Malibu Actress Presents a 'Nightmare' Evening

For most of the 20th century, women in horror movies were usually portrayed as weak and fragile, and more than often ended up as victims. Films like Halloween (1978), Alien (1979) and A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) broke that mold when they featured strong female protagonists who got the bad guy.

Malibu resident Heather Anderson, then known as Heather Langenkamp, played heroine Nancy Thompson in the original Nightmare and again in the 1987 film A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors. She also played herself in the franchise's seventh film Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994).

"I didn't realize it at the time, but [Nancy] really became a touchstone character for a lot of people who love horror," Anderson said.

The Agoura Hills Cultural Arts Council on Thursday will present the Los Angeles premiere of Anderson's documentary I Am Nancy at the . It will be followed by a special screening of the original Nightmare.

Directed by Arlene Marechal and co-produced by Anderson, I Am Nancy is a 70-minute film that pays tribute to the Nightmare franchise, its fans and the horror film subculture.

"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 character," said Anderson, 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."

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

A little more than a year ago, Anderson 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 shows the thrill of horror conventions and what it means to fans to dress as their favorite characters and to meet their heroes, Anderson said.

"People really get a kick out of meeting Robert Englund [who played Nightmare villain Freddie Kruger]," she said.

Anderson added, "He is so warm and generous, and I consider him the gold standard of how actors should behave with the fans."

In the film, Anderson interviews Nightmare franchise creator Wes Craven and asks him why he made the main character a young female.

"He said it was because of his 6-year-old daughter," Anderson said. "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."

After she finished making the documentary, Anderson screened it at several film festivals throughout the country. 

The event on Thursday is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. with a panel discussion featuring 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 panel discussion will be followed by the I Am Nancy screening and closing remarks. Fans will have an opportunity to meet the filmmakers 8:30 p.m. The Nightmare screening will follow at 9 p.m.

"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," said Anderson, who said 84 percent of the people who saw Nightmare viewed in on television. "It's absolutely beautiful to look at."

For more information about the event, go here or call 818-597-7361. All proceeds go to the Agoura Hills Cultural Arts Council.