‘Scream’ A Scary and Fun Satire

*** This is a write up of the FIRST Scream movie that I worked on for the Examiner October 2020 when the Dietrich was getting in throwback features***

In 1996, Wes Craven released his horror satire flick called “Scream.” The 1996 movie surprised critics and fans alike and by the end of its theatrical run, became one of the biggest surprise horror hits released in recent years. And, like most horror movies, it eventually spawned a franchise. Now, get ready to run into Ghostface again on the big screen at the Dietrich!

In the Dimension Films presentation of “Scream,” Wes Craven re-invented and revitalised the slasher genre with this modern classic as a fright-masked killer maniac stalks high school students in middle-class suburbia.

The sleepy little town of Woodsboro just woke up screaming. There’s a killer in their midst who’s seen a few too many scary movies. A year after the murder of her mother, a teenage girl is terrorized by the same killer, who targets the girl and her friends by using horror films as part of a deadly game.

The 1996 movie “Scream” is an enjoyable flick that actually gave new life to the horror genre. Filled with some clever scenes and even some humor scattered about, this modern classic is quite effective and also features some thrilling moments. The twists and turns in this iconic horror movie are unexpected (if you haven’t seen it yet) and if you have seen it numerous times over the years, you notice some hints during the movie that leads to the reveal of Ghostface. The Wes Craven movie can be real fun to watch and is also jam-packed with several horror movie references. So, make sure to come on down to the theater and check out the movie that brought the horror genre out of the grave.

The cast: Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott, Courteney Cox as Gale Weathers, David Arquette as Dewey, Rose McGowan as Tatum Reilly, Skeet Ulrich as Billy Loomis, Matthew Lillard as Stuart, Jamie Kennedy as Randy, W. Earl Brown as Kenny, Joseph Whipp as Sheriff Burke and Drew Barrymore as Casey Becker. “Scream” is written by Kevin Williamson (The Vampire Diaries; The Following; Scream 4) and directed by the late Wes Craven (Scream 1-4, My Soul to Take; Red Eye; New Nightmares).

The original title for the 1996 movie was actually “Scary Movie,” which was ultimately used for a parody series. The special effects artists used about fifty gallons of blood. There was a five page treatment for “Scream 2” at the end of the screenplay. It was written into a full blown script after the first movie became a hit.

“Scream” was credited with revitalizing the horror genre in the 1990s, which was considered to be almost dead following an influx of direct to video titles and numerous sequels to the established horror franchises of the 1970s and 1980s. Following the unexpected success of the 1996 movie, many studios rushed to capitalize on the success, with many releases, such as “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” “Urban Legend,” “Halloween H20” and “Bride of Chucky.”

After the release of “Scream,” a franchise came alive. “Scream 2” was released in 1997 and “Scream 3” in 2000. After the belated sequel “Scream 4” was released in 2011 and met with mixed reactions, the series stalled. A TV series loosely based on the movie was created and lasted three seasons. A fifth movie will be released January 14, 2022.

“Scream” was initially released on December 20, 1996. The horror flick ended up earning a surprise $103 million domestically and $173 million worldwide.

“Scream” is rated R for strong graphic horror violence and gore, and for language and has a running time of 111 minutes.

https://youtu.be/tV4PTwciTuQ