Nancy Thompson (A Nightmare on Elm Street) also features interviews with Wes Craven, Robert Englund and Jessica Craven (Wes Craven's daughter). Langenkamp learned from Craven that: When developing her documentary, Langenkamp also learned that Nancy Thompson is considered a gay icon. Although Nancy Thompson is heterosexual, Langenkamp shared her theories of why gay and lesbian audience members would be drawn to the character: Nancy Thompson (A Nightmare on Elm Street) Nancy Thompson (named Nancy Holbrook in the 2010 reboot) is a fictional character in the "A Nightmare on Elm Street" franchise. She was portrayed by actress Heather Langenkamp in the original film series and by Rooney Mara
A Nightmare on Elm Street on Elm Street" was released in Europe, Canada, and Australia. In a contemporary review, Kim Newman wrote in the "Monthly Film Bulletin" that "A Nightmare on Elm Street" was closer to a Stephen King adaptation with its small-town setting, and "invented monster myth". Newman concluded that the film found "Craven emerging from the his recent career slump ("Swamp Thing", "The Hills Have Eyes Part 2", "Invitation to Hell") with a fine, perhaps definitive bogeyman to back him up" and that the film was "a superior example of an over-worked genre". Paul Attanasio of "The Washington Post" praised the film, stating