Howie Skora’s internationally acclaimed documentary film “Nick Name and The Normals”. The film, which has played throughout Europe, Central America and the US, had its world premiere at the 2004 British Film Institute's London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival and its US premiere in New York City at Newfest. This Rockumentary tells the story an ex-Mormon missionary from Logan, Utah who transformed into notorious gay punk Rocker, Nick Name. It follows Nick and his testosterone fueled tour around the world with his straight band mates. “Nick Name and The Normals” hits stores on Tuesday, August 28th, 2007.
Nick Name and The Normals tells the story of Kent James, an ex-Mormon missionary from Logan, Utah who transformed into openly gay punk rocker, Nick Name. This Rockumentary follows Nick and his straight band mates, “the Normals” on their testosterone fueled gay-pride tour around the world (including San Francisco, Los Angeles, London and Las Vegas) singing songs with hardcore lyrics, and taunting unreceptive heteros and uptight homos in equal measure. Between getting kicked off stage and fighting homophobia (as well as the new gay political correctness), Nick Name must start to confront his own psychological demons the haunt him from his religious past. Writer-director Skora paints a remarkable portrait of this man using concert footage, interviews with his band-mates (Morris and Rattner), manager (Lucky) and former collaborators (Helmut and Ryzie). And he really goes after Nick himself with the camera, never letting him dodge tough questions or situations as he follows him for a year on tour.
Besides being entertaining, funny and possessing an amazing soundtrack of music, Nick Name and the Normals is an eye-opening examination of homophobia and how badly religion can damage as |
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much as it claims to heal. Nick is an angry, shaven-headed muscle boy; nasty, sexy, masculine, foul mouthed and with an attitude that would scare most people off. But, as the camera forces uncomfortable situations and questions, a much softer, more vulnerable side of the artist emerges. Underneath the anger is an innocent and kind young man who wanted to serve his faith but could not live in a lie. Raised in a strict Mormon home and the Church of Latter Day Saints, he went on a mission to Argentina before realizing his faith’s own hypocrisy. Nick’s anger slowly seems more and more justified as he emerges as having more integrity than the other “religious gays” in the faith that stayed closeted (whom he met during his mission). And, we see Nick’s own ambivalence about his gay identity and his struggle to integrate his own contradictions as both an artist and a human being in that both worlds, straight and gay, seem to punish him for being fully self-expressed. In the film, Nick is not only a victim of homophobia; he seems to be equally rejected by “mainstream” gays”.
The film poses the question that, as gays struggle to become more “mainstream” are they threatened by political anger? Nick Name and the Normals, provides a very necessary image for gay men today-a masculine gay man who not only struggles with the straight world, but who also struggles with the gay world and his own place in it. Unlike the imagery of most media which provides stereotypes, Nick Name and The Normals, provides a hero that is masculine, angry and looking for answers. Imagery that is sadly lacking in most “gay films” today which seem more interested in re-affirming stereotypes. Editor/Director Howard Skora’s mastery of the camera and skilled editing tells this complex and riveting story behind this sexy and notorious gay punk rocker and revolutionary. |
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