This documentary is about Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge. I am almost certain it was the first Freddy movie I saw. As I've stated multiple times before, I've been obsessed with horror movies since I was very young. I won't blame her directly, just in case my facts are off - but I think my sister bought this for me on DVD for my birthday. I had probably seen NOES movies on late TV before, but this was the first that I saw the entirety of. So it always belongs as my favorite, because it was my introduction to the series that is hands-down number one for me as far as horror goes. I've always loved it. It has it's flaws obviously, and being viewed in the early 00s it's obvious quite cheesy and campy. But to me, all these horror movies were. You know? I was seeing movies with way better effects, editing, and acting so I didn't think this movie stood out particularly for being "awful". I listen and read A LOT of horror reviews, blogs, podcasts, documentaries, etc. And it has always confused me that this volume is mostly everyone's least favorite by far. (Except for the horrendous 2010 remake we don't speak of.) I wasn't alive in the 80s when this came out. I am also a person that doesn't automatically label something as homoerotic just because there are feminine males or male nudity in a movie. I mean we hopefully are more awake then people were and we don't try to label and define sexualities. But 1985 was a terrifying time to be gay. Especially a gay movie star.
This documentary centers around the struggle, abuse, scrutiny, and real-life nightmare that lead actor, Mark Patton, faced upon the release of this movie. Patton was a 25-year-old actor. Not an openly gay male. He took this role as the lead in a sequel following a very successful new horror franchise and acted the part he was written.
The movie was hated immediately. The movie was destroyed for having gay "subtext". And who got the brunt of the blame? Patton. The writer, David Chaskin, said that "it was never written as a gay movie" but instead that "Patton made it gay". It's extremely angering that Chaskin does not take any responsibility for the subtext. No one attacked him, no one attacked the director, no one even attacked Robert Englund. Patton's agents told him they were no longer able to cast him as a straight male. Which made him a target. In the middle of the AIDS epidemic as well. Homosexuals were labeled as vile, corrupted, and infectious monsters basically. They manipulated the movie to be a tool to show that homosexuality is a monster that needs to be repressed and defeated. The whole situation was a complete disaster.
I guess what I'm trying to say is I had no understanding of this. And this documentary carries and educates very important information about this period of time, and how the way we treat people can deeply affect them. It is an absolute must-watch. Mark Patton is absolutely inspiring and his story deserves to be heard. And also fuck anyone who is uncomfortable with this movie. Even if it has a gay subtext, the movie is still incredibly entertaining, and that shouldn't make you feel uncomfortable.
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