Delayed interview

Sadly due to Christmas, (bloody Christmas) My interview with the wonderful Eileen Dietz has been held up.... But hold on, it will be here. But happy birthday to the Exorcist anyway, released today 40 years ago in 1973.

Please sir can I have more Shani Wallis - An interview

I stood with the others outside the stage door... Oh to meet my idol, what a exciting moment. At any moment Shani Wallis, star of 'Oliver!', the one true Nancy, was going to be leaving through that door and if I was lucky, I would be able to talk to her, maybe even get an autograph...

I held on tight to my programme, getting crumpled and damp, curled up in my sweaty hands and waited. People pushed and shoved to get to the front, but I just stood patiently, knowing if it was meant to be it would be...

Then suddenly, like a tap was turned on, the heavens opened and the rain came pouring down, everybody ran to take cover, but I stood there, a little rain wasn't going to put me off meeting my idol.

Shani Wallis was born in 1933 in the Tottenham borough of London, she is perhaps best known for her roles on the West end and of course her role as Nancy in the 1968 Oscar-winning musical Oliver! A friend of the stars, she now lives in California with her husband, Actor Bernie Rich.

The rain got heavier and there was still no sign of Shani, most people had left, soaked through, but I stood fast. Then finally the door opened and out she came, looking radiant. A few fans rushed to her and she signed their programmes, but then she noticed me, hair clinging to my face, my dress sodden, gosh, I must have looked like a sorry excuse for a person. She smiled at me sympathetically and excused her self from the crowd and rushing forward towards me. Grabbing my hand she pulled me under her brolly and said in her soft, still very British voice "How about a cuppa and a chat eh?"

We dived into the first little cafe we could found and sat down, ordering a couple of cups of tea she asked me, what I wanted to know...

I started off with an obvious one. I asked, how did you get the part of Nancy? Is it true that having a really cockney accent helped? 

"Oh definitely, definitely. But what truly happened was that I was doing a Broadway show and the Broadway show, believe it or not, was called A Time for Singing and it was, you must know the book How Green Was My Valley?"

I nodded,

"Well you know that and I played Anne Harred and Ivor Emmanuel, a beautiful Welsh singer, played the male lead and um that’s what was happening at the time. If you ever get a chance to hear the music from A Time For Singing it is glorious! Glorious! But unfortunately it was a very sad ending and at that time, you know there are a lot of musicals now that have sad endings, but at the time it didn’t work so it didn’t last very long. 

But Ed Sullivan came in to see the show and he saw me sing the ballad and it’s a very beautiful ballad. I was in period costume and he said “Would you come on my show and sing the song?” and I said yes I would. So I went on, the song is called Let Me Love You and I was seen by, well, obviously seen by millions of people, I mean his show was very popular. Mike someone, head of Columbia Pictures in Hollywood, was looking on the television and saw me. He knew me from England, he was also head of Columbia in England and he saw me in Irma La Douce and a lot of other shows but he happened to see me on television and sent me a telegram. It said I have a role that will suit you totally and completely, fly out to Hollywood! And that’s how I, and I went out there and of course he wanted me. 

His partner was John Wolf in England and John Wolf was not too sure about me but he said “Well, we’ll see, does she have a Cockney accent?”. I had to go to England and I had to record a lot of the dialogue in my true Cockney accent because I am a Cockney. It took me a long time to get that role. I mean I went through the mill, they put wigs on me and they didn’t look right, and eventually I said oh come on, let me use my own hair, which at that time was very nice and very strawberry red but they said but she’s always had black hair. I said well, it doesn’t suit me! I’ve got a tiny little face and it just won’t do! So eventually I landed up with my own hair. I know I took a long time to get to that, but that’s how it happened."

Wow, so you’re a real, true Cockney Londoner? Where were you born?

"In Tottenham. In North London. I’m very proud of it, I’m very proud of coming from Tottenham. I went to Tottenham High School and I used to go to the Royal Tottenham which was a, I had a, my biggest desire was to be on Dancing with the Stars, which I will probably never make but the Royal Tottenham was the ballroom place and I used to stand outside hoping that somebody would take me in, you know, you needed somebody to take you in those days. So I’m very proud of coming from there. "

I know you now live in California, Do you get home much? 

"Um, well my husband is sitting here with me, we don’t get back to England that much do we? I mean I’ll do a show there, I used to do TV, my own television show I did there and then I did a play there, a musical, but...oh yes, then I’d go back for the Tom Jones show, the Humperdink show, you know, and oh yes of course 42nd Street! Oh my God, I did that for almost 2 years. They wanted me to stay and I said my husband’s going to divorce me if I don’t go back! You know, that was wonderful, I really enjoyed doing that. Actually I started off doing it with Frankie Vaughn."

Oh wow! I exclaimed

"Yeah, and then um, he had problems and he wasn’t able to finish his contract. I mean, apropos of nothing, it’s a little incidental thing, but there was a lovely young lady in the show who used to be very interested and used to come and see me in the dressing room and everybody was off and she was the understudy to the understudy and she went on one night and she was absolutely fabulous! It turned out to be Catherine Zeta Jones..."

I read that you practiced for six months before you even had a camera on? 

"Oh yes, yes, totally. I mean we did a lot of dance movements, you had to limber every day and you know, everybody was learning the songs and oh yes, it took a long time, that musical. But, the wonderful part of it is, that everybody, when you see it, it doesn’t have a digital work like it does today, you know, instead of their being six people on screen they go de dum de dum de dum and they multiply it, everybody that you saw on that screen was there."

It was all filmed indoors, wasn’t it?

"Noooo, I mean there were huge huge huge studios yes, there was Fagin’s Den and there was where the whole of Fagin’s Den sort of disintigrated and where I did the song If He Needs Me, and that was a huge cold, very cold studio. But, um, all of the, that, that was a facade all built, that whole Bloomsbury was all you know, the homes and the houses that was all a facade. Then of course it was a natural, all the lawns and everything was all natural, it was outdoors."

I blushed cursing my error... Oh, it was outdoors? 

"Of course, yes, and then they had the street, you know, but I’m thinking of Harry Secombe’s song, ohhh, what was it?"

Boy for Sale? 

"Yes, Boy for Sale, yes, the filmed that whole thing on a wonderful exquisite set with all the snow and everything outdoors.

Oh wow! Well, how did it feel just to walk around? Did it feel like it was real when you walked around it?"

"Definitely, because you know it was a whole different era and I mean, I look back on those pictures and on my photographs and everything and you see us just looking, well, pretty gross standing there in the freezing cold and talking to our friends on the set. But then you look around at the set and it’s all in a totally different era. It was quite amazing and especially Consider Yourself with Jack Wilde and Mark Lester, that set. And the train, the train going across. That was built. That was all built outdoors! Then, you remember the boat that goes by in Be Back Soon, that was in a studio, in the big studio.

I’ve just been with Ron Moody. I was with him in Chicago, when...a couple of months ago? And with Mark Lester, we were all reunited and we had a great time and it was wonderful. And of course Ron, there is no other Fagin. There is no other. There is no other. You can’t go any further than that."

... And you are the only Nancy, I said...

"Yes, well this was the thing, they always want to do the same thing. You know, oh well we’ve got this and they put you into a little box but if it doesn’t suit you you have to stick to what you believe and nothing about the look when I first was chosen, you know, I had to do a lot of, I had to do a film test just the same as everybody else. I was with great company and I felt....Lewis Gilbert did the test and it was strange because Sir Carole Reed, who directed the movie, did not do the test, did not actually meet me then. When he did meet me, one evening with all the big wigs you know, he said “but you’re so tiny and you looked so enormous on the screen!”. So, you know, I was a tiny person in person but very big on the screen. "

And I had to ask about Olly Reed... He had a fearsome reputation, I wondered if it was justified...

"You know, I think, Sir Carole Reed was the most amazing director, I shouldn’t say this....one of the biggest reasons why Oliver was so incredibly successful and so incredibly good was because Sir Carole Reed insisted, even though the music was great, even though the dancing was great, and everybody there used their creativity and everything was so great....the main thing about Sir Carole Reed was that he was stubborn. He said I will not give up this story, this story means everything. This drama means everything. You know, when you think about musicals, oh it’s music and it’s all happy, but no, he insisted that everything was drama first then music. He had more rows, he didn’t get along with I think Oom Pah Pah, which everybody loves, everybody loves Oom Pah Pah. But the whole drama of that scene was that Nancy was taking Oliver away, how was she going to do it? He was being guarded by the dog! And the whole reason for Oom Pah Pah being the success that it was was not just the song but the drama that went with it. Am I going on? 

But you’re asking about Oliver Reed. Oliver Reed was a very strange person. Yes, I think you said in one of your questions have I ever seen him besotted? Yes, I have, and he was very rude, which didn’t help with the Screen Actors Guild when they were showing the new vision of Oliver when it was redone. And um, he obviously he had gotten worse since Oliver, but he was very intense, very intense, everything had to be so darned real. I mean if you take that last scene where he kills her, and Nancy goes to the bridge and takes the little boy, well he said to me “You do what you want. I will do the rest”. And that’s how that became so dramatic, that last scene, because when I went out I did not expect it, I said ok go to Oliver for him to go up the bridge and um, he just grabbed me, I mean the way the camera caught it was real! "

So did he actually hurt you?

"He grabbed me and I fought him, I scratched him and I punched him, but he’s a strong son of a gun and he made it, and that’s what made him such a good actor. But I think he went too far, I do. He was very intense, a very uncommunicative type of person. I did not find him....I mean if you talk to Ron Moody perhaps he’d tell you a totally different thing about how charming he was and how sweet he was. I never found him that way. And Mark Lester, and various other people. But then, you know, it’s your own version of what you see about a person. Everybody has their own vision of people. Or their own version of people.

As an actor, of course, he was great! He was wonderful! And he was wonderful in the role."

But he was perfect for the role wasn’t he? Very unnerving...

"Perfect....and the very first day he went into it, that very first line “Three Days!!” and I reckon he must have done that line about fifty million times...Carole Reed had him doing it over and over and over again."

Was it Carole Reed who didn’t like it or Oli Reed who didn’t like it?

"Ummmm, I don’t know whether he liked it...I had very little contact with him, I don’t know whether he liked doing Oliver, but he must, I mean, I think he must have wanted to do it, don’t you?" 

I just had to ask this next question...  as a mum, I have birthday parties and there are lots of children about and sometimes it's hell... But some of these kids were so young were there any tantrums or major strops? Did you have any problems working with so many little kids or were they professional theatre children?

"No they weren’t! They weren’t all professional theatre children. Not at all! But when it came to it you had Sir Carole Reed, you had Honor White who did the choreography, I mean, you better mind your manners, Cockney or no Cockney! I mean they’d walk out with these wonderful characters, the children, and I mean the shots of those children....and when I went back to do the reunion, to see all these guys who are like 50 years old or something, they were very funny! Very funny, wonderful, warm individuals. Warm people, we had a great time."

From Judy Garland to Sinatra, I knew Shani had worked with them all... But I had to ask about her friend, the very glamourous, the very fabulous, Liberace...

"Ohhhhhh! I travelled with Liberace, I travelled with Jack Benny, I travelled with many people. But Liberace was a dear friend, a dear dear person. It was so funny, I get a lot of fan mail and I just got a letter from a little girl who is 9 years old, her name is Christiana, and she asked “Who are your favourite people?”. Mine are Al Jolson, Liberace and somebody else, I don’t know. But Liberace I travelled all over the world with. I went to Australia with him, I went all over the United States, I was in England, I mean it was just amazing! And what a wonderful guy! A wonderful, wonderful person....

....Do you want to hear a good story? A true true story. We were in Vegas, we did Vegas together quite a few times and I used to go to the dressing room and he’d be sitting there in his underwear doing his make up and I’d say “Hi Lee”, I used to call him Lee, and I’d sit down and we’d talk. And he’d say, Shani, I’ve got a robe, you know the robes he used to wear? He said, “I’ve got a long robe, I really don’t want it, the only piece I want his the neck area because it’s a really beautiful piece of fur, I can’t give you that but do you want the rest of it?”. And I said “Lee, I’ll make my husband Bernie a pair of shorts and a shirt, I’ll make myself a dress, yes please, I’ll take it”. I made two dresses out of his robe, one was from the inside which was gold and the other, which was the outside, was silver and all diamonds. I still have that dress. I still have that dress, and when it was finished I went on stage, I surprised him and he looked at me and he said “Oh Shani! Oh! Where are my sunglasses!” Just like that! It was like he knew it was his dress, you know, I mean not his dress but his robe! But he was a wonderful man, I still have that dress. I’m trying to say to myself what shall I do with it, you know, should I give it to a Liberace museum or something?"

But unfortunately I’ve had it cleaned so many times that the cleaning fluid smell won’t come out of it, but I still have it! And as far as Jack Benny is concerned, Jack Benny, I don’t know whether you know of him or have heard of him, but he was like a father to me. My husband adored him, we travelled all over the world. You know, I have been a very very lucky person, I’ve been so lucky and so blessed and I can’t tell you. It has been a wonderful life and it’s not over yet!"

So, names were flying everywhere, so I wondered, which one was her favourite? 

"I haven’t worked with Judy Garland, I’ve only met Judy."

I think my heart stopped beating for a second ther.... Have you met Judy Garland?! I cried, What was she like?

"Oh, she was lovely! I mean, just lovely! Obviously incredibly talented. One woman, there’s one woman I haven’t met that I just loved as a young person and her name is Doris Day. She still is living, I’ve never met her but I’ve always wanted to meet her. So there you are, you see. But as far as, Katherine Hepburn I loved."

Katherine Hepburn?!

"I met Jimmy Stewart, oh I’ve met a lot of people...."

I begged for another story...

"Edward G. Robinson, have you ever heard of him?"

I nodded with anticipation

"Well, we met him with Jack, in Vegas, and he was deaf and my father was deaf, my father never heard me sing! And when I met, I was with Jack Benny, I was appearing in Vegas with Jack and Edward G. Robinson came backstage and sat with us. We all went in to Jack’s dressing room and I could communicate completely with Edward. G. Robinson because he lip read and that’s how I used to communicate with my father...."

And my husband, not forgetting my husband, he’s met everybody! From Humphrey Bogart, Frank Sinatra, well you know, we both met Frank Sinatra but that was Vegas...I spent a lot of years in Vegas. It’s been a wonderful adventure.

My priviledge and my gain and my blessing to to work with these people. So, you know, I feel the same way as you do in a way because I looked up to them too."

But, I only read about them in books, watch their films or stare at their photo's, I said... You got to meet them!

"Yes, yes that’s true and I know I did the Hollywood Palace with Buddy Epsom but of course I come from a different era, you’re young, you’re the same age as my daughter, you know, so it’s a whole different thing. So going back a lot of years, I’m getting very old!"

A bit older maybe, but still as charming and as beautiful as she was in Oliver!

I could see the bottom of my cup now and my hair had dried into a lovely frizz, Shani checked her watch, it was getting late and the tubes stopped soon. I thanked her for not only her time, but for the tea.

She got up to leave, but I had one more question... A very good question to end this perfect evening with... 

"What do I think she would have done? I think that this little boy, Oliver, brought out all the goodness in her and I think, I really believe the only way was the fact that he would kill her. I do think that was the only thing that could have happened to this poor woman. And even though her love was beyond belief for Bill Sykes I think the love for the child was even more. And I think she probably said to herself, I know this is what’s going to happen to me but be that as it may I am doing what I have to do. That’s the way I am, that’s the only way I can answer that question."

No that was perfect.... Just perfect

Find more infor on Shani at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shani_Wallis

or http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0908861/

Back to Camp with Ari Lehman - an Interview

I bundled my suitcase into the trunk of my old Trans-am, a trip to a summer camp was what I needed after the year I'd had, being dumped by my high school boyfriend and that pregnancy scare, this was going to be a great week of sun, swimming and may be if I was lucky more... we drove along, my friend Sherri singing loudly to Cindy Lauper and giggling with excitement, Camp Crystal Lake wasn't too far from our home in New York, but it was far enough from our old lives for us... If only for one week.

As we pulled up to the gate I felt a strange chill run down my spine... Like I shouldn't be there, like someone was trying to warn us off. I turned to ask Sherri if she had felt anything, but she was far too busy squealing like a stuck pig to feel anything right now. 

We found our cabin, it was right on the lake, the name said it all 'Crystal' and I couldn't wait to dive in. 

We changed into our bikinis, ready to take a dip, but as we got nearer to the water we noticed a rippling... then a splashing... Someone... Something was in the water and it was making waves...

Sherri clung tightly to my arm as we stared for what seemed like an eternity, grounded to the spot in fear, we had all heard the stories of this place... The drowning boy... and the murders, but that was all talk... Or so we had thought....

Suddenly there was an almighty splash and we saw him, emerging from the lake, his clothes sodden, carrying something shiny in his hand and wearing some sort of mask... I held my breath as he neared us, Sherri hid behind me, eyes tight shut... I stared, my eyes not letting me shut them, not wanting to miss a second... The masked figure approached us and then spoke...

"Got it!" he said removing his swimming mask and snorkel! "Didn't want you gals cutting yourself on that, did we?" He held up an old rusty sign, it read 'Danger Deep Water', "Must have fallen off during winter"

His voice was friendly, as was his face, long brown curly hair and a fancy beard framed his face well... a face that I knew... A face that I recognised... A face belonging to Ari Lehman... The first Jason Vorhees in the stunning Friday 13th horror series.

Friday the 13th is an American horror franchise focusing on the fictional character Jason Voorhees (origionally played by Ari lehman), who drowned as a boy at Camp Crystal Lake due to the negligence of the camp staff. Decades later, the lake is rumored to be "cursed" and is the setting for a series of mass murders. Jason is featured in all of the films, as either the killer or the motivation for the killings. The original film was written by Victor Miller and was produced and directed by Sean S. Cunningham. However, neither returned to write or direct any of the sequels. The films have grossed over $465 million at the box-office worldwide.

Catching my breath and taking a chug of my beer I introduced myself and starting asking questions...

So Ari, How did you get the part of Jason Voorhees? 

“When I was twelve, I lived in a town in New England where the great Director Sean S. Cunningham happened to have his offices, perhaps due to the proximity to New York City, where I was born. I actually snuck into the audition for MANNY'S ORPHANS, a Comedy about inner city ruffians who play Football (we call it "Soccer" here haha). That movie was not widely released, so Sean S. Cunningham decided to produce FRIDAY THE 13TH in an effort to make up for it. I got a call on the phone at home during the following Summer, and Sean basically asked me the famous question - "can you swim?".

Ha... I thought, so how did you celebrate? I asked 

I was very excited to be in another film. Of course, when I got the script for Jason, I immediately noticed that there were no lines at all. I decided that I would have to rise to the challenge and convey the intensity through my eyes and body language alone. Then, Tom Savini later informed me that I would actually have a glass eye. Undaunted, I made up my mind to put all the feeling into one eye! haha... 

Now the brilliant Tom Savini did the makeup for the cast, how long did yours take to do? What was it like?

To be 14 years old and get to see the inner workings of a Horror Special Effects Studio is amazing, especially since we were all crazy about movies since the release of Star Wars and Jaws. It was a revelation to see all the severed limbs, decapitated heads, weaponry, and explosive props that Tom Savini and Taso Stavrakis were creating for F13 and other films. I worked with them just before they made another film called KNIGHT RIDERS a wild movie about jousting on motorcycles, and stars Ed Harris. It was a great deal of fun to work with Tom for about 4 weeks prior to the film and on the set for several days on and off. Tom always made it a point that I learn about the Classic Horror Greats like Lon Chaney, Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff and Vincent Price.”

Now the film was made on a shoestring, so I wondered how much did he get paid for his silent role?

“First of all I am the only Jason who does not get residuals. The pay was the day pay for a junior stunt man at that time which was $225/day. I have the honor of being an integral part of the Jason Mythos and that has led to the creation of my Metal project FIRST JASON, that is recently enjoying some success performing at major Metal Fests and Film Festivals in the Us and Europe." 

And what direction did Sean S Cunningham give you to play the part?

"Sean Cunningham really is a great Director who deserves more credit for the success of the series, I believe. He continually urged the actors not to be "over-the-top" or obvious. He even allowed for some improvisation on the set, much of which made it to the screen. The crucial moment was when we shot the scene, he said "Ari, you are the Director this time. When you go under the water, that's "Action" then look up and wait for the bubbles to clear and go for it!"”

I looked down at the mask he was holding, not quite the hockey mask his character was known for (although it was not until the 3rd film that a hokey mask was worn by the character).

At my website http://www.firstjason.com there is a sequence of photos that shows the removal of the mask. I believe Tom Savini has all of that Special Effects material. “

Now obviously the famous scene and the one he almost rein-acted for us today was the final scene where he slashes about the in the water, I had to ask how cold was the water in that lake? How long did you have to stay in it?

“The famous final scene was not in the original script. In fact it was shot afterwards, prompted by Sean Cunningham seeing the film CARRIE. We had originally wrapped everything in August. But in October I was called back to work on the final scene. In my mind, Jason comes back to life to seek vengence. However I was told that was not the case, this was a dream sequence. My objections were quelled by Tom who told me, "Play it like a ghost, because if you were a ghost in a dream, you would believe you were a ghost. right?" So I did, and in fact I was right. Jason LIVES!!!”

Why did you only appear in the first film?

“By the second film Jason was to be much larger, although this has YET to be explained... "

Did you ever believe that the film would become such a huge franchise, with 12 sequels, a television show, novels, comic books, and tie‑in merchandise?

"At first it was really the story about Pamela Voorhees and Alice Hardy that made FRIDAY THE 13TH so unique of course. Honestly it was not until Sir Richard Brooker played Jason Voorhees in PART 3, when the Hockey Mask Jason was born that I started to hear friends of mine making that now famous ch-ch-ch sound and asking me about FRIDAY THE 13TH & Jason Voorhees. That sound, by the way, and the soundtrack by Harry Manfredini are crucial to the series' success."“

What do you think of Betsy Palmer saying that she only took the part because she needed a new car and that the film was “a piece of Shit”?

“Betsy Palmer is one of the most amazing people in the world and I Love Her. Betsy has devoted so much time and energy to the fans of F13 that it overrides any previous trepidation. Let's just say that we are all lucky that her Volkswagen broke down that day, because she readily accepted the role and elevated the entire film with her memorable performance. Certain lines in this film are absolutely unforgettable when you hear her say them too. I have seen her and the Author, Victor Miller discuss this famous quip, and they laugh about it together. If not for Betsy Palmer, F13 and Jason Voorhees himself may never have had the impact that they now have. Jason is the fragile child trapped inside the body of a indestructible monster. It's Pamela that says "I'm not afraid."”

Have you ever been tempted to go back to camp No-Be-Bo-Sco in New Jersey and scare the livin’ bejesus out of the campers? Actually have you ever been back?

“I have not been back since but there is a Facebook campaign to get it open for F13 Tours.”

Do you know if it’s true that Jason was origionally called Josh, but it sounded to nice?

“I have never heard that before you'll have to ask Victor Miller.”

Now Friday 13th had scared to b'jesus out of me, but what scared Ari, I wondered?

“Halloween is a scary film, and Michael is creepy. Recent films that I like include THE WOMAN IN BLACK and LORDS OF SALEM. But there are films that are scarier by far, for instance [REC] or even CANDYMAN, so if you are asking for SCARY there's CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST too. The next phase of that genre is coming from Eli Roth with GREEN INFERNO, perhaps also a good scare.“

It’s interesting to note that victor miller admitted that he was riding off the success of Halloween...

“Honestly the success of "Friday the 13th" has to do with many films that preceded it. In the 70's there was a plethora of female-driven Horror Films like CARRIE, ROSEMARY'S BABY and THE EXORCIST. Then it was JAWS reminding the audiences that they love a Monster. Two films came out in 1980 that reflected these elements - FRIDAY THE 13TH and THE SHINING. For some reason, although both of these films were hits, the public wanted the mindless thrill of the Slashers.”

Now he must... he has to... and I wondered... How many conventions does he attend every year?

“Originally I would do several Horror Conventions a year. With the release of FIRST JASON'S first album "JASON IS WATCHING!" I began to tour the US and EU on the music circuit, playing in Punk/Metal Venues and Festivals more than Horror Conventions. Please check out these videos of FIRST JASON LIVE AT THE VIPER ROOM in LA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxLZ2XPI2yc

FIRST JASON: JASON'S BRIDE MUSIC VIDEO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6e4bzpsQDc “

And what's the best question you've ever been asked?

“Well it's hilarious when little children ask me questions about being "Big" Jason's brother!”

What are you fans like? Can they get pretty weird?

“I am always amazed and impressed by the dedication of the F13 fans. I feel that there is something about the Summer Camp, and Jason, but most of all Momma Voorhees. It's like a big family of Horror movie fans who truly feel nostalgic for Camp Crystal Lake, as if they had gone to camp there when they were young. It's a fun collective illusion that provides recreation and distraction from the everyday routine."

But why do you think the film is so popular?

"FRIDAY THE 13TH takes viewers on a journey back into the woods every time they see the Welcome To Camp Crystal Lake sign and hear the sound of Jason. It's an escape from reality."

Ari turned to leave... This was going to be the coolest holiday ever I thought, perfect... My troubles had already faded and now I was ready for a dip, Sherri's grip has loosened and her rushed breathing stopped, actually I couldn't hear her at all now... But I could still hear Ari behind me, so without turning I asked....

So Ari, If he was real what do you think is Jason Vorhees would be doing now?

“Jason would be fighting off the Frackers who are drilling the woodlands and lake country if America for oil more and more every day. Also I see Jason laying waste to an army of zombies.”

I laughed and turned to say my goodbyes.... But gazing at the mutilated body of my best friend lying dead on the deck beside me, I guessed my goodbyes were going to be more permanent than I thought....................................................................................................................................................................... 

Don't go to sleep... Retro LadyLand has a sleepover with the scream queen herself, Heather Langenkamp... 1...2... Freddies coming for you...

It was the night of the sleepover and I was as giddy as a school girl, as this had been like no other sleepover I had been on before, or every would again... Tonight I was eating pizza, talking about boys, playing truth or dare and trying desperately, oh so desperately not to go to sleep... because sleeping was the last thing we wanted to do...You see, this sleepover was with none other than the star of Nightmare on Elm Street and the woman who beat Freddy Kruegar... yes,  tonight my sleep over was with the amazing Heather Langenkamp... 

Made in 1984, Nightmare on Elm Street was directed by the horror genius Wes Craven. The film tells the tale of Nancy, [played by Heather] a 16 year-old preppy school girl and her friends who are stalked by a deformed child murderer burned to death by their parents for his crimes and now seeking revenge in their dreams...

Heather and I got into our pyjamas, they were strikingly similar, both Chinese design with flowers down the front and, after spending time making each up, ordering pizza, trying on each others clothes and then eating the ordered pizza until our stomachs hurt, we snuggled down in our sleeping bags and started chatting...

So Heather, I said sipping on another cup of strong coffee, how did you get the part of Nancy?

“It was a large casting call actually in a very grubby part of Hollywood, it was a very low budget horror so they had rented some office space and there was no furniture so it was really demoralising, the whole audition really... We all had to sit on the floor as I remember, while we waited our turn.  And then the casting director came out and we went in one by one, then I went home and got a call back... and then again... and then... I believe the third time I went that Wes Craven was actually there, we had a nice conversation and then I read my part with Amanda Wyss*, then Wes just turned to us and said 'That’s it girls here’s your part', right there in the room! Which never happens! We were just thrilled and excited! We didn't start right away as I remember, I think it was a little bit of a lagged time.

I heard that you were up against some pretty tough competition for Nancy, Jennifer Grey, Courtney Cox… Demi Moore?!

You know I’ve heard people say that but I never saw any of them in the audition room, but back then in the early 80s it wasn’t unusual to see a lot of those people at auditions. I mean everyone was pretty much the same age and it was pretty normal for them to send everybody out on these calls... And it was kind of a heyday of films about teenagers so there was lots of auditions all the time... I thought Nightmare on Elm street was going to be one of those movies that I would probably not be that proud of and certainly never put on my resume!”

We laughed at the irony! I grabbed another biscuit and dipped it in my coffee as Heather continued...

“Because believe it or not, it was not considered mainstream at all to do a horror and actually considered a very low level film, not what you would display in front of casting agents. I don’t even think my agent saw the film when it first came out, I kept telling them to see it but they considered a movie that they didn’t want to waste their time with... That was the attitude in Hollywood back in the 80s, they were disappointed that my very big first film wasn’t something a little more mainstream…”

Ha! Then it turned into one of the biggest films of the 80s!

We laughed at this for a while... But I couldn't hold back any longer... We were two females, alone with sweet treats and nips of whisky in our coffee... We had to talk boys... and one in particular...

They boys? They just came in and sat on the floor and went in for their audition, - in my little documentary film** I explain how Johnny Depp got the part,-  it’s a very sweet story and involves Wes Cravens daughter, Jessica, who happened to be at his office the day and she just took one look at Johnny Depp and said “Dad, You have to hire him!” Even though he was a total unknown and no one had ever even seen him act before.  He just had this charisma that Wes trusted his daughter to see! And he took her advice and hired him...”

And the rest is history... Yes, it was his first role, I wondered could she ever imagine that he would become one of the biggest stars in Hollywood today?

“No, there’s absolutely no way I could have known and he did have a lot of parts in his 20s, in each one you could see how much he grew and became more confident. He really grew into his personality that we know today and you know it’s a combination of so many things, but at the time when we were both 19, I don’t think I would ever thought it.”

I hated myself for going on, but I had to, it was not just the alcohol that was making my head dizzy... but I just had to ask, what was he like? Was he as lovely as he seems on screen?

“Nicer and more wonderful than so many men that you would ever meet, I mean he just had a sincerity and honesty about him that was and still is, I think, very rare. He’s a very caring a gentle person. He doesn’t have a machismo that so many other actors have, or try to have, he seems very settled and comfortable in his own skin and I know that we were both so nervous about doing a good job , but it didn’t translate into anything in him except, just this kind of very heart-warming earnestness that was really charming and we got along great, we weren’t close friends but we definitely had a great time working together...

Swoon...
 
... and I regret that I didn’t keep up with him, but I got married right after, had kids and a family and Hollywood kinda’ went into the back seat of my preverbal life’s car.”

I nodded empathetically.

“I did let a lot of friendships go by the wayside, but I hope one day we’ll get back together and then share some good stories.”

Oooh but he did have good hair…

“Yes, it was like a 50s haircut, all at the top of his head... you know, he looked very conservative, all of his clothes were very um… well, here in America we have football players, they dress in a very preppy way, so that was the character he played... he played more of a straight laced sort of tough guy. 

We laughed about the scene where he got sucked into the bed all the blood! which neatly led me on to my next question about the special effects in the film - There is an iconic scene where Nancy falls asleep in the bath - Go on, I said, tell us about that scene! Were you really in there for 12 hours?!

“Oh yeah, we did that in one day... we started in the water, it was large bathtub but it was about 10 feet deep, it had a false bottom, the bathroom level was elevated and then they built a set to look like a bathroom. So the scuba diver was below me... he was the special effects genius Jim Doyle... he was beneath me with a scuba tank, we did a lot of takes from all sorts of different angles, then we had the opening scene where I’m falling asleep and then the part where he sticks his hand up from beneath the water, so that took a long time. Then he had the part where he pulls me under the water... and the part where I’m getting rescued by my mother... and then when I get out, so that’s a lot of set ups, I mean that’s probably 30 -40 set ups of the camera and that was all in one day…

One day?!

Giggles “But I wasn't sitting in the water the whole day, and I would get out and warmed up and they would heat the water again, so 5 hours maybe…”

That’s still a long bath!

Ha!

So did you have a stunt double for some of that?

“No, no, it was all me, and that’s what surprises me now!

But, the one scene they did stick a stunt woman in was the one shot that I’m actually under the water and you see it black and you see a body struggling against Freddy, that was done later on in the summer time in an outdoor swimming pool, but that was the only section of that scene where they had one."

Did you use one at another times? I mean,  you had some quite physical scenes!

I rarely used one except in the fire scene when were in the basement and I catch Freddy on fire…”

I don’t blame you!

“… and then we did a scene in the bedroom when I roll of the bed and Freddy’s on top of me, that scene I had a stunt woman... oh, and a couple of other scenes, but in general I did all my own stunts like the running, that’s when I cut my foot, I was running and there happened to be a piece of glass on the sidewalk…

OOOhhhh painful... And you had to have stitches..?

“Yes”  (giggles)

“We had to stop production and the producer was really angry and was like ‘Do you have to get the stitches?’  I still joke with him about it because we were literally running out of money and every minute counted on that particular day, we were completely behind schedule so I can see where his attitude was coming from but…

But at least you got the rest of the day off..?

“Oh Gosh I don’t think so, I think I went right back to work!”

And apart from the foot did you have any other accidents during the 30 days of shooting?

“It was a physical role and its one of the reasons I really liked it and still do is because you really are running around every day and it’s extremely exciting when you’re having to move like that. I loved ballet, as a child and took a million ballet lessons, so I found that I utilised a lot of my dance training trying to figure out ways of moving that looked stylised but not phoney - especially all the fight scenes with Robert [Englund] rolling around on the bed and things like that. We would often spend a lot of time choreographing our fights so that they looked beautiful and graceful... and created more than just thrashing around. And of course Robert was trained at Rada, he had wonderful training in movement so we would often put the fights together anyway and practice what to do with that glove all the time, we always wanted it to be highlighted in the scene and look very dangerous and menacing.

Oh yes, the glove... that glove... 

“Oh yeah, well first of all a lot goes wrong with that glove! So you have to maintain your concentration, but sometimes it snags, it rips, your hairs getting pulled in the wrong direction… But the thing about horror is that you’re laughing and smiling and giggling and joking right until the camera is rolling, part of horror is recognising that you've got to make it scary... but you can’t walk around being scared, so what we would do is be incredibly relaxed and Wes would always kept up the mood, always joking and laughing and making us giggle... and then, when the cameras were rolling, you just had this ability to change... When it was time to be scared, or look scared, it just looked so great... I think in a lot of modern horror people are just too tense, there’s no relaxation and as a result the acting gets stiffer, I found that you needed to be relaxed so your body looked fluid through space and although you think 'when you’re scared you should go ridged', it doesn’t look good that way... maybe that’s reality, but it doesn't look beautiful on film, I think that’s what Wes taught me the most, that you have to be relaxed to be afraid on film and look good doing it.”

But were there any times you were actually scared?

“Gosh, you know people ask me that a lot and you know I don’t think I got spooked, I mean most of the effect, if you watch the movie now, are kinda’ silly looking, I mean tongue phone…  The stretchy arms across the alley way, all those things, set up in a line they are pretty silly looking… so nothing was that spooky except for Freddy’s glove... which just working with it was spooky! and you always have to be on guard. It’s a very dangerous implement.

So, were they really sharp knives then?!

“They were a combination of either very hard plastic, or dull, in some of the scenes they wanted them to make noise and so they would use metal, but always dull… never sharp! He never had a sharp pair round me… well maybe once, but I read him the riot act! I was like “Don’t you dare ever wear that near me..!” But even unsharp they were incredibly dangerous.”

Do you know who has the original glove?

“Ha, I must have 10 people every time I go to a show tell me they have the original, I wouldn't be surprised that it went missing because it was a really beautiful object and they had about 5 or 6 gloves so you know, it’s probably in someone’s garage, wrapped it…”

Waiting to return…

“There were so many and they were all worn at different times in the movie... But yeah it wouldn't surprise me… As it’s a total industry itself, people buying those Freddy gloves… so…."

Talking of Freddy, I wondered what it was like talking to him, fully... Freddied..?

“Well, he (Robert Englund) had a very dramatic personality and, believe it or not it actually over shadows the way he looked! His personality is so one of a kind, so grand, I mean he really had such a big personality, he’s very warm and affectionate and he really wants everyone around him to succeed and be happy, he’s very generous too, so I just never really noticed the Freddy make up on him, it’s like a mother, father or child who has a disfigurement, you just eventually don’t pay attention to it…”

Quite a big disfigurement though…

“yes, but the human brain has a way to normalise things, I think the first couple of days I winced a bit when I saw him, but it didn't last long and soon I didn't even react to it...  He had to wear the make-up all the time and when you see the person acting normally in this hideous make-up...  it’s not hideous any more.”

I had heard that in the original idea Freddy was not only a child murderer, he was also a molester, but they changed it so he would be more… ‘likeable…’

“No.. I the original script they called him a child murderer, they did not emphasise that he was a molester, he was not introduced that way… He was a child murderer and when my [Nancy’s] mother and father decide to kill him in the boiler room…

She paused

...Or where ever he lived… It was an act of vigilante justice and that is actually what starts all the problems for Nancy and  her friends. It’s not just about Freddy being a murderer, it also has a very strong sense of ‘two wrongs don’t make a right’ .... they are to blame for a lot of what goes on with Nancy and the children. 
I think that Wes made a strong statement that what the parents did was very bad... I had to ask Wes what he thinks about vigilante justice like this, and he feels that it is extremely wrong for society to take justice into its own hands, so there is a lesson to be learnt about that in the film. Whereas today it’s really glorified, I don’t think people take it the same way. But Freddy was just a really bad man who had killed a couple of the children on Elm Street, it was only later on, because child molestation became such a big deal in the 90s and what’s going on now that people made that association. But in the script I never really found support for that.”

Yes, I don’t think he would have been so popular and would have probably changed the dynamics of the film…

“Exactly, I don’t think Freddy would have grown into such a… some people would call it ‘entertaining’ figure if the cloud of being a child molester would have been a strong part of who he was, I think that the movies would have been that successful if that was really emphasised…. But what do I know?”

Heather and I drained our drinks, stared at the empty pizza boxes and then  stared at each other... Finally admitting to each other that we could eat some more, Heather remembered some soup she had in the cupboard, as she left to warm it up, I scanned the room and noticed her DVD collection... I remembered something I had read... I called through...

So is it true that you had only seen one horror movie before making the film??

“Well, yeah… "

She called from the next room.

"I just didn't know that there were horror films, I grew up in a very provincial town… you know, I hate the word but provincial, but it was… in Tulsa Oklahoma, people just didn't do horror films… I did see one called ‘Burnt Offerings’ with Karen Black, and that was when I was in 6^th grade… and of course I saw Jaws and Altered states…

Two great movies…

“Yeah, and movies like that,  I thought were really scary, but no bloody movies, no Friday the 13ths or Chainsaw Massacre and certainly none of Wes Cravens films! I didn’t even have friends who watched them… My favourite movies were movies about people in the wilderness trying to survive, or like Swiss family Robinson… I loved period drama and films about dead queens; I really loved anything about Anne Boleyn! Yeah, I didn’t even really know that horror was even around! 

But Nancy obviously did, I noticed that in the movie you, well she, is watching Evil Dead…

“Oh yes that’s right… yes, I had no idea what that film was, that was Wes’ idea, when he said he was going to play it I thought, ok… its you’re film… But I had never seen it before …

Heather re-entered the room carrying two steaming bowls of soup and some bread rolls, she handed me one and sat down.

So that was the first time you had seen it?

“Yes, well they kept playing that same little bit over and over, so I didn't really get an idea of what the movie was about. But once I got involved in this genre, I realised it was part of my homework to actually see horror movies, because people will often ask me to what I think of this horror film, or that movie, and so my husband (David LeRoy Anderson - Make-up artist) and I will sit down and watch the films but …”

...You still crave Anne Boleyn?

“yeah… Ha!

You know I think the last film I paid to go and see was ‘Dead Silence’… because my husband worked on it! But I don’t make a habit of going to see scary movies. I get scared!”

After all this talk about gloves and special effects brought me neatly on to my next question about a dream sequence with the famous 'melting staircase', so what was that staircase made of…? Bisquick, oatmeal? I even heard rumours of mushroom soup...

“I think I’ve heard it was a combination of all of those things! I told someone the other day it was mushroom soup but I think that was where my son vomits all over me in New nightmare…"

I stared down at my own soup... and carefully placed it down beside me... Heather seemed less bothered and tucked in... She continued... 

"But yeah it was something like oatmeal and Bisquick and other lumpy beige mixture... they carved out the carpeting and filled it all in with the stuff... talk about your easy special effects! It probably cost them about 3 dollars to make, but it was so effective I can’t tell you how many people love that scene."

“If you’re making a good enough movie you don’t need all that… The idea that you have to spend millions of dollars to create these monsters and explosions is just so misguided, because what you need to do first is have everyone believe in your movie! The suspicion of disbelief is the most important thing to have in a horror... I really think that computer generated effects do something to your mind, you really can’t be absorbed in what you’re watching and you become distracted. I think the simpler the better and I think the more home spun, the better they blend into the story.”

I couldn't agree more, but talking of special effects and reality...  there's a scene where Ronnie Blakely really gives Nancy a good slap... I wondered, 'Did she really hit you, or was that just astounding acting?!'

“Yes!  That was the worst part of the whole shoot, she was very into method acting and just couldn’t figure out how to do a fake slap, it was making her uptight, so we didn’t do many takes naturally after that she did actually hit me a couple of times! 

I looked at the clock, it was getting late, very late... I could feel my eyes getting heavy, but I wasn't here to sleep, I was here to keep Heather awake... We drained another cup of coffee and I sipped my RedBull... I looked over at Heather, she looked tired to... I could have done with one of Ronnie's slaps now! 

With a yawn, I carried on... 

'I haven’t seen it myself, but I wondered if you had been tempted by the new Nightmare on Elm Street movie' (2010) I asked.

“Nor me either, and I wouldn't because I'm not a big fan of the remakes, it’s like… um… like roast beef on the 5^th day”

Nice analogy!  

“It’s like ‘what’s the point?’ it’s just tasteless and there’s not that much left of the original. The early 80s was a very important time to set that film, it had a lot to do with the end of the nuclear family, divorce was becoming very prevalent and we were in a society where there were a lot of teenagers who were kind of set adrift by the new family situations... and so I think they've tried to recreate the past, but I don’t think they do a good job of it sometimes… I don’t think the the Nightmare on Elm Street story would be as successful in this new millennium.”

I couldn't actually agree with her on that, although I kept my mouth shut but I knew I'd love the film, whatever decade or century it was... 

“It was new schools and new clothes, it just didn't translate when I saw the previews, I though 'urgh' it looks horrible! Cheap and terrible and they just didn't capture what we were.”

But I could totally agree with that sentiment... 

“They didn't think it was important, but I really did”

... and kids aren't so naive any more…

“Yes exactly, the innocents of Nancy and Glen, even Tina and Rod... Sometimes I think 'is it quaint?'… But I don’t think it is…it’s just kind of heart-warming that there was a time when teenagers were so innocent, it’s like the way our parents looked back on the 40s and 50s and their own innocents, but since I have two grown children now I know for sure that that innocence is gone!

You know I just got back from a convention in Texas and I’d say that there were a couple of dozen, perhaps even more, real babies, under the age of 5 that not only could point at Freddy Kruegar but seemed to really enjoy him, like talk about him and sing the little song, so children today are experiencing Freddy in such a different way… I don’t relate to it because I don’t know how they’re relating to it, I don’t know how they’re parents allow them to watch it at such an incredibly young age and they’re so proud saying oh yes, I let him watch it and he’s fine! It’s our duty to maintain as much innocence in our children as possible… But I feel like I'm an old lady now to say that…”

Well she certainly didn't look like an old lady! She looked incredible. 

I admitted to Heather that I saw it when I was only 15 and it scared me silly! 

“Ha yeah, you’re lucky! You, and all the people who saw the film had such a great experience that I have never had.  I often feel very jealous because I never had that opportunity to feel those feelings that you do, and I wish sometimes I could erase my memory and see it with fresh eyes like the fans have. I think it would be fantastic to be able to do that.”

But how did you feel when you first it?

“We’ll I just still remember all the minutes leading up to the action and what happened after cut, I remember them greasing the tongue phone with KY Jelly and all the things that went wrong or the problems with the costumes. I mean I just remember to many of the details and as a result the movie is not just a movie for me, it’s a whole universe of memories of “Oh God, I wish I hadn't done that” or “That dress looks frumpy on me” …

So I guess you slept ok after seeing it…

“No I had no problem sleeping… Isn't that crazy?!”

But did you ever have nightmares, relating to Freddy?

“Yes, I did have a bad dreams from things that happened on set... The scene where the big tongue (‘Wes Craven's new nightmare’) comes out of the Furness and starts wrapping around my head... that gave me terrible nightmares for weeks after. I had my own child at that time and transferred a lot of that feeling to the action sequences... and had a lot of nightmares based on the psychological scenes, they enter your subconscious… So I have had my fair share of sleepless nights, not from the movie per say, but I think there are some humiliating experiences you have when you’re an actor – like you have to have a big tongue wrapped around your head and everyone’s laughing at it being a phallic symbol – yes, I think that’s what disturbed me most.”

Ha! 

In the film you were 19 or 20?

“I think I turned 19 in the summer”

And Nancy was meant to be 16? because you say that line “God I look 20 years old”

“Yes, I would often ask Wes, How did you think of that line? It is one of the funniest lines and it was so fun to say that line too”

Now, I know I am a big fan... I have all the movies on DVD... have watched them over and over and now I'm sitting here in Heathers house stopping her from falling asleep, but... well I'm just a big fan... and I head heard that poor Heather had even been stalked...

“I was, ironically it was after a TV series, [not Nightmare on Elm Street] and it was a real eye opener… I’d never been a celebrity from the film because it wasn't the kind of role that people paid attention to… There was no TV shows like 'Access Hollywood', so nothing to promote movies and as a result you had your opening night and that was pretty much it. The Hollywood machine was just starting and as a result I just escaped. But Warner brothers did everything they could to promote the TV series, so probably a million people saw the film, but then you’re on TV and you have 20 million people watching you every week... so as a result you do have a lot more notoriety and naturally you are going to have fans that aren't that stable.

Ironically it was a fan that was upset that our TV series ended... I played a religious and very proper young lady and he was obsessed by her. Fandom is fandom and I meet so many people these days  when I go to the autograph shows and there are such a wide range of people, families there, with babies in strollers with pink tutus on, seeming so wholesome, you know, the kind of people you would meet in a school playground. Then you will also have people covered in tattoos and piercings, wearing crazy outfits. I really appreciative and how they love the art form of horror and  Nightmare on Elm Street came to them in part of their lives when you can really grasp onto the strength that the kids, especially Nancy has…

You must get so many things brought to you, I thought... along with the espresso maker and pep pills that I had brought her... 

“I get so many gifts;

She spoke, all the while yawning and stretching her arms

I have to have a museum some day! A lot of people draw pictures of Nancy for me, I’ve had people write poetry and short stories about Nancy… I mean… Gosh… I’m also asked to sign crazy things like stuffed animals, this one woman brought me a stuffed animal to sign that she had through 9/11 and she has all her favourite stars sign this stuffed animal. Some people make dolls for me, they’ll take a Barbie and transfer her into a Nancy doll, with a costume and all her little props and they sew the little pyjamas, they decorate anything… literally the skies the limit! Everything than can be made with a Nancy theme has been made! I keep all of them in special storage area.”

I looked at the clock 3am... It was so late, my head was swimming... after a second my eyes re focused on the clock, it was 3:08... oh god had I been asleep? I looked at Heather, 

she had turned her head towards the window as if reminiscing, but then I noticed... oh no... her head was slumped and her eyes had closed... She was asleep!  I nudged her, she opened her eyes and shook herself... 

I handed her a Redbull and carried on chatting, not giving us the chance to drop off again...

So, I asked was there any feeling that this little film was going to be big?

“No, there really wasn't and I wish I had known because I might have conducted my career a little differently if I thought that this would be the character that I would be known for! Yes, I would have been a lot more enthusiastic about my role in this movie, horror was considered a B genre amongst all the principle producers and agents and they did pigeon hole people quite a bit back then and I just didn't want to be... Sometimes I think that I was too afraid of it.”

When did you realise?

“I really knew that the film was really popular when I saw my first little Freddy on Halloween. That was when I first thought this character is now part of our pop culture... And now its 30 years later and Freddy is a household name! I said to my husband the other day that I couldn't believe that it had been 30 years  and I'm still talking about this roll and it makes me feel really honoured

And it’ll probably be on my head stone ‘Heather, she was Nancy’”

You famously wear pretty cotton pyjamas, where are they now? 

“I have them in my closet, I actually put them on again to shoot the cover of my documentary and they barely fit…”

But they still do fit!!!

“They just simple Chinese pyjamas from china town, but you can’t find them anywhere, I’ve been

looking for 30 years!”

We laughed, but I have to admit, I wished my clothes would fit from when I was 19... No chance of that! 

Then suddenly I heard it, very distant at first and then louder, it was a childs voice,

 1, 2 Freddy's coming for you... 

What the...?! I wondered if Heather had heard it... "Heath..." I started but Heather, had changed... When did that happen? And why was she wearing that scruffy green and red stripped sweater?"

There it was again, louder and more distinct this time...

3, 4, Better lock your door...

My heart was racing now...  I looked back at Heather, who was now wearing a hat, a brown hat... just like.... just like....

5, 6 Grab your crucifix... 

I couldn't breath.... I couldn't think.... I couldn't.... Oh my god the glove... Heather was holding up the glove... But, But... How... ? How...?

7, 8 Better stay up late...

She... he... it spoke softly... "You fell asleep... You both fell asleep..."

You mean... You mean... You mean we had been asleep this whole time.... Oh my god! I tried to scream to wake myself up, I tried to find something, anything to hurt myself with to just wake myself up... But there was nothing... I looked back at Heather... But there was no Heather anymore... Just a burned, scared, disfigured man and he was getting closer.... 

9, 10 Never sleep again.................................................................................

* Amanda Wyss - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0944143/?ref_=tt_cl_t4

** I am Nancy - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1536421
                            http://iamnancy.net/



For more info on Nightmare on Elm Street go to http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087800/