The horror genre is an old and tired thing. There are countless films in this category that suffer from the same problem: reusing predictable formulas and tropes in their stories and relying solely on the element of jump scares for shock value, among other factors. However, there are some horror movies that flip those rules upside down and refuse to settle for less, telling creative and bold stories to their audiences and finding new, original ways to scare their audiences. The 1996 film "Scream" is exactly one of those films.
"Scream" sets in the small town of Woodsboro, California, where a mysterious masked killer known as Ghostface begins to pick off young victims one by one. One of Ghostface's targets, a young woman named Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), survives and seeks to uncover the true identity of the killer, but while doing so, she begins to suspect that someone very close to her may in fact be responsible for the gruesome murders of the town.
This movie is a hilarious, fun and scary satire, poking fun at the common cliches of horror movies, while itself delivering those same cliches in its story. In one memorable moment that best captures the spirit of the movie, film enthusiast Randy (Jamie Kennedy) watches the 1978 film "Halloween" alone, during a scene where killer Michael Myers approaches Laurie Strode from behind her, waiting to strike. Randy yells out "He's right behind you!", all while the masked Ghostface is creeping behind him, waiting for the kill. Scenes like this, that are fiercely suspenseful and very self-aware, only contribute to the movie's genre-defying, witty originality. Neve Campbell also makes a fantastic heroine as Sidney, and definitely carries the film with her convincing and effective performance. Director Wes Craven (known for directing "A Nightmare on Elm Street" and "The Hills Have Eyes) delivers all the goods and then some, providing plenty of laughs, thrills and chills in this cult classic. I just recently finished all the films in the franchise (I'd highly recommend all of them) and I'm very excited for "Scream 5", projected to release in 2022. If you're a fan of the genre or in the mood for a spooky flick to check out this upcoming Halloween, then look no further! Check it out on DVD/Bluray and streaming platforms now!
Rating: 4.5/5
Happy Halloween!
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