- by David-Elijah Nahmod
- Tuesday October 22, 2024 (ebar.com)
“A Nightmare on Elm Street, part 2: Freddy’s Revenge” (1985)
This first sequel to the popular long-running series stars Mark Patton as Jesse, a teen who moves with his family to the home where the first film was set. Jesse immediately begins having nightmares about Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund), the dead serial killer who comes to people in their dreams and kills them, causing them to die in real life.
The film was derided by fans at the time of its initial release, with many complaining that the film was “too gay.” Patton, who was deep in the closet at the time, found himself labeled a “male scream queen.” The subsequent negative publicity proved to be too much for Patton, who left show business and moved to Mexico, where he lived incognito for three decades.
“Nightmare 2” is indeed a gay film. Shortly after moving into the house, Jessie begins having dreams about Freddy that come true. One of these nightmarish dreams finds Jesse in a gay bar, where he runs into his gym teacher. The teacher punishes Jesse by making him run laps around the school gym. While Jesse is in the shower, the teacher is attacked by an unseen force, stripped nude and killed.
Jesse soon realizes, to his abject horror, that he has been possessed by Freddy. Freddy’s spirit has taken hold of Jesse, and in a horrific sequence, bursts out of Jesse’s chest.
Is Jesse a gay character? Could be. When he realizes what is happening to him, he runs to Grady (Robert Rusler), a cute male friend, and begs for help.
Thirty years after the film’s release, Patton, now a happily married out gay man, came out of hiding and embraced the film. He made a few more films and began appearing at horror conventions, where the fan base now accepts and loves the film for what it is.
In 2015 Patton was the subject of “Scream, Queen: My Nightmare on Elm Street,” a feature-length documentary in which he comes to terms with the legacy of “Nightmare part 2.” He spoke openly about his life as a closeted actor in Hollywood, his battle with HIV, and his journey out of the closet. That film is streaming at Tubi.
“A Nightmare on Elm Street part 2: Freddy’s Revenge” is available on Blu Ray as part of The Nightmare on Elm Street Collection,” a box set which features all seven films in the series. It’s also streaming at Amazon Prime.