A Nightmare on Elm Street currently dominates The Shining 68–32
Freddy's chaos edges Kubrick's control in a horror upset.
Who do you think should win?
The Verdict
Tina's death — dragged up the wall, across the ceiling, her boyfriend screaming below — is pure nightmare physics, the kind of image that bypasses craft analysis and hits you somewhere pre-verbal. The Shining has the twins, the blood elevator, the bathtub woman, all composed with Kubrick's surgical precision. But precision creates distance. You can study The Shining's Steadicam work, its use of symmetry, its deliberate pace, and that studying is part of the pleasure. You can't study Elm Street's ceiling kill. You can only flinch. Voters at 68 to 32 want the flinch more than the study.
The Numbers
| A Nightmare on Elm Street | The Shining | |
|---|---|---|
| Head-to-Head | 68% | 32% |
| Overall Win Rate | 46% | 51% |
| Championships | 16 | 57 |
| Avg Decision | 2.7s | 3.0s |
| Budget | $2M | $19M |
| Box Office | $57M | $45M |
The broader numbers favour The Shining: 51% win rate overall vs 46% for A Nightmare on Elm Street. This head-to-head runs against the trend.
Where This Matchup Sits
Among 43 Horror films on BingeBracket, neither stands out — both land in similar territory.
Elsewhere on the platform, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre reveals where they differ: The Shining wins that matchup easily, while A Nightmare on Elm Street struggles with it.
The Shining has 57 tournament wins to A Nightmare on Elm Street's 16, but that championship pedigree isn't translating to the head-to-head. Something about this specific pairing overrides the broader record.
The Shining is the higher-rated film on TMDB at 8.2 vs 7.3. Bracket voters keep choosing A Nightmare on Elm Street anyway — a sign that critical consensus and head-to-head instinct don't always point the same direction.
Where to Watch
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