Scream - Film Review

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Craven, W. (1996). Scream . Dimension Films. Link to Image.

Scream is a 1996 horror-slasher film that was directed by Wes Craven and written by Kevin Williamson. It stars Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott, David Arquette as Dewey Riley, Courtney Cox as Gale Weathers, Matthew Lillard as Stu Macher, Skeet Ulrich as Billy Loomis, Rose McGowan as Tatum Riley, Jamie Kennedy as Randy Meeks, and Drew Barrymore as Casey Becker. The movie follows 17-year-old Sidney Prescot, a high school senior who becomes the target of the serial killer Ghostface, who begins targeting people in her hometown of Woodsboro, California on the one year anniversary of her mother’s rape and murder.

Kevin Williamson was inspired to write Scream after watching a documentary about an American serial killer named Danny Rolling . In August 1990, Rolling went on a gruesome killing spree in Gainesville, Florida . He butchered five college students and then mutilated their bodies which earned him the nickname of the Gainesville Ripper. After his arrest, Rolling told authorities that his motivation for the murders was to become a famous serial killer like Ted Bundy. Williamson developed the script for Scream with the idea for it be a homage to horror films but to also to poke fun at the cliches in popular horror films used as well.


Craven, W. (1996). Scream . Dimension Films. Link to YouTube.

I remember when Scream came out in the cinemas in 1996. It was a huge deal at the time. It was so popular with teenagers. I remember watching it a lot as a kid. It was one of those movies that it was fun to put on with some friends and jump at all the scary scenes. I can’t remember the last time I watched this movie. I got the idea to re-watch Scream again recently because I was curious what I would think of it as an adult. My first thought when watching it was I can’t believe I watched this so many times as a kid. It’s pretty graphic. I really like the opening scene. I think it does a great job setting up the rest of the film. The voice of the killer over the phone is horrifying and Drew Barrymore is excellent as high school student Casey Becker.

In the next scene, we are introduced to Sidney Prescott and her boyfriend Billy Loomis. Sidney is struggling with the 1-year anniversary of her mother’s rape and murder by Cotton Weary so has been unable to consummate her relationship with Billy. This frustrates Billy who thinks that enough time has passed and she should just get over the loss of her mother and just move on. I find it interesting how women are portrayed in Scream. If you do not want to have sex like Sidney, you’re a prude, and that’s wrong. But if you have too much sex like her mother Maureen, then you’re a slut. Sidney thinks she is being selfish and a bad girlfriend for not being able to be intimate with Billy because she can’t get over the grief of losing her mother. In one heartbreaking scene, she tells her best friend “But he’s been so patient with me, Tatum. You know, with all of the sex stuff. How many guys would put up with a girlfriend who’s sexually anorexic?”

I can’t believe I used to think that Sidney was in the wrong for not wanting to sleep with Billy. It makes me mad when I think about the toxic messages we got about relationships back in 1996. As an adult, it is obvious to me that Sidney doesn’t want to sleep with Billy because he gives her ‘the ick’ because he is a creepy, manipulative bastard who doesn’t care about her trauma at all. He just wants to get laid. Sidney is not the bad guy for not wanting to sleep with him. It is just her gut instinct telling her to “Run!”

Scream is a movie about male rage against women. It could also be argued that it could fit the definition of a feminist horror film as well. Sidney is able to survive the murders and kill Ghostface because of her resilience, strength, and courage. I think Scream is still a good movie in 2024. It is very silly in parts, is genuinely scary, and has some excellent performances in it. I like that Neve Campbell has gone on to become one of the most recognizable faces in horror films. Her performance of Sidney Prescott is legendary.

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