I have been looking forward to this since seeing the preview on the Never Sleep Again DVD. I thought it looked like a great premise - Heather Langenkamp investigates the place Nancy holds in the Elm Street legacy by talking to fans at major horror conventions. However, the preview clip provided on Never Sleep Again really says it all: there is not much more to it than that, spread out over 90 minutes. Anyone that is interested in seeing this already knows why the character Nancy is so great, and that Nightmare is the greatest horror film of all time, so those folks don't really need a 90 minute documentary that reiterates those points. Anyone who doesn't concur with those notions won't be convinced by this documentary in any case. That said, there are a couple of interesting bits and pieces here: the interview with Wes Craven's daughter is intriguing, as is the discussion between Wes and Heather. However, too much of the documentary is nothing new, and the somewhat schmaltzy 'inspirational' latter third made me cringe. All in all, it is not a bad documentary, it just isn't a great one. Too often, it feels a little meandering and pointless. When it is aiming towards a point, it feels forced. A must-have for completists only. For everyone else, there is always 'Never Sleep Again'.
11 Reviews
An delightful look at a severely underrated character
Rewster717 February 2015
Whilst its low budget is evident, there is a lot of heart and effort put into this beautifully made documentary. Heather Langenkamp, the actress whom played Nancy Thompson in 'A Nightmare on Elm Street', explores the fandom of the character, which, of course, pales in comparison to the film's famous antagonist, Freddy Krueger. Langenkamp, and director Arlene Marechal, pose the question why doesn't Nancy have the same popularity as her arch nemesis? However, there are Nancy fans out there, and Langenkamp hears from them of their personal feelings towards the character and what she means to them.
Nancy is a special kind of slasher protagonist. Continuing on from what Laurie Strode started in 'Halloween', Nancy is not a "sexualised virgin", but a level-headed, smart teenager who would rather face her fears than run away from them. The character has inspired many, and Langenkamp exposes the character's importance in not only horror cinema, but in the lives of her fans.
Interviews with 'Nightmare' director Wes Craven, and Robert Englund (the actor who played Freddy Krueger) also give insightful analyses of Nancy. Craven, the creator explains Nancy's origins, whilst Englund opines on her relationship with his character, Freddy.
As a fan of Nancy myself, I really enjoyed this documentary. Langenkamp isn't so much a star, but a down-to-earth woman whose uplifting spirit is contagious. Her positive demeanor and her obvious appreciation for her fans make for a feel-good experience.
Nancy is a special kind of slasher protagonist. Continuing on from what Laurie Strode started in 'Halloween', Nancy is not a "sexualised virgin", but a level-headed, smart teenager who would rather face her fears than run away from them. The character has inspired many, and Langenkamp exposes the character's importance in not only horror cinema, but in the lives of her fans.
Interviews with 'Nightmare' director Wes Craven, and Robert Englund (the actor who played Freddy Krueger) also give insightful analyses of Nancy. Craven, the creator explains Nancy's origins, whilst Englund opines on her relationship with his character, Freddy.
As a fan of Nancy myself, I really enjoyed this documentary. Langenkamp isn't so much a star, but a down-to-earth woman whose uplifting spirit is contagious. Her positive demeanor and her obvious appreciation for her fans make for a feel-good experience.
Loved it!
moviegirl869 July 2014
I am a huge horror fan. Even though nightmare on elm street came came out the year before I was born it became my favorite horror movie as I grew up. I've always loved the character of nancy. For once we had a girl that was strong, determined and not some dumb bimbo. She doesn't run around falling every 2 minutes. She is a fighter. That being Said she is one of my favorite characters. And heather played the part wonderfully. She shows emotion, her acting wasn't wooden or over the top. I love this documentary. It's shows how heather is always in the shadows of Robert England "Freddy". How the fans always want to meet Robert, how there are thousands of Freddy products but not really any nancy products. This doc is entertaining and funny. Plus the added bonus of the interview between heather and Wes cravens daughter. Which I thought was really interesting. If you are a nightmare fan and fan of nancy, do yourself a favor and watch this.
I'm into survival and completely into "I AM NANCY"
NancyThompsonOfElmSt14 November 2011
In horror films, the heroes or heroines are usually always overshadowed by the villain on a large scale. But does that mean that the villains are the only ones who are important? Why do so many people like these evil characters anyway? This is what Heather explores in her documentary!!! In this outstanding love letter to the world of fandom, Heather seeks to find where her beloved character of Nancy stands in the world of well known horror icon, Freddy Krueger! The beautiful thing about this documentary is that Heather is a fan of Nancy herself. When she takes you on this journey through the world of conventions, you feel as though you're right there with Heather, talking to these fans and listening to their stories. Heather is an extremely kind, funny, compassionate, intelligent, and welcoming person and you see so much of that in I AM NANCY. The documentary is absolutely charming. I waited two almost three months from its release so i could have my first time seeing it be on the big screen at this summer's Days of the Dead convention and I can tell you that I was NOT disappointed!
I am a huge fan of Nancy and I've always felt that she deserved a lot more recognition than she first received. Nancy is who I believe to be the greatest horror heroine of all time, and she is without a doubt my favorite CHARACTER of all time. Nancy is strong, resourceful, loyal, compassionate, unwavering, and intelligent. Whats so amazing about Nancy is that she is the typical girl next door and she defeats evil without the use of any super powers. This reminds audiences that you don't have to have supernatural forces working with you to obtain greatness, all you need is your own strength and will to overcome an obstacle! When you watch this, you will see the Nancy inside a lot of fan leap out of the screen in most of these stories.
I do not want to spoil it but I promise you that you will not be disappointed. This documentary is brilliant and extremely inspirational, the ending brings me to tears every time! Along with fantastic moments captured on the screen, this documentary is assisted by superb editing and direction to convey its purpose. I love this with all of my heart and it will forever be a treasure that I will pass along to as many people as possible. Hopefully it has the same effect on you. From the outer tattoos, to the very heart of adoration, Arlene and Heather will take you on the greatest tongue-in-cheek and heartwarming journey of your life. If you're not already proudly shouting "I AM NANCY" from mountain tops, you certainly will be after you watch this fantastic documentary. Live well, love much, laugh often and "BE NANCY"! :)
I am a huge fan of Nancy and I've always felt that she deserved a lot more recognition than she first received. Nancy is who I believe to be the greatest horror heroine of all time, and she is without a doubt my favorite CHARACTER of all time. Nancy is strong, resourceful, loyal, compassionate, unwavering, and intelligent. Whats so amazing about Nancy is that she is the typical girl next door and she defeats evil without the use of any super powers. This reminds audiences that you don't have to have supernatural forces working with you to obtain greatness, all you need is your own strength and will to overcome an obstacle! When you watch this, you will see the Nancy inside a lot of fan leap out of the screen in most of these stories.
I do not want to spoil it but I promise you that you will not be disappointed. This documentary is brilliant and extremely inspirational, the ending brings me to tears every time! Along with fantastic moments captured on the screen, this documentary is assisted by superb editing and direction to convey its purpose. I love this with all of my heart and it will forever be a treasure that I will pass along to as many people as possible. Hopefully it has the same effect on you. From the outer tattoos, to the very heart of adoration, Arlene and Heather will take you on the greatest tongue-in-cheek and heartwarming journey of your life. If you're not already proudly shouting "I AM NANCY" from mountain tops, you certainly will be after you watch this fantastic documentary. Live well, love much, laugh often and "BE NANCY"! :)
It was enjoyable while it lasted.
lost-in-limbo16 April 2020
An airy, if scatterbrain low-rent looking doco of Heather Langenkamp lamenting over her Nightmare on Elm Street character Nancy... and her lack of merchandise, or iconic air compared to the influential pop-culture fandom of her co-star Robert Englund's Freddy Krueger. Freddy this, Freddy that... but what about Nancy? Most of time is spent sitting around chatting to horror fans, and hanging about at a horror convention, while naturally having fun with the concept of what Nancy, and the Nightmare films mean to them. Sometimes listening to these stories can be up-lifting, other times awkward, yet Heather has a genuine interest that is infectious.
There are some amusing segments, especially Heather's quest in finding a Nancy action figurine and her interaction with Robert Englund when she does, but when Wes Craven/and his daughter are separately interviewed by her. This is when it becomes a little more focused, and meaningful on discussing the cultural recognition, and importance of Nancy in the "Nightmare on Elm St" universe. While their interviews come on towards the backend, they do anchor the documentary and there's something just soothing about listening to Wes Craven wax on.
There are some amusing segments, especially Heather's quest in finding a Nancy action figurine and her interaction with Robert Englund when she does, but when Wes Craven/and his daughter are separately interviewed by her. This is when it becomes a little more focused, and meaningful on discussing the cultural recognition, and importance of Nancy in the "Nightmare on Elm St" universe. While their interviews come on towards the backend, they do anchor the documentary and there's something just soothing about listening to Wes Craven wax on.
Nightmare fans should love it!
polishedis2119 November 2014
Before I start, I just want to say that I am a die-hard 80's horror fan, so my opinion is totally biased. Nevertheless, I will try to review this as honestly as possible for those who aren't as crazy about this genre as I am. First off, I loved this documentary! Heather Langenkamp's Nancy from the Nightmare on Elm Street series is my second favorite final girl of all time. I won't get into my first favorite because this is about the documentary I Am Nancy. I loved all 120 minutes of it! Without giving too much away its mostly Heather at the convention scene discussing the character of Nancy with fans. Which, speaking as a fan myself, is pretty darn cool! As a fan, I cannot get enough of the Nightmare On Elm Street films, and those associated with making them. So when I learned of this documentary I knew I would love it before ever having seen it. I understand that to someone who isn't a huge horror fan, this documentary probably won't have the same appeal, but based on my fandom alone I had to give it 10 stars. Now, taking into account that not everyone possesses my amount of fandom, this documentary is still quite entertaining. Robert Englund AKA Freddy Krueger makes an appearance, along with Wes Craven who of course is the mastermind behind the first Nightmare On Elm Street as well as A New Nightmare (A New Nightmare being my favorite film in the franchise). The two offer up some insight into the franchise as well as their take on the character of Nancy. This documentary is also not void of humor, with a few funny moments scattered throughout. I could go into more detail, but I don't want to give too much away. Trying to put my fandom aside, I would say that it is at least deserving of a 7 star rating. So that's 10 stars if you're a huge fan like myself, and 7 stars if you're just a casual fan. Either way not a bad documentary, so if you haven't seen it I definitely recommend that you do.
Yours truly, Nightmare Fan For Life
Yours truly, Nightmare Fan For Life
It's fun, but I learnt nothing new.
SamJamie6 April 2021
Actress Heather Langenkamp discusses the unique experience of performing as teen heroine Nancy Thompson in Wes Craven's movie.
This "sequel" to 'Never Sleep Again' is an off-beat mockumentary mostly following Heather Langenkamp around several conventions and interacting with the often unusual and quirky fans of the series. I'd seen this when it came out but I'd completely forgot about it. I expected the documentary to look a little bit deeper into the character and the conventions of the genre but it's more of a special feature you'd get on a DVD release of the film. It mostly follows Heather's frustration with taking a back seat to Freddy's fame, It's worth seeing for fans of the A Nightmare on Elm Street series and of Heather Langenkamp. It is at times funny, at times quite serious, but it's worth your time to watch the original documentary instead.
This "sequel" to 'Never Sleep Again' is an off-beat mockumentary mostly following Heather Langenkamp around several conventions and interacting with the often unusual and quirky fans of the series. I'd seen this when it came out but I'd completely forgot about it. I expected the documentary to look a little bit deeper into the character and the conventions of the genre but it's more of a special feature you'd get on a DVD release of the film. It mostly follows Heather's frustration with taking a back seat to Freddy's fame, It's worth seeing for fans of the A Nightmare on Elm Street series and of Heather Langenkamp. It is at times funny, at times quite serious, but it's worth your time to watch the original documentary instead.
Okay, Heather, we get it!
bazmitch232 October 2014
You're proud of playing Nancy and brag on endlessly about why she is so great. It's just 73 minutes of people praising her. Who cares?
You know when you watch a DVD commentary and the participants point out how great every person and thing is. That's this doc. It's the same on the Michael Jackson's This Is It DVD extras where everyone of the featurettes are people praising Michael!
I'll give this a 4 because I enjoyed the convention footage. Those are always fun to watch. And Heather trying to search for a Nancy toy. I agree. There should be toys of ALL the Nightmare characters. That'll make a great collection.
You know when you watch a DVD commentary and the participants point out how great every person and thing is. That's this doc. It's the same on the Michael Jackson's This Is It DVD extras where everyone of the featurettes are people praising Michael!
I'll give this a 4 because I enjoyed the convention footage. Those are always fun to watch. And Heather trying to search for a Nancy toy. I agree. There should be toys of ALL the Nightmare characters. That'll make a great collection.
Brilliant!
LADreamer11 June 2011
I have watched this documentary 10 times and I never get tired of watching it! As a huge Nightmare on Elm Street fan, I was extremely excited that there was going to be a documentary dedicated to Nancy Thompson, and trust me, I AM NANCY truly does the character justice. There are really funny parts, really serious parts, and a few really touching moments, and the film is edited so well that it all flows together. I have been recommended this documentary to so many people, and I will continue doing so because it is BRILLIANT! True Nightmare on Elm Street fans, especially Nancy fans, will definitely enjoy it. And I love that Heather Langenkamp is so proud of this character and wants to remind people what a heroine she really was. Heather, Arlene, and everyone else involved in making this documentary, I just have to say great work, and thank you for reminding this world just how special Nancy is. Watch this documentary, everyone! You won't be disappointed!
Feels like a special feature. A very shoddy one.
meathookcinema21 October 2019
When I learnt that there was a documentary all about Heather Langenkamp (Nancy from the first Nightmare on Elm Street film) and the whole fan phenomenon that surrounded the film and specifically her character I thought it sounded a very interesting concept.
But, alas, the reality is very different. Theres a reason I don't go to horror fan conventions where the fans get to meet their idols and get 8'' by 10''s signed and that is the cringe factor. The fans with the tattoos and the collections of memorabilia pertaining to their favourite films has always made me roll my eyes and here, unfortunately, the filmmakers give them a platform for the majority of the film. And it's just as excruciating as I thought it would be when I learnt that this film was about the fans rather than the surrounding mythos of the Nightmare series.
There are some great moments that should have been developed into full segments in their own right. We see Heather signing different types of Krueger merch (the Freddy talking doll, the vinyl record that was released at the height of Freddymania of him singing cover versions). I'd love a documentary about how the cult of Freddy grew with a comprehensive round-up of the different merchandise that was produced to satiate Freddy fan's needs back in the day.
Also, an analysis of how this could have developed around a character as perverted as a child killer needs examination. Freddy pushes the notion of the cinematic anti-hero to it's furthest point. How could a character that in real life would have been universally reviled be revered by horror fans when he appears as the lead character in a film franchise. A look into that would have been amazing.
This feels like a Blu ray special feature and a very shoddily made one at that. The fact that this was released as a stand alone documentary is pretty shocking.
Whilst this film is billed as 'Never Sleep Again Part 2' it only goes to show how comprehensive and detailed the original epic length documentary was. Stick with that. And watch the original films. Especially the first one. Oh, and check out Freddy's spin-off TV series, Freddy's Nightmares. History has been VERY kind to this horror anthology series. It's very underrated.
But, alas, the reality is very different. Theres a reason I don't go to horror fan conventions where the fans get to meet their idols and get 8'' by 10''s signed and that is the cringe factor. The fans with the tattoos and the collections of memorabilia pertaining to their favourite films has always made me roll my eyes and here, unfortunately, the filmmakers give them a platform for the majority of the film. And it's just as excruciating as I thought it would be when I learnt that this film was about the fans rather than the surrounding mythos of the Nightmare series.
There are some great moments that should have been developed into full segments in their own right. We see Heather signing different types of Krueger merch (the Freddy talking doll, the vinyl record that was released at the height of Freddymania of him singing cover versions). I'd love a documentary about how the cult of Freddy grew with a comprehensive round-up of the different merchandise that was produced to satiate Freddy fan's needs back in the day.
Also, an analysis of how this could have developed around a character as perverted as a child killer needs examination. Freddy pushes the notion of the cinematic anti-hero to it's furthest point. How could a character that in real life would have been universally reviled be revered by horror fans when he appears as the lead character in a film franchise. A look into that would have been amazing.
This feels like a Blu ray special feature and a very shoddily made one at that. The fact that this was released as a stand alone documentary is pretty shocking.
Whilst this film is billed as 'Never Sleep Again Part 2' it only goes to show how comprehensive and detailed the original epic length documentary was. Stick with that. And watch the original films. Especially the first one. Oh, and check out Freddy's spin-off TV series, Freddy's Nightmares. History has been VERY kind to this horror anthology series. It's very underrated.
A fantastic Documentary!
buffy23200013 June 2011
I have watched this documentary 8 times and I still laugh every time! If you are a true "A Nightmare on Elm Street" fan I don't know how you could not watch this film. There was so much thought put into it by Heather and Arlene (the star and director) and they really to a great job honoring the fans that were so open to share their stories.
Heather is on a mission in this movie to see what Nancy (the heroine) means to fans. We all know and love Freddy, but without Nancy who would Freddy have to battle? Nancy is the strongest of the Nightmare on Elm Street leading ladies and should be honored as such. What surprised me when I first watched the film was how it was so funny, and yet it really took a look at the more serious side of the Nancy story and how the courage of Heather's character has helped other people. There are also some wonderful interviews with Wes Craven, Robert Englund, and Jessica Craven (Wes' daughter) exploring the legacy of NOES and the character of Nancy.
I have become very passionate about this project and I feel like it is actually pretty hard to put into words of how amazing it actually is. The best thing I can say is it is worth watchingÂ… again and again and again! So after you leave this page go and buy your copy now. Go ahead, I'll wait!
Heather is on a mission in this movie to see what Nancy (the heroine) means to fans. We all know and love Freddy, but without Nancy who would Freddy have to battle? Nancy is the strongest of the Nightmare on Elm Street leading ladies and should be honored as such. What surprised me when I first watched the film was how it was so funny, and yet it really took a look at the more serious side of the Nancy story and how the courage of Heather's character has helped other people. There are also some wonderful interviews with Wes Craven, Robert Englund, and Jessica Craven (Wes' daughter) exploring the legacy of NOES and the character of Nancy.
I have become very passionate about this project and I feel like it is actually pretty hard to put into words of how amazing it actually is. The best thing I can say is it is worth watchingÂ… again and again and again! So after you leave this page go and buy your copy now. Go ahead, I'll wait!
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