10 Scariest Horror Movie Scenes From The '80s

Wes Craven reinvented the horror genre numerous times throughout his career. Whether it was the reality bending New Nightmare or the meta Scream, Craven consistently proved himself to be a master of creating cinematic nightmares.

A Nightmare on Elm Street from 1984 is arguably his most important movie. The story of a group of teenagers being hunted in their dreams by a killer with a bladed glove has become iconic.

While many of Freddy's nightmares are memorable, Nancy's school dream is particularly frightening as it combines many of the elements that make the story so effective. We get the unnerving blending of the dream world and reality, alongside the horrifying imagery of Tiny in a bloody body bag.

Robert Englund's seminal performance as Freddy also prominently features as Nancy descends into the boiler room of the school, with the reveal that he is stalking Nancy as she wanders the dreamscape. The horrifically dark and suffocating atmosphere of the dingy room is punctuated by Freddy cutting his torso open to allow maggots to pour out. It's revolting in the best way.

This expert combination of body horror with the blending of reality and fiction that only the Elm Street series can provide is what makes this nightmare so unforgettably frightening.