Scream (1996)
Scream was the film that reinvigorated the horror genre for a generation of fans that had grown up on – and grown weary of – clichés. The film addresses the question of how it is possible to scare fans of a genre that has grown so predictable. Directed by Wes Craven and written by Kevin Williamson, the movie is packed with references to scary movies – some created by Wes Craven himself – that combine to make a highly successful meditation on the way in which the modern horror film is constructed, which continued in franchise form for a number of years.
Starring Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, David Arquette, Matthew Lillard and Skeet Ulrich, the action takes place in Woodsboro, California and focuses on Sidney Prescott as she prepares to mark the first anniversary of her mother’s brutal murder. As the milestone approaches, a spate of murders begins – all involving the culprit making threatening phone calls to the victim. When Sidney begins to receive phone calls herself, she immediately suspects her boyfriend, Billy Loomis.
[zergpaid]High school is suspended in light of the murders, the principal is killed and students engage in speculation based on horror movie clichés and “rules.” Reporter Gale Weathers and Deputy Sheriff Dewey Riley investigate and begin to close in on the truth. Meanwhile, Billy and his friend Stu reveal themselves to be the murderers, and monologue their entire plan to kill Sidney and frame her father. Their plan hinges upon them being found injured and the two homicidal criminals begin to attack each other with knives.
As Billy and Stu are distracted, Sidney and her father hide and turn the tables on the killers. Stu is incapacitated (though he does reappear once himself), and Sidney stabs Billy twice with an umbrella. He’s resurrected and attacks her again, but Gale Weathers appears and shoots him in the chest. As Sidney, Gale, and fellow high schooler Randy look down at Billy, Randy speaks for the audience.
“Careful. This is the moment when the supposedly dead killer comes back to life, for one, last scare.”
Billy wakes and goes for a grab, but Sidney shoots him in the head – declaring, “Not in my movie…”