Like Dawsons Creek on Halloween.

#24 - Scream - 1996

"If you were the only suspect in a senseless bloodbath - would you be standing in the horror section?"
-- Randy

So I'm way overdue on this one. I did watch it last night but have had Internet issues all day so rather than do something productive I just pounded my fists in the eventual hope that it would work.

Anyway, who hasn't seen 'Scream' by now? If not then you should have. And you really shouldn't be reading this blog. I'll keep my thoughts brief.

First off, it's worth remembering that this film really took off in a big way. It was talked about constantly, but I'm not quite sure why. Yes it does what it's supposed to do very well, but is that enough to warrant the fervor this film caused? It does the self aware thing very very well, though for all it's plaudits it's often ignored that Wes Craven himself did the same thing 2 years earlier in 'A New Nightmare'. Still, 'Scream' seems to be the one that people remember the most.

It's weird watching it now as I'm still not sure whether Kevin Williamson's script treats the Genre with love or contempt. A very valid case can be made for both. I've read some reviews that point out that Williamson must love the Genre for him to be so aware of all the pratfalls. Other reviews have stated that it often seems Williamson is above the Genre, almost sneering at it. Ah but what do I know, some people see the face of Jesus in a Dorito.

I'm more inclined to believe it's a bit of both. Williamson is clearly knowledgeable on the Horror genre, but his script seems to come from the place of a frustrated fan rather than someone with an Axe to grind.

What's quite remarkable about the film is bloodless it is. There have been plenty of lower rated films since that have a lot more bloodletting than this film does. However, every wound in this film seems real, which I suppose is the intended difference. The victims in this film are often those of quick, savage attacks, and Craven handles them like the Pro he is.

The series went of the rails a bit in 'Scream 2', a film which is arguably darker than it's predecessor but which is let down by an over convoluted ending (And one that tries to catch you off guard with the reveal of the killer, instead it's just met with a shrug). The less said about Part 3 the better.

Sadly every good thing has a flip side to it and that flip side is the glut of teen horror films that came since. Something that Williamson is partly guilty for being as he also wrote 'I know what you did last Summer', which is like this film but stripped of the wit and imagination. In fact it's the very film that 'Scream' was the antitheses of.

Still, it is a genuinely fun ride and still holds up well, even if Jamie Kennedy's Randy is a little more annoying than I remember him being. He's supposed to serve as the voice of the Audience, the geek who watches the film and shakes his head as they fall into the same traps as a thousand films before it. Instead he comes across as that know it all guy that no one likes to watch a film with because he knows every aspect of everything about it, and will offer his opinion frequently, whether you wanted it or not.

Still, hold your hand up if you're the exact same way...Yeah I thought so.