In the 1980s, homosexuality was far from embraced. Associated with a deadly disease that was just beginning to be understood and mocked by the public at large, gayness seemed downright monstrous to some. So it was both surprising and strangely appropriate to see it personified by the hideous Freddy Krueger in A Nightmare on Elm St 2, the 1985 sequel to the late Wes Craven’s horror fantasy classic.
Thirty years later, Freddy’s victim in the film, Mark Patton, is making peace with the movie’s strange legacy and its both positive and negative impacts on his life. Screenwriter David Chaskin initially blamed the film’s gayness on Patton’s performance as Jesse, a scapegoating that essentially shamed the young actor out of the movie business—and ignored the storyline’s overt sexuality, including a predatory gym coach, an erotically charged friendship with Jesse’s pal Grady, and a surreal visit to an S&M bar. The 2010 Elm St documentary Never Sleep Again provided Patton with some vindication; Chaskin finally admitted the deliberate use of gay overtones. But in its light, jokey treatment of the gay elements, Never Sleep Again glossed over the painful realities of gay life in Hollywood at the time. Footage of a pride parade provided a sunny visual, belying the fact that gay men at the time of Elm St 2’s release were dying left and right. Patton knows that reality only too well; his partner died of the disease and Patton himself has been living with HIV since the age of 40.
Out of this pain, though, has come positivity. Patton appeared on the cover of Poz Magazine and openly declared his status and sexuality; and he embraced the legacy of Elm St 2 and its many gay fans. Last summer Patton was a guest at Flame Con, where he was greeted enthusiastically by legions of fans, and cohosted Rockbar’s Tuesday night trivia. All the while the crew behind Patton’s documentary Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm St filmed every moment, from the costumed fanatics of Flame Con to the boys mimicking Jesse’s infamous goofy dance onstage at Rockbar. You can view the trailer-- with extensive Flame Con footage-- and support the movie’s Kickstarter campaign at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1832830591/scream-queen-my-nightmar... Finally, the silence and shame can be put to end and this screaming queen can be loud and proud.
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