Review of Scream (1996) by Lordnaseby — 26 Sep 2011

I saw this film for the first time on Halloween night right after I finished watching Halloween(original) for the first time. Also I saw Nightmare on Elm Street before I watched this movie as well. This is how this movie is intended to be viewed: after NOES and Halloween. THIS IS KEY PEOPLE!!! you MUST see A Nightmare on Elm Street, Psycho, AND Halloween to get the full effect for this one. Friday the 13th and The Silence of the Lambs don't hurt either. If you do not you can never appreciate this movie fully. There are so many little things in this one that you will pick up that make your enjoyment of this film more complete.

All that to say, this film is a very smart and witty comedy/horror film that is as funny as it is suspenseful. you never really know where it is going to go next. I'm not sure what I can say without giving away plot, but I'll do my best. This film is an addition, a parody, and an homage to the Slasher genre. it pulls it off beautifully. it perfects the genre if you will. It...it's very tongue-in-cheek. it is sort of difficult to explain the relationship this film has to the rest of the major slashers. you just have to see it for yourself (READ THE FIRST PARAGRAPH).

One of the major reasons I like this film, is that everyone in this film is HUMAN. In other slasher films, people aren't as human. As characters, you can't relate to them. take Halloween (the first one) for example, Laurie is just a character. you get no backstory from her at all (as far as I remember). she's just a random girl who some killer stalks (keep it in the perspective of the first one). and don't even get me started on her friends. all I can say is: knife fodder. with Scream, all characters are easy to relate to. what I mean is, they are clearly human characters, which brings me to my NEXT point: THE KILLER!!!

The Killer. aaah yes, the killer. Ghostface. let me start of by saying this, in any other slasher film, we'll pick on Friday the 13th this time, it goes like this: Jason could be sitting on the couch flipping channels for 90 minutes doing NOTHING and still make his kill quota for the movie. How? because the characters in his movie are so dumb this is how it would go: Jason would be sitting there and dumb chick #1 would come up to him screaming the "the killer is chasing me" scream. he wouldn't react and so she would take his machete and stab herself still screaming. it would continue like this until Final Girl would bonk him on ht head and he would get up, stretch, and go off to hibernate until the next sequel. It is just that easy for the average slasher film serial killer to kill his victims. you don't believe me? watch some of them. not Ghostface though. ohohoho no not Ghostface. no Ghostface EARNS his kills. I can't tell you what I mean though. you have to see it. this proves though, that under the awesome costume, Ghostface is just an ordinary person with ordinary strengths and skills. It makes the film a lot more believable. none of this "Arnie in his prime hit me over the head with a 100 megaton Hydrogen Bomb that went on to explode sending the sun crashing on me and I picked myself up brushed myself off and went on my way" crap. You get bored of an unkillable killer after a short time.

Well, I've written out my confusing rant long enough. I hope you enjoy reading it. this film isn't perfect but I would highly suggest this one. it is certainly my favorite slasher film and it also comes with the bonus feature of a rare (I actually think one of a kind) good sequel. but, I must leave you with one final piece of advice: pay attention to the DIALOGUE. well, yeah. I've ranted long enough. (although if you want, for the people who have seen Scream, I can make a blog about all of the little...well, extra bits of this movie. trivia relations stuff like that. let me know if you want me to). but yeah. it was a great film.