Film 91301's 'Nightmare' Evening to Pair Horror Classic With 'I Am Nancy'

Until the late '70s and early '80s, women in horror movies were portrayed as weak and fragile, and usually ended up as victims. Films like Halloween (1978), Alien (1979) and A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) ultimately broke that mold when they featured strong female protagonists who got the bad guy.

Heather Langenkamp portrayed famed horror femme fatale Nancy Thompson, Freddie Kruger's nemesis, in two of the Wes Craven classic horror films: A Nightmare on Elm Street and A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors.

"I didn't realize it at the time, but [Nancy] really became a touchstone character for a lot of people who love horror," Langenkamp told Patch in a sit-down interview.

On Thursday, as part of Film 91301, will be presenting the Los Angeles premiere of Langenkamp's documentary I Am Nancy at the , followed by a special screening of the original A Nightmare on Elm Street.

Directed by Arlene Marechal, I Am Nancy is a 70-minute documentary that pays tribute to the genre fans who make up the horror flick subculture and have powerfully influenced motion picture trends over the past three decades.

"When I began attending the later anniversary conventions of the Nightmare movies, all of these fans would come up to me and express this really deep connection with the characer," said Langenkamp, who first portrayed Nancy at the age of 17. "They would tell me really meaningful stories about how that character had impacted them and actually gave them inspiration."

Langenkamp said she was often approached by gay men and children of divorce or abuse. She was told that her character was able to give them strength to overcome their personal demons.

A little over a year ago, she decided to make a movie about the fans and embarked on a year-long journey, attending six fan conventions with a video crew, and asking them the question: What's your "Freddie"?

"We felt this was a great way to get people to open up about themselves and how the character affected them personally," she said. "Once we tapped into that, we got great stories ... some painful, some heart-warming."

The film also explores the world of the horror convention, illustrating what it means to fans to dress as their favorite characters and to meet their "heroes," according to Langenkamp.

"People really get a kick out of meeting Robert Englund [who portrayed Freddie Kruger]. ... He is so warm and generous, and I consider him the gold standard of how actors should behave with the fans," she said.

In the film, Langenkamp interviews director-writer Craven and asks him why he made the main character in Nightmare a young female. "He said it was because of his 6-year-old daughter [Jessica]. He recalls her asking him, 'How come in those movies, all the women fall down? Women aren't that stupid or clumsy.' So he said he made it his mission to create a strong female character," she said.

After she finished the documentary, she screened it at several film festivals around the country. She was then approached by Constance Jolcuvar, a longtime friend and member of the Cultural Arts Council, to screen the film.

"I thought it was a great idea and suggested we show it around Halloween time, and she agreed," said Langenkamp.

Jolcuvar wanted to turn the screening into an event, with a panel featuring stars and filmmakers from the famous series who would be available to answer questions from the audience, said Langenkamp.

Since that original discussion, the CAC has managed to organize a cast reunion of sorts, bringing together stars from the various Nightmare films and other horror movies.

Celebrities expected to attend include actress Amanda Wyss (Tina Gray in the original Nightmare), Jsu Garcia (Tina Gray’s son), John Saxon (Nancy’s father), Miko Hughes (Nancy’s son, in New Nightmare) as well as Jessica Craven, Wes' daughter.

The event is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. with a celebrity panel discussion followed by the I Am Nancy screening and closing remarks. At 8:30 p.m. fans will have an opportunity to meet and greet the filmmakers. At 9 p.m., the Regency will screen A Nightmare on Elm Street.

According to Langenkamp, 84 percent of those who saw the film viewed it on television, not in the theater.

"I am so excited that we will all have an opportunity to see it on the big screen, where it was meant to be seen," she said. "It's absolutely beautiful to look at."

As for why she's screening it in Agoura? "Though I'm officially a resident of Malibu, I'm here all the time," she said. "I really want to give something back to the city that I admire. It's time people come out here for a change."

To buy tickets or for more information, click here or call 818-597-7361. All proceeds go to the Agoura Hills Cultural Arts Council.