A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child by Joseph Locke (a.k.a. Ray Garton)

 

(pb; 1989: movie tie-in novel. Sequel to A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master.)

Review

Freddy Krueger has found a clever loophole through which to return to torment Alice Johnson (from Elm Street 4) and her friends, one that’s initially a mystery before it becomes horrifying reality.

As with the fourth Nightmare script-based book (which Locke/Garton also wrote), he mostly follows the screenplay but expands on the characters’ backstories and actions, resets some of the action (e.g., one of the early sequences in the book involves Alice taking a bath instead of the movie version’s shower), gets grislier with some of the nightmares (especially Dan Jordan’s), etc.

Locke/Garton’s writing is again lean, immediately involving, fast-moving, and entertaining within its surreal swirl structure of dream logic, returning characters and all-around solid writing. If the means of Krueger’s defeat seem paper-thin and almost laughable, it’s not Locke/Garton’s fault (blame the screenwriters and the producers who pushed them), an okay whatever (anti-)climax that is almost remedied by the emotional efficacy of Locke/Garton’s final, character-centric scene in the book.

Garton, whether he’s writing under his real name or Joseph Locke, is a consistently excellent and entertaining horror writer.

If you’re curious what was changed between this solid, mostly dreamtime sequel’s book and film versions, check the reviews on Amazon (there’s a nice person who thoroughly listed the differences).

Nightmare 5 was published later in 1989 with its prequel, A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master in one volume, titled The Nightmares on Elm Street: Parts 4 & 5. It’s out of print, so if you can get it for a reasonable price (the current price hovers between $50 and $80 online), you might want to consider picking it up if you’re even slightly interested in it.

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The counterpart film was released stateside on August 11, 1989. Stephen Hopkins directed the film, from a screenplay by Leslie Bohem, based on a story by her, Craig Spector, and John Skipp.

Robert Englund played Freddy Krueger. Lisa Wilcox reprised her role of Alice Johnson. Nicholas Mele, billed as Nick Mele, also returned as Dennis Johnson (“Johnson” in the last film), Alice’s father. Danny Hassel reprised his role of Dan Jordan, Alice’s boyfriend. Whit Hertford, billed as Whitby Hertford, played Jacob.

Kelly Jo Minter played Yvonne. Joe Seely played Mark. Erika Anderson played Greta Gibson. Beatrice Boepple played Amanda Krueger.

Valorie Armstrong played Mrs. Jordan, Dan’s mother. Burr DeBenning played Mr. Jordan.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master by Joseph Locke (a.k.a. Ray Garton)

 

(pb; 1989: movie tie-in novel. Prequel to A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Master.)

From the back cover

“Freddy’s back, looking for some ‘soul’ food. And he won’t stop even when Kristen Parker─the last child of Freddy’s killers─takes a deep sleep that puts her six feet deep. Now the fiendish phantom is using other kids’ dreams to produce his victims─and to slaughter them in new and ingeniously gory ways.

“His blades are razor-sharp, and his bloodthirst can’t be stopped. Freddy Krueger is eternal.”

 

Review

Nightmare 4 is a worthwhile read for fans of the franchise who are looking for a well-written, if story-thin (blame the screenwriters and producers who rushed them) continuation of Freddy Krueger’s stalkings, with quite a few variations of how things happen. The ending is slightly tweaked but mostly the same (I’m guessing Locke/Garton worked from an earlier draft of the script). 

If you’re curious what was changed between this solid, mostly dreamtime sequel’s book and film versions, check the reviews on Amazon (there’s a nice person who thoroughly listed the differences). A few of the notable differences include: more waking-time interactions between some of the characters as well as more backstory for them, and Rick Johnson─prior to his kung fu nightmare demise─fights back against Krueger (he doesn’t in the movie). After Rick’s funeral, there’s a book-only scene with Dan, Debbie, and Mr. Bryson, their English teacher.

One of the things I liked about Nightmare 4 is how Krueger might be tied to Aristotle’s notions about positive/negative soul gates. I don’t remember if it’s in the film version, but it’s in Locke/Garton’s entertaining, fast-moving, and waste-no-words writing.

Nightmare 4 is a lean, ninety-eight-page read. It’s also out of print, so if you can get it for a reasonable price (the current price hovers between $50 and $80 online), you might want to consider picking it up if you’re even slightly interested in it.

Nightmare 4 was republished later in 1989 with its sequel, A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child, in one volume, titled The Nightmares on Elm Street: Parts 4 & 5.

Garton, whether he’s writing under his real name or Joseph Locke, is a consistently excellent and entertaining horror writer, one who’s worth your time.

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The counterpart film was released stateside on August 9, 1988. Renny Harlin directed the film, from a screenplay by Brian Helgeland, Jim and Ken Wheat (both billed as Scott Pierce).

Robert Englund played Freddy Krueger. Tuesday Knight played Kristen Parker. Ken Sagoes played Kinkaid. Rodney Eastman played Joey. Lisa Wilcox played Alice Johnson. Brooke Theiss played Debbie. Andras Jones played Rick Johnson. Danny Hassel played Dan. Nicholas Mele played "Johnson," Alice and Rick's father.

Scream queen Linnea Quigley played “Soul in Freddy’s Chest.” An uncredited Renny Harlin played “Student in Classroom.” New Line producer Robert Shaye, billed as L.E. Moko, played “Lecturer.”