this purity.

7. • This shot is opposite to the last, moving back to
the dark low lighting look, and showing the girl
running away from the light, away from what is
pure into this dark recess where anything can
happen.
• With it being a long shot it helps the character
look smaller and more vulnerable to predators
(the animal killer with claws)
• Her flailing arms don’t help either, she looks
either high or having a seizure

8. • We see this right after we hear something falling.
This tells us 2 things. 1 someone or something is
close by her, and 2 probably that she is trying to
escape (although going into his lair isn't what I would
do) as we can see clearly that she is frightened.
• It also hints at whatever she is running from as either
being or seeing itself as go or go like. The dirt on her
dress killing her purity and her running away from
the light, something associated with goodness and
religion, although I may just be interpreting too
much 
• Also since the right hand side of the screen is dark
we can assume something sinister is slowly taking
over the screen and she is running straight into the
jaws of the killer… silly stock horror victim :P

9. • This shot is a fairly effective one
• From this viewpoint we cant see the girl anymore. But we
can still hear breathing and random metal clacks, showing
this is a factory of some kind and a place the killer is
familiar with (the breathing sounds like him and from this
angle the audience is once again in his shoes) and again
hinting he is more animal than man, stalking his prey in his
den.
• We also see the Robert Englund actor is shown
here, however simply the fact his name has and before it
shows he isn't a principal role, and is either just an add on
or a character worthy enough to have a name but not
enough on-screen time to be considered principal cast.

10. • Again the dark colours and low lighting show us there is danger in this
unknown pit, adding tension to the shot, and the music only heightens
this, being fast and ominous with no vocals helps the audience get into the
girls shoes
• From this shot e can see the girl starting to sink into the floor, confirming
this is no ordinary place and something supernatural is happening
• And the audience can only feel pity for the girl as the killer watches from
the corner, the first real shot we have of him (although dark and low
lighting we see he wears a dark hat that covers his face meaning he wants
to remain unseen)
• Although we cannot at this point confirm it is the killer the dark light and
the hiding, AND us looking not from his point of view but from his corner
again makes us think its him after so many looks from his point of view
• This shows him as animalistic again watching his prey till its nice and
helpless being sucked into the floor.

11. Does he catch her?
Watch the movie and find out :P

12. Fin
Tootles
Cia’o
Cheerio
C’ya!
Bye 
JB