Well there’s three days left in October and I shamefully have not talked about Wes Craven yet or what he contributed to the Halloween sub-genre. No sounds more terrifying than the final girls shriek, fingers on a chalkboard, water pipe bursting sound that lets out a good SCREAM. There really is nothing truly scarier than Groundskeeper Willie from everyone’s favourite yellow family coming after you in your drrrrrreams. Wes Craven’s new nightmare came for Weird Al Yankovic if he made movies, in the parody horror comedy SCREAM.
Scream gave audiences their first look into the parody horror film that does it right. Turning everything on its head, bringing towards hilarity and horror cliches beyond belief that have been seen in all of the horror titles before it. It even manages to do something wildly unexpected with Casey played by Drew Barrymore. Before Jigsaw made “do you want to play a game” infamous, the Ghostface Killer certainly had his fun with Casey and Sidney played by Neve Campbell. Sidney is now targeted by this new killer, who is after her around the anniversary of her mothers brutal disturbing murder. She reaches out to her friends and cohorts consisting of Billy played Skeet Ulrich, Tatum played by Rose McGowan and Stuart played by Matthew Lillard. Together these teens pull back the curtain on the horror genre, flip it on its head, deliver some wild good times and pack a good laugh or two while they’re at it. Play a little game when you’re revisiting this classic and see how many homages you can point out, or if it’s your first time just enjoy it.
Everyone in Scream is there for the distinct purpose of just having the best time they absolutely can. It doesn’t feel like anyone is doing the movie for a paycheque, everyone is just absolutely on point, having the time of their life, and getting to work with the maestro himself, Wes Craven. David Arquette plays Deputy Dewey who is just your typical screwball cop who manages to actually get it right, and Courtney Cox plays Gale Weathers, the reporter we all love to hate but cheer for. Neve Campbell, Skeet Ulrich, Rose McGowan and Matthew Lillard are the perfect ensemble for such an unusual film for the time. It has become a classic for so many reasons, not withstanding how delightfully fun it is. Scream is the quintessential October film for anyone who wants a good laugh, or doesn’t fully do the horror aspect of the month, so strap yourself in, pop some Jiffypop and get ready to let out a good SCREAM. Maybe brush up on your horror trivia too, and silence your phones before you SCEAM.
