Examines the infamous homoerotic subtext and the special place the film holds in the Nightmare franchise as well as the gay film canon. Partly in thanks to evolving social mores, “A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge” – which was considered controversial at the time of its release – is now being looked back upon with a new appreciation and fondness by horror aficionados and fans of the series.
I know nothing of the legacy of “A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge.” I’ve seen the titular character in his first outing but I never progressed down the line. Apparently, the very next film was outed not long after its release as a Gay Horror film. The film’s lead, Mark Patton, faced discrimination when the film outed his sexuality forcefully inducing a nightmare of his own. “Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street” follows Mark Patton as he returns to the franchise that ruined his film career and played into the stigma of LGBTQ people in the mid-’80s. In an emotionally gripping story, Mark Patton’s journey of acceptance and self-love produced the most sensational documentary I’ve seen so far this entire year (and arguably the last 3-4 years.)
“Freddy’s Revenge” occupies a place in pop culture reserved for cinema icons the LGBTQ community calls their own. Much in the same way they reclaimed “The Babadook” as their own horror-movie calling card Mark Patton’s character and the plot of the film takes the lion’s share of drag brunches, horror podcasts, and horror conventions across the US. Mark Patton, after choosing a life of ignominy in Mexico resuscitated his involvement with the franchise for a tour in 2015 for one last ride. What ensues is his own evolution to accept the role the movie played in outing him to the world and ending his career.
One of the things this movie does so beautifully is to illustrate the terror associated with two things: 1. Horror movies and 2. The AIDS epidemic in the ’80s. The ’80s horror scene is one of our most notorious phases in cinema spouting franchise classics like “Halloween,” “Friday the 13th,” “Chucky,” and, most notably, Freddy Krueger. The film dissects carefully Krueger’s influence and the availability of horror movies to young audiences with the advent of VHS tapes. It’s a well-constructed film about the societal influence of horror movies. Still, the true horror comes when it displays the scare of the AIDS epidemic in the ’80s. You listen to Mark talk about friends withering away before their very eyes. People you loved disappeared entirely and everyone assumed they were dead. It charts very carefully just how the AIDS epidemic turned from a singular ember burning away the heart of one community and turned into a national crisis. Mark Patton and many of his Hollywood friends lived at the exact center of said cultural earthquake and this movie details every second brilliantly.
Thankfully the film acts as more than just analysis. It crafts a small narrative around Mark Patton attempting to find a resolution to his involvement in the film. Towards the end we watch him confront the director about it. His biggest beef falls on the shoulders of the screenwriter. This dilemma’s teased throughout the course of the film, but its undercurrent sweeps you up as you learn more about Mark’s struggle.
He became an emblem, a hero, an icon without ever intending to. In much the same way Freddy Krueger is etched into pop culture history (spawning millions of parodies and commentary and jokes), “Freddy’s Revenge” plays as a hallmark of Gay Horror cinema. The film paces itself trading informative detours with narrative developments so you’re never bogged down by the information. It rarely touches on larger cultural events, instead, honing in on its subject.
The beauty of this film is watching Mark Patton’s transformation in real-time. The narrative at the heart of this swelled my heart. You watch him suffer. You watch him reconnect and heal with his former classmates. You watch people gaslight him. You watch him confront the embodiment of his distrust. You’re there for him every step of the way. This film, like no other documentary before it, humanizes its subject so thoroughly you can’t help but love Mark Patton. His struggle to come to terms with this cultural phenomena (he had to google himself in 2012 when approached about interviewing for another documentary to realize he was internet-culture-supreme) bears weight and the documentarians do it with grace and compassion.
It blends imagery from the film sure, but more importantly form Mark’s tour across America. We see him perform in drag brunches and talk on podcasts. Several of his sentences repeat over sections of the film and even though it’s repetitive the second time we hear them we see where he’s at and realize he’s adding a new layer of context.
This film is so beautifully realized. The film may benefit from shedding a layer or two of information dumping but I don’t know where. I truly felt the heaviness of the AIDS crisis for what could really be called the first time. Other movies have tried and failed. This one made me feel every beat. I learned a lot.
Thankfully, this film gives every speaker their fair due. Robert Englund gives an informative interview. His castmates and director and screenwriter discuss it thoroughly. We see the film from a million perspectives. I don’t think I can tell you who made this movie the Gay Icon it is. The director certainly never saw it that way. The screenwriter didn’t. Mark Patton never saw himself playing gay. Ultimately, it moves past whose fault is it (a relative narrative thread to be picked up at the end) and settles for a more compassionate conclusion. For better or worse, the movie exists. Mark Patton still lives. His story brought me to tears and I went in fairly cold to this documentary. Everyone loved the movie so much it received a standing ovation when Mark Patton himself walked on to the stage. It’s the only film I’ve seen in a while that received a standing ovation. I will continue to champion this film and say that EVERYONE should see this. It should be required viewing. Its empathy knows no bounds and we will all be a little bit better for learning from Mark’s story. Mark Patton. Thank you so much for what you did. The world is lucky to have you in it and that you’re telling this story. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
“Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street” recently premiered at 2019 Fantastic Fest
