Scream [VHS] [1997]

"Scream", however, was conceived as a self-parody of the genre - it is shot through with its cast discussing what happens in horror movies and how to avoid becoming the next victim. Its sequels and its emulators have continued this theme.

Godard and Truffaut and the French directors of the 50's and 60's made conscious use of the role of the audience, forcing them to realise that they were watching a film: Wes Craven builds from this basic premise of audience sophistication to recognise that the viewer can be wholly conscious s/he is watching a film, but can still suspend disbelief and, in a horrifying situation, our fears and emotions can be learned via the cinema or television ... or at least pay reference to them. To this extend he makes a statement which parallels Cronenberg in emphasising precisely what impact cinema and television has on popular culture and personal expectation.

The decision to combine horror and comedy may have been a risky one. It's easy to laugh at bad horror, to mock the risible. To make your horror funny from the outset risks diluting it, risks saying that this is simply satire. The best satire twists the knife. And "Scream" pumps up the tension while it gets its laughs.

Neve Campbell plays Sydney, a young woman whose own mother has been brutally murdered. She is trying to get her life back together when two teenagers at her school are butchered. The killer phones them and taunts them before he kills them. She soon finds herself tormented by the killer, who wears a cloak and a Halloween mask modelled on the painting, 'The Scream'. Throughout, Sydney is pursued, not only by the killer, but by Courtney Cox, playing a rabidly determined television journalist keen to get her story and her name in lights.

It's an extraordinarily well directed and edited film, following a very good script, which allows the characters and tension to build ... while seeding the action with enough red herrings to sink a trawler. The characters are often designed as stereotypes, but their interaction and dialogue breathes life into them and engages your attention, keeping both the laughs and the rapid intakes of breath as random possibilities. You're never quite sure whether to relax and laugh ... or wait in case you're caught out by a ... .

Seriously good film, not to be taken too seriously, but to be seriously appreciated for the quality of its production. The DVD offers some excellent extras in terms of commentary and interviews - though it might be best to buy it as one of the packages, either in "The Wes Craven Collection" or "Scream Trilogy".

The phone call from the killer gimmick works very well here, providing Scream with its own peculiar trademark. I certainly had no idea about the true identity of the killer at the end, and I was thrilled to discover all of the rich nuances fuelling the entire killing spree. Scream is not your typical slice and dice flick with an easily identifiable bad guy and a plot that serves no more purpose than to provide an excuse for killing people. Script writer Kevin Williamson is a veritable genius, a man whose love of horror movies fuels him to put together a story that will involve the audience's mind as well as its emotions. The manner of murders are refreshingly varied, partly because the masked killer is so doggone clumsy most of the time and has to rely on devices other than his shiny big knife. I found the suspense level of every important event almost perfect. The soundtrack also adds strength to the whole effect, featuring great tracks such as Don't Fear the Reaper and Red Right Hand (which was originally used in a classic X-Files episode).

Of course, even the best script will fail without a talented cast, and Scream is blessed with some of Hollywood's best performers. Neve Campbell is of course the perfect Sydney; Drew Barrymore is largely responsible for making Scream's opening scene one of the most memorable of all time; Courteney Cox is the perfect self-centered tabloid reporter; David Arquette is actually likeable for once in his role as the somewhat dim-witted deputy sheriff; Rose McGowan is the quintessential best friend (and a total knockout); Skeet Ulrich and Matthew Lillard play their roles perfectly; and the character of Randy Meeks, the self-proclaimed horror expert, is one of my all-time favorites. Even the Fonz himself, Henry Winkler, plays a part in the film. I don't think you could put together a better overall cast for a horror movie, and that is one of the real secrets of Scream's success.

No matter how many times I watch Scream, I never fail to get completely drawn into the suspense. The DVD makes the experience even better with its load of goodies-a number of trailers, Wes Craven's commentary, some behind the scenes footage, interviews with cast members about the movie and about horror in general, cast biographies, trivia information, etc.. One really interesting note about this film is revealed in the credits: this movie was made "No Thanks Whatsoever To: the Santa Rosa City School District Governing Board" because the school board backed out of its decision to let part of the movie be shot at its local high school, citing the film's excessive violence. I believe this movie does what horror is supposed to do: draw out your own fears and negative emotions, transfer them to the screen, and send you away feeling invigorated, refreshed, and glad to be alive.