A One Mann’s Movies review of “Scream” (1996, 4.5*, 18).
It has been many, many years since I last saw this film so took the opportunity of an Everyman Salisbury Throwback screening to watch it again on the big screen. The advantage of not having seen it for so long is that I actually had forgotten who ‘Ghostface’ was (although had a few suspicions)… so the ending – ridiculous as it may be – actually managed to entertain me. One other thing I’d forgotten is what a fun, self-mocking ride of a movie this film is.
One Mann’s Movies Rating:
Plot:
After two teens are brutally murdered, the township of Woodsboro, California becomes the centre of media attention as the killing spree continues. This is particularly disturbing to Sidney (Neve Campbell) who is approaching the anniversary of the rape and murder of her mother.
Certification:
UK: 18; US: R. (From the BBFC web site: “Strong bloody violence”. If you ever needed an example of how far rating standards have shifted over the years this is it. I kept waiting for the ’18’ bits of this film and they never came. Wouldn’t this surely be rated a ’15’ if it was re-released today?)
Talent:
Starring: Neve Campbell, Skeet Ulrich, Courteney Cox, W. Earl Brown, Drew Barrymore, Rose McGowan, David Arquette, Joseph Whipp, Matthew Lillard, Jamie Kennedy, C.W. Morgan, Liev Schreiber, Henry Winkler (uncredited).
Directed by: Wes Craven
Written by: Kevin Williamson.
Running Time: 1h 51m.
Summary:
Positives:
- A clever script with great tongue-in-cheek movie references to classic horrors.
- A terrific opening with Drew Barrymore.
- Surprisingly vanilla kills, which is refreshing.
Negatives:
- The script wimps out on the motive.
Full Review of “Scream (1996)”:
The original and best.
Not to be confused with the 2022 remake (which I also enjoyed), “Scream” stands as a really fun teen-slasher that never takes itself too seriously. It is filled with references to other horror classics, especially “Halloween”, that the teens are watching at their party, desperate to “see Jamie Lee Curtis’s tits” (nope, reminds one of the movie nerds… not until “Trading Places”! LOL.)
The film is probably most famous for its memorable opening scene which does the equivalent of topping Janet Leigh so early in the shower in “Psycho”! Why would you hire the biggest name in the movie (Courteney Cox was only in her second season of “Friends”), dress her totally in white and then brutally dispatch her in the first ten minutes?! It’s a brilliant move.
Surprisingly vanilla murders.
What I found surprising viewing this again is just how vanilla most of the murders are. A knife. Nothing but the knife. That is, apart from the death of Tatum Riley (Rose McGowan) by garage door-opener… a death that even managed to surprise Ghostface (the head slightly cocked to the side in surprise is brilliant!) Most slasher films in horror history have found multiple different and devious ways of disembowelling teenagers, but I found the simple to be good in this one.
A cop out on the motive.
As I said in my intro, I’d actually forgotten exactly who Ghostface was, so the ending was fun to watch albeit utterly absurd in a “why don’t they just shoot James Bond in the head” kind of way.
Where I think the script copped out was in the motive for all of the murders. I really liked the fact that – up to a particular point – the violence appeared to be completely random, completely motiveless, entirely sociopathic. Then ‘xxx’ (name redacted) came out with this lame reason for doing it all. It smacked of studio interference to me: like someone was leaning on them to say, “no, you can’t just leave it so vague” and twisted an arm or two to add that line in.
Good performances.
All the performances are good in a cheesy, knowing sort of way. The film is actually a perfect bit of casting for Courteney Cox as the obnoxiously intrusive news-reporter Gale Weathers, using her sex to seduce and get the inside track from the sap of a cop Deputy Dewey (David Arquette).
But the top acting prize goes to Neve Campbell, in her breakout role. As the grieving, cute and virginal Sidney, she really impresses, showing a range of different emotions and nailing them all. The final dispatch – “Not in my movie!” – is superbly done. This was to be the first of five “Scream” movies that Neve was to appear in, with the sixth – “Scream 7” – currently filming. Wanna bet that her luck finally runs out in this one?!
Summary Thoughts:
It’s regarded a classic for a reason. A tongue-in-cheek slasher movie that delivers a really fun time at the cinema.
Where to watch?
Trailer:
The trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWm_mkbdpCA.
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