BY John Carter JR
While being delayed by COVID related circumstances, the Scream reboot seems to be moving full-steam ahead with the announcement of Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette returning to reprise their iconic roles. While the film is delayed until 2022, take a look back to analyze just what viewers loved so much about the original Scream film, but also to postulate what movie-goers might expect from the upcoming entry in the current four-film franchise.
Starting off our analysis of the classic 90s slasher is none other than the opening Casey Becker – played by Drew Barrymore – vs Ghostface scene. This iconic moment in film history not only establishes some of the key components to the Scream formula, but also gives viewers a glimpse into the motif Wes Craven was trying to tap into. It is here that viewers are told this film is not only a slasher film but a commentary on the genre itself and a means to revitalize it.
The film starts with Casey Becker in her home making popcorn as she’s about to watch a scary movie when she suddenly gets a call from a stranger. The scene picks up when the seemingly harmless phone calls become more aggressive, and finally ending with Becker being beaten at horror trivia leading to both her and her boyfriend’s death.
The film gives viewers not only some of the greatest kills in the slasher genre but also shows perhaps the best “last girl” character in the entire genre. Scream’s unique formula would not be complete if Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott was not in it.
Prescott is the most badass survivor of any horror film franchise (save for Lin Shaye’s Elise Rainier). Not only does she get all the cool kills, even outshining the killers in this regard but she also gets the best one liners to go along with these moments. In the scene where she defeats Billy, Randy says that the killer usually comes back for one final scare, when Billy does get back up she immediately shoots him and “Says not in my movie”.
Other than Prescott there are a select few stand out characters that a Scream film cannot be without. These characters were established from the beginning and include Dewey Riley played by David Arquette and Gale Weathers played by Friends star Courtney Cox. Scream has a unique range of roles for women and expands as the series goes on, ranging from victims, protagonists, and even the killer.
However in the original installment,female heroes really stand out among the rest of the cast and Gale Weathers is the clear manifestation of that. A career hungry journalist who is looking for the next big scoop, and while her morals are not the best to start with she ends up becoming key in the resolution of the first Ghostface Murders.
Finally, with the franchise being based on the now iconic Ghostface, the series would not be the same without the iconic villain. Originally being portrayed by Skeet Ulrich’s Billy Loomis and Mathew Lillard’s Stu Macher the killers always seem to be perfect foils to Sidney and company. Probably the most important facet of the Scream formula is the Ghostface reveal. And while some installments are better than others there is no denying the impact this story design has had on the genre.
With sll of this in mind, what can viewers expect to see from Scream 5 and what can be hoped for? For one, expect an epic opening kill for the film. Next, we can expect Sidney and the original cast to not only have badass moments but this upcoming iteration may see the death of a beloved character. Finally, viewers will see if this reboot can deliver on a refreshing and exciting Ghostface reveal. Are you hopeful for anything in the Scream Reboot? Have you seen the teaser, and what’s your favorite scary movie? Tweet us @TigerMediaNet to let us know!