Scream

Scream

When Randy the video geek rattles off the rules of surviving a horror movie in Wes Craven's Scream, he speaks for a generation of filmgoers who are all too aware of slasher movie clichés. Playfully scripted by Kevin Williamson with a self-aware wink and more than a few nods to its grandfathers (from Psycho to Halloween to the Friday the 13th dynasty), Scream skewers teen horror conventions with loving reverence while re-creating them in a modern, movie-savvy context. And so goes the series, which continues the satirical spoofing by tackling (what else?) sequels while sustaining its own self-contained mythology. Catty reporter Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) turns grisly murders into lurid bestsellers, a cult of killer wannabes continues to hunt spunky psycho-survivor Sydney Prescott (Neve Campbell) for their 15 minutes of fame, and a cheesy movie series (Stab) develops within the movie series. Scream remains the high point of the series--a fresh take on a genre long since collapsed into routine, but Scream 2 spoofs itself with witty humor ("Why would anyone want to do that? Sequels suck!" opines college film student Randy), and delights with more elaborate set pieces and all-new rules for surviving a horror movie sequel. The endangered veterans of the original film reunite one last time for Scream 3, which plays out on the movie set of Stab 3. (It's a trilogy within a trilogy!) With Williamson gone, replacement screenwriter Ehran Kruger tries to mine the formula one more time. It's a little tired by now, and pale imitations (Urban Legend, I Know What You Did Last Summer) have further drained the zeitgeist, but the film bubbles with bright humor, and director Craven is stylistically at the top of his game. As a trilogy, it remains both the most consistently entertaining and self-aware horror series ever made. --Sean Axmaker

Genre: Crime, Horror, Mystery
Director(s): Wes Craven
Production: Miramax Films
  7 wins & 8 nominations.
 
IMDB:
7.2
Metacritic:
65
Rotten Tomatoes:
79%
R (Restricted)
Year:
1996
111
33,075 Views
Don't Answer The Door, Don't Leave The House, Don't Answer The Phone, But Most Of All, Don't SCREAM.
Don't Answer The Phone.  Don't Open The Door.  Don't Try To Escape.
From The First Name In Suspense Comes The Last Word In Fear.
Make Your Last Breath Count.
Now someone is victim and someone is a suspect.
Someone has taken their love of scary movies one step too far.  Solving this mystery is going to be murder.

[first lines; phone rings]

Casey Becker:
[picks up phone] Hello?

Phone Voice:
Hello?

Casey Becker:
Yes?

Phone Voice:
Who is this?

Casey Becker:
Um…who are you trying to reach?

Phone Voice:
What number is this?

Casey Becker:
What number are you trying to reach?

Phone Voice:
I don't know.

Casey Becker:
Well? I think you have a wrong number.

Phone Voice:
Do I?

Casey Becker:
It happens. Take it easy. [hangs up, goes to kitchen; phone rings again; Casey picks it up] Hello?

Phone Voice:
I'm sorry. I guess I dialed the wrong number.

Casey Becker:
So why'd you dial it again?

Phone Voice:
To apologize.

Casey Becker:
You're forgiven. Bye now.

Phone Voice:
Wait! Wait. Don't hang up.

Casey Becker:
What?

Phone Voice:
I wanna talk to you for a second.

Casey Becker:
They've got 900 numbers for that. See ya. [hangs up. Goes to the kitchen, turns on a burner, and prepares to cook up Jiffy Pop popcorn. The phone rings a third time] Ugh. [picks up phone] Hello?

Phone Voice:
Why don't you want to talk to me?

Casey Becker:
Who is this?

Phone Voice:
You tell me your name, I'll tell you mine.

Casey Becker:
I don't think so. [shakes the Jiffy Pop]

Phone Voice:
What's that noise?

Casey Becker:
Popcorn.

Phone Voice:
You're making popcorn?

Casey Becker:
Uh-huh.

Phone Voice:
I only eat popcorn at the movies.

Casey Becker:
Well, I'm getting ready to watch a video.

Phone Voice:
Really? What?

Casey Becker:
Oh, just some scary movie.

Phone Voice:
You like scary movies?

Casey Becker:
Uh-huh.

Phone Voice:
What's your favorite scary movie?

Casey Becker Uh, I don't know.

Phone Voice:
You have to have a favorite. What comes to mind?

Casey Becker:
Um, Halloween. [pulls out knife] You know, the one with the guy in the white mask who walks around and stalks baby-sitters. [puts back knife]

Phone Voice:
Yeah.

Casey Becker:
What's yours?

Phone Voice:
Guess.

Casey Becker:
Um, Nightmare on Elm Street. [picks up VHS tapes]

Phone Voice:
Is that the one where the guy had knives for fingers?

Casey Becker:
Yeah, Freddy Krueger.

Phone Voice:
Freddy, that's right. I liked that movie. It was scary.

Casey Becker:
[locks door] Well, the first one was, but the rest sucked. [goes to living room]

Phone Voice:
So, you got a boyfriend?

Casey Becker:
Why? You wanna ask me out on a date?

Phone Voice:
Maybe. Do you have a boyfriend?

Casey Becker:
No.

Phone Voice:
You never told me your name.

Casey Becker:
Why do you want to know my name?

Phone Voice:
'Cause I want to know who I'm looking at.

Casey Becker:
[eyes widen in horror] What did you say?

Phone Voice:
I want to know who I'm talking to.

Casey Becker:
That's not what you said.

Phone Voice:
What do you think I said? [Casey checks outside] What? Hello?

Casey Becker:
Look, I gotta go.

Phone Voice:
Wait! I thought we were gonna go out.

Casey Becker:
Uh, nah, I don't think so. [locks door]

Phone Voice:
Don't hang up on me! [Casey hangs up]

[doorbell rings twice]

Casey Becker:
Aah! Who's there?! Who's there? I'm calling the police! [phone rings; Casey jumps with horror, picks it up]

Phone Voice:
You should never say "Who's there?". Don't you watch scary movies? It's a death wish! You might as well just come out here to investigate a strange noise or something.

Casey Becker:
[sobbing] Look, you've had your fun now, so I think you better just leave or else...

Phone Voice:
Or else what?

Casey Becker:
[sobbing] Or else my boyfriend will be here any minute, and he'll be pissed when he finds out.

Phone Voice:
I thought you didn't have a boyfriend.

Casey Becker:
I lied! I do have a boyfriend and he'll be here any second, so your ass better be gone.

Phone Voice:
[sarcastically] Sure.

Casey Becker:
I swear! [angrily] He's big and he plays football, and he'll kick the sh*t out of you!

Phone Voice:
[false terror] I'm getting scared! Shakin' in my boots.

Casey Becker:
[terrified sobbing] So you better just leave...

Phone Voice:
His name wouldn't be Steve, would it?

Casey Becker:
[eyes widen in shock] How do you know his name?

Phone Voice:
Turn on the patio lights...again.

Casey Becker:
[turns on patio light, scared; looks outside, sees Steve tied in a chair, his mouth taped] Oh, God! [unlocks and opens door]

Phone Voice:
I wouldn't do that if I were you!

Casey Becker:
[closes and locks door in fear] [scared crying] Where are you? Where are you?

Phone Voice:
Guess.

Casey Becker:
[sobbing] Please don't hurt him.

Phone Voice:
That all depends on you.

Casey Becker:
[sobbing] Why are you doing this?

Phone Voice:
I wanna play a game.

Casey Becker:
[crying] No.

Phone Voice:
Then he dies right now!

Casey Becker:
[screaming and crying] No!! No!

Phone Voice:
Which is it? [serious tone] Which is it?

Casey Becker:
[crying] Well...what kind of a game?

Phone Voice:
Turn off the light. You'll see what kind of game. Just do it!  [Casey walks to light switch]

Steve Orth:
[muffled] No, Casey! No! No! [Casey switch lights off] No! Casey!!

Phone Voice:
Here's how we play: I ask a question. If you get it right, Steve lives.

Casey Becker [unplugs television] [sobbing] Please don't do this.

Phone Voice:
Come on, it'll be fun.

Casey Becker:
[sobbing] Please.

Phone Voice:
It's an easy category.

Casey Becker:
[sobbing] Please.

Phone Voice:
Movie trivia. I'll even give you a warm-up question.

Casey Becker:
[sobbing] Don't do this. I can't.

Phone Voice:
Name the killer in Halloween.

Casey Becker:
[sobbing] No.

Phone Voice:
Come on, it's your favorite scary movie, remember? He had a white mask. He stalked the baby-sitters.

Casey Becker:
[sobbing] I don't know.

Phone Voice:
Come on. Yes, you do.

Casey Becker:
[sobbing] No, please.

Phone Voice:
What's his name?

Casey Becker:
[sobbing] I-I can't think.

Phone Voice:
Steve's counting on you.

Casey Becker:
[stops sobbing] Michael-- Michael Myers.

Phone Voice:
Yes! Very good! Now for the real question.

Casey Becker:
No!

Phone Voice:
But you're doing so well. We can't stop now.

Casey Becker:
Please stop! Leave us alone!

Phone Voice:
Then answer the question. Same category.

Casey Becker:
Oh, please stop.

Phone Voice:
Name the killer in Friday the 13th.

Casey Becker:
Jason! Jason! Jason!

Phone Voice:
I'm sorry. That's the wrong answer!

Casey Becker:
No, it's not! No, it's not. It was Jason.

Phone Voice:
Afraid not. No way.

Casey Becker:
Listen, it was Jason! I saw that movie twenty Goddamn times!

Phone Voice:
Then you should know Jason's mother, Mrs. Voorhees, was the original killer! Jason didn't show up until the sequel. I'm afraid that was a wrong answer.

Casey Becker:
[sobbing] You tricked me.

Phone Voice:
Lucky for you, there's a bonus round. But poor Steve, I'm afraid, he's out!

Sidney Prescott:
[answering the phone] Tatum, just get in the car--

Phone Voice:
Hello, Sidney.

Sidney Prescott:
Uh, hi. Who is this?

Phone Voice:
You tell me.

Sidney Prescott:
Well, I have no idea.

Phone Voice:
Scary night, isn't it? With the murders and all, it's like right out of a horror movie or something.

Sidney Prescott:
[chuckles] Randy, you gave yourself away. Are you calling from work? 'Cause Tatum's on her way over.

Phone Voice:
Do you like scary movies, Sidney?

Sidney Prescott:
I like that thing you're doing with your voice, Randy. It's sexy.

Phone Voice:
What's your favorite scary movie?

Sidney Prescott:
Oh, come on. You know I don't watch that sh*t.

Phone Voice:
Why not? Too scared?

Sidney Prescott:
No, no. It's just, what's the point? They're all the same. Some stupid killer stalking some big-breasted girl who can't act, who's always running up the stairs when she should be going out the front door. It's insulting.

Phone Voice:
Are you alone in the house?

Sidney Prescott:
Randy, that's so unoriginal. I'm disappointed in you.

Phone Voice:
Maybe that's because I'm not Randy.

Sidney Prescott:
[eyes widen] So, who are you?

Phone Voice:
The question isn't "Who am I?". The question is, "Where am I?"

Sidney Prescott:
S-s-so, where are you?

Phone Voice:
Your front porch.

Sidney Prescott:
Why would you be calling from my front porch?

Phone Voice:
That's the original part.

Sidney Prescott:
[checks front porch; no one seems to be there] Oh, yeah?  Well, I call your bluff. [goes outside, looks around, sees no one] So where are you?

Phone Voice:
Right here.

Sidney Prescott:
[looks around, sees no one] Can you see me right now?

Phone Voice:
Uh-huh.

Sidney Prescott:
Uh-huh, okay.[picks nose] What am I doing? Huh? What am I doing? Hello? [laughs] Nice try, Randy. Tell Tatum to hurry up, okay? Bye, now.

Phone Voice:
If you hang up on me, you'll die just like your mother! [Sidney's eyes widen in horror] Do you wanna die, Sidney? Your mother sure didn't.

Sidney Prescott:
F*** you, you cretin!

Randy Meeks:
Stu's flipped out! He's gone mad!

Billy Loomis:
[eerily whispering] We all go a little mad sometimes. [points gun at Randy]

Sidney Prescott:
No, Billy!

Randy Meeks:
Oh, f***! [gets shot, and screams in pain. Sydney runs to Randy who moans in pain.]

Billy Loomis:
Anthony Perkins, Psycho. [tastes the fake blood] Mmm. Corn syrup. Same stuff they used for pigs' blood in Carrie.

[Sydney shakes her head in shock, turns, and runs into Stu]

Sidney Prescott:
[scared] Stu. Help me, please.

Stu Macher:
[changes his voice with the voice changer: evilly] Surprise, Sidney.

Sidney Prescott:
[pushes Stu away, trying to flee] Unh!

Stu Macher:
Ooh!

Billy Loomis:
[stops Sidney with gun] Whoa, now. Whoa. [Stu throws the voice changer to Billy] What's the matter, Sidney? You look like you've seen a ghost.

Sidney Prescott:
Why are you doing this?

Stu Macher:
It's all part of a game, Sidney.

Billy Loomis:
It's called "Guess how I'm gonna die?"!

Sidney Prescott:
F*** you!

Billy Loomis:
No, no, no, no, no. We already played that game, remember? You lost.

Stu Macher:
It's a fun game, Sidney. See, we ask you a question, and if you get it wrong, boo-kah! You die!

Billy Loomis:
You get it right, you die.

Sidney Prescott:
You're crazy, both of you.

Stu Macher:
Actually, we prefer the term "psychotic."

Sidney Prescott:
You'll never get away with this.

Billy Loomis:
Oh, no? Tell that to Cotton Weary. You wouldn't believe how easy he was to frame.

Stu Macher:
Watch a few movies, take a few notes. It was fun.

Sidney Prescott:
No!

Stu Macher:
Whoa! Where're you goin'?

Sidney Prescott:
Why? Why did you kill my mother?

Billy Loomis:
Why? Why!? Did you hear that, Stu? I think she wants a motive. Well, I don't really believe in motive, Sid. I mean, did Norman Bates have a motive?

Stu Macher:
No.

Billy Loomis:
Did they ever really decide why Hannibal Lecter liked to eat people?  Don't think so!  See, it's a lot scarier when there's no motive, Sid. We did your mom a favor, Sid. That woman was a slut-bag whore...who flashed her sh*t all over town like she was Sharon Stone or something.

Stu Macher:
Yeah, we put her out of her misery, 'cause let's face it, Sidney...your mother was no Sharon Stone, hmm?

Billy Loomis:
Is that motive enough for you? [Sydney doesn't answer] Well, how about this? Your slut mother was f***ing my father...and she's the reason my mom moved out and abandoned me. How's that for a motive? Maternal abandonment causes serious deviant behavior. It certainly f***ed you up. It made you have sex with a psychopath.

Billy Loomis:
[after Sydney disappears] Where are they? Where are they?

Stu Macher:
[coughs] I don't know, Billy, but I'm hurtin', man.

Billy Loomis:
Where the f***--?

[phone rings]

Stu Macher:
Should I let the machine get it?

Billy Loomis:
[picks up phone] Hello?

Sidney Prescott:
[as Ghostface] Are you alone in the house?

Billy Loomis:
B*tch! You b*tch, where the f*** are you?!

Sidney Prescott:
[as Ghostface] Not so fast. We're gonna play a little game. It's called [normal voice] guess who just called the police, and reported your sorry motherfucking ass?!

Billy Loomis:
Find her, you dipshit! Get up!

Stu Macher:
I can't, Billy. You already cut me too deep. I think I'm dying here, man.

Billy Loomis:
[puts phone on Stu and whispers] Talk to her. Talk to her.

Stu Macher:
Hello?

Sidney Prescott:
Ohh, Stu, Stu, Stu. What's your motive? Billy's got one. The police are on their way. What are you gonna tell them?

Stu Macher:
Peer pressure. I'm far too sensitive.

Billy Loomis:
We'll rip you up, you b*tch, just like your f***ing mother!

Sidney Prescott:
You've gotta find me first, you pansy-ass mama's boy!

Billy Loomis:
[angrily] F***! [throws phone]

Stu Macher:
[gets hit by phone] Ow. F***in' hit me with the phone, dick!

Billy Loomis:
[smashing everything] F***er, where are you?! Aah! [rips pillow] Aah, you f***! [angrily growls]

Stu Macher:
Did you really call the police?

Sidney Prescott:
You bet your sorry ass I did.

Stu Macher:
[worried and scared; as Billy smashes everything in background] My mom and dad are gonna be so mad at me.

Billy Loomis:
Aaah! B*tch!


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