A Nightmare on Elm Street
8.2/10
jumps
8
gore
6
dread
6
Tap a dot to add your rating.
Where to watch: Not on major US streamers — check digital rental.
How it scared people
The vibe
Craven's premise remains the genre's best: the killer waits where you must eventually go — sleep. Englund's Freddy is still frightening here, pre-wisecracks, and the boiler-room dream geography gave slashers a surrealist upgrade. The bathtub shot alone is canon.
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) Parents Guide
| MPA rating | Rated R |
|---|---|
| Runtime | 91 minutes |
| Jump scares | 4/5 — genuinely scary, with sustained tension and hard-hitting scares |
| Gore | 3/5 — a moderate amount of blood and violence |
| Dread | 3/5 — a lingering atmosphere that stays for the evening |
| Themes | a killer stalking victims |
A Nightmare on Elm Street is rated R by the MPA. We score it 4/5 for jump scares, 3/5 for gore and 3/5 for lingering dread, over 91 minutes. Older teens and adults — less for what it shows than for how long it stays with you.
We rate what the film does — scares, gore, dread — not scene-level content like language or nudity, which we don't track.
Before you press play
- How scary is A Nightmare on Elm Street?
- On our intensity scale, A Nightmare on Elm Street rates 8/10 for jump scares and 6/10 for dread. It is genuinely scary, with sustained tension and hard-hitting scares.
- How gory is A Nightmare on Elm Street?
- A Nightmare on Elm Street rates 6/10 for gore — expect a moderate amount of blood and violence.
- How long is A Nightmare on Elm Street?
- A Nightmare on Elm Street runs 91 minutes (1h 31m).
- What is A Nightmare on Elm Street rated?
- A Nightmare on Elm Street is rated R by the MPA. On our own scale it rates 8/10 for jump scares, 6/10 for gore and 6/10 for dread — the R tells you what it was certified, those tell you what it will do to you.
- Where to watch A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)?
- A Nightmare on Elm Street is not on major US subscription streamers right now — look for it on digital rental or purchase (Apple TV, Prime Video, or your usual store).
