Scream 1996 

Scream is a horror/ slasher movie that was released in 1996. It was directed by Wes Craven, with writing by Kevin Williamson and production by Cathy Konrad and Cary Woods. Cast members of this movie include Neve Campbell, David Arquette, Courteney Cox, Skeet Ulrick, Matthew Lillard, Jamie Kennedy and Rose McGowan. 

Warning this review will contain spoilers. 

Story summery    

The story beings when high school student Casey Becker gets a call from an unknown person, at first, it’s going well, and they talk about their favorite horror movies. However, the caller soon starts getting creepy saying that he’s looking at Casey right now, (suggesting that he is somewhere in the house). He then starts to get hostel and revels he has her boyfriend tied to a chair, outside her house. He then starts asking her questions about horror movie, saying that he will kill him if she gets a question wrong, which unfortunately she does when asked who the killer was in Friday the 13th, which she answered Jason Voorhees, but it was his mother in the first movie. After killing her boyfriend, the killer then comes for Casey, she tries to get away but with no luck and she is stabbed to death. Ghostface then hangs her body up on a tree for her parents to find. 

We then meet main protagonist Sindey Prescott who has a nasty reaction when she hears about the killings, due to the fact that a year ago her mother was raped and murdered. We also meet other members of Sindey’s friends’ group, including her boyfriend Billy Loomis, her best friend Tatum Riley her boyfriend Stu Macher and finally Randy Meeks who happens to be really into horror movies, (conveniently so dose Ghostface). We also meet Tatum’s brother Dewey who is the sheriff of the town, and Gale Weather a news reporter who wrote a book based around Sindey and her mother’s death. 

When Sindey gets home Ghostface gives her a chilling call saying that he’s goanna kill her, he then breaks in an attempt to stab her to death, but Sindey manages to get into her room where the killer couldn’t get in. Billy then shows up just as the killer seems to have disappears, however Sindey she’s a phone dropping out of Billy pocket, and then she starts thinking he is the killer. Dewy and the police show up to arrest Billy, however we later find out that they can’t keep him locked up because they have no evidence linking him to Ghostface.

Later on, we find out that Gale believes the man that Sindey accused of her mother’s death Cotton Weary is actually innocent and that the killings today are somehow linked. In school a couple of students go around dressed like Ghostface, which angers the principal who wants to expellee them both for doing this, (even though secretly he dresses up as the killer himself, before he ends up being stabbed to death by the real killer). With school being suspended Stu decide to throw a massive party to celebrate. (Because yeah this is a great idea with a killer on the loose, hold a massive party full of people ready to be stabbed to death.)  

Dewey is there to keep an eye out for Ghostface, Gale is there too to catch the killer on film for her story and along the way the two of them share a kiss in the woods. It’s at this party that Randy gives out important face in order to survives a horror movie while watching a Halloween movie. Tatum goes down to the basement to get more drink only for Ghostface to show up ready for more stabbing. She tries to get away through the dog door, (because of course it’s a smart idea) only to be killed when the shutter is opened up and she is crushed to death. From here Ghostface gets his party on as he stabs Billy to near death, he kills Gale’s camera man and he mortally wounds Dewey. 

Sindey is then confronted by both Randy and Stu saying that they have to get inside, but she doesn’t believe them, and she locks them both out. Billy then comes stumbling down the stairs and convince her to let Randy, only for him to pull a gun out and shoot Randy, (what the heck Billy is the killer). But I know what you’re thinking, how can Billy be the killer when he was being stabbed by the killer just a few minutes ago. Well, it turns out he had help and that help came from Stu. 

At first it seems their motives were because of their love of scary movie that made them go on a killing spree. However, Billy revels that he was the one who killed Sindey’s mother, due to her having an affair with his father, which cased his mother to leave, (so Gale was right, and Cotton didn’t do anything wrong). The anniversary of Sindey’s mums’ death was what also caused Billy to go on a murderous rampage out of pure anger, (Along with his love of horror movies and wanting to be a killer oh cause).

He planned to end by killing Sindey and framing her father. They also planned to make it look like they were the only survivors by stabbing each other. However, Sindey manages to sneak away where she calls Billy on the phone and taunts him. She them jumps out in the Ghostface costume and stabs Billy with an umbrella, Gale then finishes him off by shooting him, Stu is also killed when Sindey drops the TV on his head. Randy is also alive who tells her to make sure he’s dead as some serial killers are hard to keep down, which he gets right as Billy wakes up and tries to attack but Sindey finishes him off with a bullet to the head.   

The movie ends with Dewey being taken to the hospital, while Gale dose her news report on the events of this stab filled night.   

Thoughts and feelings     

When it comes to slasher movies Scream sure knows how to bring it. An example of this is the constant guessing of who the killer might be. This was good because it made it feel like everyone could be the killer, well apart from Sindey. 

Matthew Lillard was also great in this movie. This is because the first think I ever saw him in was Scooby doo “2000” where he plays an easily scared and kindhearted character like Shaggy, so watching him play a completely psychopathic character like Stu was a joy to watch. 

It was also great how this movie referenced other classic horror movies. This was good because it shows that these horror movies were an example that led Billy and Stu to go on a killing spree as they both wanted to be in a real-life horror movie. 

Ghostface voice that he used while on the phone was extremely good as it sent chills down my spine, and it made Ghostface sound a lot more intimidating. 

Overall, I thought that this was a great slasher movie and a can’t wait to watch the next Scream movie.