“Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story” (2022)

by Joseph Perry

Normally here at “The Good, the Bad, and the Verdict”, both Joseph and Mike give their thoughts on a slice of cinema. However, here and there they will be taking the reins in a solo outing. For this installment, it’s Joseph with a solo review of Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story (2022).

Synopsis

Documentary about the career of the actor beloved for his portrayals of horror icon Freddy Krueger in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise and a sympathetic extraterrestrial in the original V television series.

The Good

Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story is both a sit-down interview with and a tribute to actor Robert Englund. It’s a fascinating look at the career of this man, who receives high praise from professionals who have worked with him in film and who has a solid reputation from fans who meet him at conventions. Much of the film is Englund discussing his acting career, from his theater roles as a youth to his early cinematic work in the “southern redneck” mode to his somewhat accidental path to becoming a horror movie legend to today, and this is reason enough to strongly recommend the documentary. Add to that reminisces about working with Englund from filmmakers including Mick Garris and Adam Greene, fellow actors such as Lin Shaye and Tony Todd, and numerous other intriguing interview subjects, not to mention a wealth of movie clips, and you have more than two hours of entertaining, informative material. Especially interesting for me are the parts that Englund auditioned for and didn’t get — but I won’t spoil those surprises here.

The Bad

It is hard to find fault with a documentary paying tribute so well to such an admired actor and human being. Viewers hoping for a deep dive into Englund’s personal life won’t find that here, but then again, that is not what Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story sets out to be.

The Verdict

I learned a lot from Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story and came away with a list of films that I hadn’t been aware of before, which are two of my hopes when I watch a documentary such as this one. It is a lot of fun hearing behind-the-scenes stories about Englund’s films, and whether you are familiar with him from his more famous fear-fare outings or someone who has only recently discovered Englund, this documentary offers something for everyone.

Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story, from Cineverse (formerly Cinedigm), debuts on digital platforms and the Screambox streaming platform on June 6th, with steelbook and collector’s edition Blu-rays scheduled for a July 25th release.

Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story