About Scream (HBO)

Scream is a revolutionary horror film directed by Wes Craven, released in 1996. It revolves around a high school student named Sidney Prescott, who becomes the target of a mysterious killer known as Ghostface. The film combines black comedy and "whodunit" mystery with the violence and clichés of the slasher genre, which it simultaneously criticizes with self-referential humor.

Making / Production

The film was directed by Wes Craven and written by Kevin Williamson, who were inspired by a series of real-life student murders in Gainesville. Williamson came up with the concept in the 90s, incorporating a mask he had found in an old Halloween store. The film was shot in Santa Rosa, California over a span of 8 weeks.

Actors

• Neve Campbell: Played the role of Sidney Prescott, a high school student who becomes the target of Ghostface. Her performance was praised for its mix of innocence and fortitude.
• Skeet Ulrich: Portrayed Billy Loomis, Sidney's boyfriend who is one of the suspected killers. He delivered a disturbingly calm performance.
• Courteney Cox: Played the role of Gale Weathers, a news reporter covering the murder spree. Cox was lauded for providing a strong and sassy performance.
• David Arquette: Played Dewey Riley, a police officer who tries to protect Sidney and solve the case. His portrayal of the affable and somewhat clumsy officer was well received.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The voice of the killer Ghostface was performed by Roger L Jackson.
• The mask used by Ghostface was initially a Halloween mask that the production bought rights to later.
• Scream became one of the highest-grossing slasher films in cinema history.

Quotes

• “What’s your favorite scary movie?” - Ghostface
• “I'll be right back!” - Stu
• “Don’t blame the movies, the movies don't create psychos, movies make psychos more creative.” - Billy

Music / Soundtrack

• "Red Right Hand" by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
• "Don't Fear the Reaper" by Gus
• "School's Out" by The Last Hard Men

Awards

Scream received multiple awards and nominations. It won the 1997 Saturn Award for Best Actress (Neve Campbell), Best Writing (Kevin Williamson), and was nominated for Best Horror Film and Best Director (Wes Craven).