If you love “Scream” and you loved “Scream VI” then you have to see “Screaming.” I mean you have to see it. I mean yes it is a fan film, but it’s such a wonderfully developed short slice of the “Scream” universe that is as meta as all get out and celebrates the inherent dissection of the horror genre from beginning to end.
Set in a house of a young girl named Jada, she is holding a book meeting online with her friends, and is just getting over reading the latest horror novel. One of her group’s members calls her up to talk about their latest read, and what begins as a chat about horror books descends in to a horrifying discussion when the caller begs the question “What’s your favorite scary movie?”
Like the prologue to the original “Scream,” director and writer Mosley’s fan film of the “Scream” movie series begins and ends much the same way. This time though the victim is Jada (played marvelously by Layla Khepri), a person of color. The script takes the time to point out the inherent diversity in modern horror, and director Mosely doesn’t stop there. It’s shocking how he’s able to fit in so many horror references and commentary on the horror world in only ten minutes in length, but hot damn.
He does it. “Screaming” is such a tightly paced and beautifully directed fan film, dripping with suspense, tension, and build up to the trademark call that we all know is the modus operandi of Ghostface. Like the official movies, the sense of terror lives and breathes on the rising tension of the phone call, especially when the killer begins to quiz Jada on horror movies. There’s not a ton of exposition on what caused this scenario, nor is there a big reveal, but “Screaming” is primarily a fan film dead set on paying tribute to the classic prologues we see in every “Scream” film to date. And there’s the always gruesome pay off.
I guarantee if you love the “Scream” franchise and or loved “Scream VI,” this is the perfect treat to satisfy your appetite for Ghostface. I hope Hollywood comes knocking on the director’s door, because I want to see what they can do with their own original genre fare.