Now that we’ve entered October, it feels appropriate to entertain some spookier fare. This month my goal is to share about some horror classics and why they’re worthy of revisiting in 2020. First up, is 1996’s Scream.
Scream opens with the best sequence in the film that runs close to 15 minutes as Casey Becker (DREW BARRYMORE) is terrorized by the film’s killer.
Home alone, Casey decides to pop some popcorn and put on a scary movie while she waits for her boyfriend, Steve, to come over. While she’s getting ready, she receives a phone call from a mystery person who may have dialed the wrong number.
Innocent at first, the person makes small talk and eventually reveals that Casey’s boyfriend, who she thought should have arrived by now, is in fact tied up on the back patio. Oh no! But Casey can save his life if she answers the question correctly in a horror-movie trivia game. “Name the killer in Friday the 13th”, the killer asks. “Jason,” she says. Wrong answer; poor Steve.
The rest of the film functions as a very fun commentary on horror movie tropes. Every character in the film, especially Randy (JAMIE KENNEDY), has a deep knowledge of horror film history and frequently comment on the parallels of their situation to the movies they watch all the time.
Characters in horror films are notorious for doing silly, inexplicable things. At one point, one of Randy’s friends says “I’ll be right back”, to which Randy yells “never say ‘I’ll be right back!’ Because you won’t be back!”
Roger Ebert compared Scream to the cans of soup that cook themselves. The movie has its cake and eats it too: it’s an effective horror movie and an insightful commentary on horror tropes. It (mostly) succeeds thanks to the deft hand of WES CRAVEN (A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET).
As one of the most influential directors of modern horror who also has a streak of meta-comedy in his films, Craven’s decision to open the movie with a scene of pure horror and then oscillate the tone between horror and comedy for the remainder is critical because it communicates to the audience that they can terrify you any time they want. The commentary on horror tropes would be much less effective if the film didn’t already demonstrate its expert ability to craft a terrifying sequence.
The film also stars some fun performances by then-lesser-known-but-soon-to-enjoy-brief-stardom actors, especially NEVE CAMPBELL, COURTNEY COX, and MATTHEW LILLARD. All of the actors are solid and their chemistry together adds to the fun of the movie.
Scream is pure nostalgia for anyone who was in tune with pop culture in the mid-90s, but stands on its own as an effective campy horror movie in its own right. It’s a great choice to start off the spookiest month on the calendar, and a fun way to take a break from the news cycle. Just be careful when you pop your popcorn!
Rating: 3 out of a possible 5.
-Reviewed by Wilson
Rated R for strong graphic horror violence and gore, and for language
Interested in watching this movie tonight? Here’s how:
Amazon
• Open the Amazon streaming platform on your streaming service provider (such as Smart TV, Roku, computer)
• Search for SCREAM in the search bar. Select the video.
• Click “Rent Movie” in HD for $2.99
Meet our movie reviewer
“Wilson” is an alias for this reviewer, taken from Wilson the volleyball in CAST AWAY (2000). Wilson has been an avid movie watcher for more than a decade, with hundreds of movies viewed in that time ranging from classics of American cinema to international and independent features. Wilson’s writing is inspired by the film criticism of Roger Ebert.
