Lots of Screams Heard

Rating: 8/10 (25 July 2006)

"Scream", released in 1996, is a great horror film that stars Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox (now Cox-Arquette), David Arquette, Jamie Kennedy, Drew Berrymore, Skeet Ulrich, Matthew Lillard, and others. This film pays homage to many horror film classics that many horror film fanatics never forget. Two sequels proceed. Its release started a new frenzy of horror film fans. It encouraged its audiences to watch the classics that influenced this film. This later became Wes Craven's highest grossing film to date. It received critical acclaim, including a consideration for an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay (which was overlooked).
"Scream" desplicts a group of people in a town that is terrorized by a "serial killer" whose obsession with horror films goes too far. He, she, or they call the intended victim, alters their voice through a machine, flirts with them, threatens them, and attacks them. The police force's only lead to the killer's identity is a ghost mask. Sidney Prescott (Campbell) seems to be the main target to this killer. Does it connect to the brutal slaying of her mother a year before? Does the killer want revenge, or does the killer want to play copycat? Until the questions are answered, everybody is a suspect. And those who break any of the horror film rules become a target.
Director Wes Craven certainly knows the true meaning of horror as he combines these films into this film, yet, fitting wonderfully. He doesn't spoof any of them. Rather, he creates his own horror film that is truly chilling. He occasionally includes non-horror projects that fit the film well, including "The Ricki Lake Show". Meanwhile, he adds the occasional teen humor that relates well to that age group. Despite branching off other horror films, his creativity is expressed greatly as in his past films. He takes the typical horror film traditions, mixes them, and makes them his own. He makes every chase scene a roller coaster ride, every suspicious scene suspenseful, and every bloody violent scene intense.
Horror film commemorations include "Friday, the 13th", "Halloween", "Carrie", "The Exorcist", and his own "Nightmare On Elm Street". Wes Craven plays a cameo as the janitor "dressed as" Freddy Krueger. Through these various homage scenes, the main storyline of people being stalked by the killer is never distracted. Meanwhile, he gives this film its own legacy beyond the now-infamous ghost mask. While many other previous blockbuster films have tried paying homage to other films like it, this is the first that has succeeded in high quality.
Through this storyline, the actors finely express the crutial points of the film that make it more entertaining. They scream wonderfully, they express their terror wonderfully, and they offer their own sense of humor through the perfect scenes. Campbell expresses the terrorizing theme the highest while stretching Jamie Lee Curtis's legacy as Laurie Strode from "Halloween". Cox and Arquette offer the sense of humor the most as an annoying news reporter and a police officer. The actor or actors who play the killer or the killers offer their terrorizing moments greatly that make their character or characters more chilling.
"Scream" begins an unforgattable fine trilogy that will hold its position in film history for a long time. Those interested in this trilogy must watch this edition first. Otherwise, they will not understand the storyline. This will surely continue pleasing its audiences as it has since its release.