I Am Nancy

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'.

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.

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.

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.

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!