Day 28: Scream

28. Scream (1996)
Dir: Wes Craven
Cast: Neve Campbell, David Arquette, Courtney Cox, Matthew Lillard, Rose McGowan, Skeet Ulrich, Jamie Kennedy Drew Barrymore

Significantly skipping ahead, today we revisit the twisted mind of Wes Craven with the tongue and cheek slasher romp that is Scream. A self aware horror film that is not only an entertaining thriller but a satire on the genre as well. Characters analyze cliches and conventions that just happen to come true and the result is one of the best horror films of the 90s.

Opening with an iconic scene between Drew Barrymore and a mysterious man on the phone, the film opens with a bang and keeps it that way the whole duration. The plot follows as your typical slasher flick but with some clever twists and turns and good dialogue. Scream is pretty well written considering the genre and Wes Craven's horror sensibilities shine through like the slash of a knife.



I've seen al three installments and I have to say that the sequels aren't that bad either. All the movies keep the humorous edge and the third one even has comedic cameos from Patrick Warburton and who else but Jay and Silent Bob. They're just great popcorn movies with loads of entertainment value and plenty of surprising scares. It brought new life into the genre leading to a whole bunch of other 90s slasher movies like; I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) and Urban Legend (1998), but there was only one Scream.

Fright Fact: I like a movie with Jamie Kennedy in it?

Horror Highlight: Here's a little taste of the opening


I'd still like to give props to some other movies from 1984-1996 that either shaped the genre or were just scary or whatever.

Re-Animator (1985)
The Fly (1986)
Aliens (1986)
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)
Evil Dead II (1987)
Hellraiser (1987)
They Live (1988)
Misery (1990)
Jacob's Ladder (1990)
Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Interview with the Vampire (1994)
Se7en (1995)
From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)