Scream (1996)

SCREAM
***1/2 (out of five stars)
A review by Jamey Hughton

Starring-Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Skeet Ulrich,
Rose McGowan,  Matthew Lillard, Jamie Kennedy and Drew Barrymore
Director-Wes Craven
Rated 18A
Released 1996
Dimension
Reviewed July 1999

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Who thought the revival of the horror genre laid within this relatively small-budget slasher film released in 1996? Scream surprised audiences upon it's release, because not only did it succeed in delivering the chills, it also had a delightful self-mocking sense of humor. Unknown scribe Kevin Williamson added a much-needed dash of humor and cleverness to his screenplay, making Scream quite the hot ticket for young audiences.

After the renowned popularity of Williamson's pet project, numerous clones began production. But none captured the shining quality of the original Scream (except, perhaps, Scream 2). So what's Williamson's secret? It's actually fairly simple. He doesn't create clichéd characters; he makes his characters aware. They've seen all the horror movies and know all the trademarks of the genre, and when they're unwillingly placed in a situation themselves, they know how to handle themselves (or at least, to a certain point). Scream is not some kind of miraculous breakthrough, but it is a breath of fresh air.

The story takes place in a small, US town populated with teenagers who look strangely like twenty-something Hollywood actors. Neve Campbell is Sidney Prescott, a likeable senior who has dealt with the death of her mother in the past year. Skeet Ulrich is her boyfriend, Billy, an avid movie buff who sneaks through Sidney's window every now and again. But he is no match for the dedication of cinema applied by Randy Meeks (Jamie Kennedy), an intelligent geek who works at the local video store. Then there is Matthew Lillard as the intolerable, gloating jerk Stew and his fashion-smart girlfriend Tatum (Rose McGowan).

When their little town of Woodsboro is overtaken by a horrific double murder, everyone is on the look-out. The killer himself wears an attire of a spooky Halloween costume, and is now often referred to as `ghost face'. Williamson's clever script relies heavily on the unmasking of the murderer, and the motive for his (or her) killings. But before you go off guessing the killer's identity, there are more suspects to address. Reporter Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) is at the scene of the crime, and she and Sidney have shared a complicated past. Then, of course, there's the charming local deputy Dewey (David Arquette), a well-meaning doofus and also Tatum's older brother.

The brisk comedic moments in Scream are often more refreshing than the horror. The best scenes both involve Randy spilling all the details he's learned from years of watching scary movies. The first takes place in the video store, where he loses his composure and screams out `Everybody's a suspect!!!', to the confusion of other customers. The second (and best) occurs when he explains the rules of horror movies to friends at a party (Williamson even capitalized on the greatness of this particular scene, and revised it to an equally amusing effect in Scream 2). In case you've forgotten these rules, here they are: 1) You can never drink or do drugs. 2) You can never have sex. 3)You can never, ever, under any circumstances say `I'll be right back'.

The final bloodbath in Scream is where I started to lose some interest. It's too excessive, gory and a little far-fetched. Campbell shows off her strong lungs nicely, Cox is dynamite fun playing the insatiable bitch who wants a top story, and Arquette does unexpected marvels with his character, who is relatively low on brain cells but shyly attempts to hide his inadequacies. For director Wes Craven, this was definitely a wise career move. But, the real star is Kevin Williamson, who has written a screenplay that has revitalized the horror genre. Even as his characters make the same mistakes as regular fright film victims do, they are doing so with a knowing awareness. This translates into a lot of fun.

(C) 1999, Jamey Hughton

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