PHONING HOME

Freddy Krueger’s back but not for another “Nightmare on Elm Street.” Robert Englund, fearsome, long-fingered Freddy of the “Nightmare” film series, makes his directing debut on CineTel’s “976-EVIL,” to start filming July 8.

The horror yarn concerns two cousins--one bad, the other a mama’s boy--raised by a crazy aunt. “It involves character reversals,” England said. “An occult forecast line has been disconnected--but someone’s stilling answering it.”

He added: “My strengths are an affection for the script, a strong visual eye and a gift for working with actors. Right now, I’m so filled with story and casting ideas that I’m having problems going to sleep. Now that’s scary.”