Woodsboro, California goes into lockdown just before the anniversary of a grisly murder that shook the community one year prior. But it’ll take more than a curfew to protect a group of terrorized teens when the killer calls to ask, “What’s your favorite scary movie?”
Scream, the 1996 meta horror classic, and answer to the previously asked question for a lot of fans, hit theaters again this month for Regal Cinema’s SCREAMS event. With a different horror film playing every evening through the month of October, the theater chain is giving me plenty of opportunities to see some of my all-time favorite horror films on the big screen. Earlier this week I was at a small showing for another Wes Craven hit, A Nightmare on Elm Street. A very small group of dedicated fans were spread out among the seats, but the experience just felt right. When I saw the chance to catch Wes Craven’s slasher-mystery next, I couldn’t ignore it. Neither could a healthy amount of fans. Craven would be proud to know that Scream could still pack a theater almost thirty years later. When my wife and I got our tickets, a fresh faced employee handed them over and said, “Enjoy Mathew Lillard.” If that doesn’t secure Scream as a timeless hit, I have no idea what could.
There’s something endearing about seeing Scream for the umpteenth time. You catch dialog and details that are absent to an initial viewer. Knowing exactly who the threat is presents the film from a different angle. Scenes land differently, with a more intense or comedic tone than what you felt during your first viewing. I have no way of knowing how many people haven’t seen the franchise starter yet, but I’ll do all I can to save the mystery for potential newcomers.
The story focuses on a group of teens in the fictional town of Woodsboro, California who get a day out of school when the community shuts down and enforces a curfew to keep the community safe during the one year anniversary of the slaying of one of the teens’ mothers. Sidney Prescott, played by Neve Campbell, is growing distant from her boyfriend… Skeet Ulrich’s Billy. Neve and Skeet were reunited on set, starring in The Craft together just earlier in the year. Young horror fans may have recognized Neve from an episode of Are You Afraid of the Dark she starred in on Nickelodeon. Fans of crime dramas may have been amused to see Skeet playing someone named Billy for the second time in a year thanks to his roles in 1996’s Last Dance. Sidney hasn’t recovered from the loss of her mother, and Billy is growing impatient with their lack of physical intimacy that has been the result. The romantic, yet stand-offish, dynamic between the two persists through the film, fueling the teen drama angle that 90’s audiences ate up.
Jamie Kennedy, who starred in his first movie role along with Leonardo DiCaprio in the ’96 film, Romeo+Juliet, plays the friend, and resident horror film expert, Randy. Randy spends his days sassing his friends, working at the local video store, and hoping for Sidney and Bill to break up so he can finally try his luck with her. His daydreaming is kept in check by Stu, a fellow horror fanatic and resident goofball. Stu is played by Mathew Lillard, who got his start in 1990’s Ghoulies Go to College, and would later be the new Shaggy to Scooby-Doo. He’s a fan favorite and delivers one of his most career defining roles this side of SLC Punk. The audience in my theater lit up any time Stu was on screen, which is a good indicator for the upcoming Scream 7, which is set to showcase his return to the franchise.
Sidney’s best friend, Tatum, pulls her away from folks who try to harass her over her mothers death. The role belongs to Rose McGowan and is her first credited part in a horror film. Previous roles included parts in Encino Man and Bio-Dome. People who can’t stand Pauly Shore films can find her other horror work in Planet Terror, The Black Dahlia, or in 112 episodes of a little known series called Charmed. Tatum’s entire family is a solid asset to Sidney as her brother, “Dewey” is a local police deputy. While he may be an armed protector in a time of need, he can’t help but find himself attracted to a local reporter, Gale Weathers. She’s a snoopy reporter who profited off of the death of Sidney’s mother and has a pending book release about it. Dewey and Gale are played by David Arquette and Courteney Cox. The two of them were a real life couple during the duration of filming, and remained so for many years after. Deputy Dewey and Gale Weathers are Scream staples, only outshined by voice actor Roger Jackson… Who’s recognizable voice is used in every movie whenever the killer calls. His other roles include an ever growing list of video games and cartoons.
Everyone delivers the performance of a lifetime, capturing the drama, horror, and comedy just right. The main cast is joined by other familiar faces such as Drew Barrymore, Henry Winkler, and Liev Schreiber. There’s even a brief cameo by Wes Craven himself… Who wrote one of the most influential horror films ever.
As the community shuts down, and a kill count grows, the audience will ask themselves the same questions the teens ask. “Who’s doing it? Who’s next?” And… “Why?” Scream is a ride from beginning to end, and never disappoints. Easily one of the best the 90’s had to offer. With a timeless soundtrack, gruesome kills that don’t cross over into being corny, and a mystery that keeps a first time viewer guessing until the very end… Scream is always worth revisiting. Especially during the Halloween season. Scream is currently streaming on Paramount+ and Amazon Prime Video.