The Scream Franchise: A meta horror feat
Recently, I have been rather intrigued with the horror genre. I hadn't paid much mind to it. After all, as I became old enough to really begin to delve into the genre, Saw movies were being made. I watched (without actually watching the movies) as blood flowed and reviews plummeted in a franchise that just wouldn't die. So I went through the years thinking that horror movies generally consisted of a lot of blood and very little character development. Somewhere around the age of 8, I managed to somehow become psychologically scarred by the image of The Ghostface Killer, the slasher of the Scream Franchise... how I managed to do this, I'm not quite sure considering I had never seen the movies... but he embodied the darkness and danger that seemed to lurk around every corner, just waiting to sink its knife into me.
All these years later, I thought it time to sink my teeth into the horror genre. We had never really gotten along but if I was to have a future in reviewing, I would have to at least be familiar with and respect the art form. I was able to see it as that, an art form, and slowly began to expose myself to some of the classic films about things that go bump in the night (the original Dracula, Nightmare on Elm Street, The Shining), generally avoiding the typical slasher films. While exploring the horror section on Netflix, I noticed the presence of the entire Scream Franchise and found myself oddly tempted. My mouse hovered over it several times, daring myself to press play. I watched the trailer again, trying to gauge if viewing the film would uncover some of the scars that may lie under the surface. I finally clicked play and began the movie that would help me further my understanding of the genre and what I find so off-putting about it. See the trailer here:
I was greeted by an opening sequence so effective and so chilling, I couldn't help but watch more. The killer's voice sent chills down my spine, the terror in the victim's screams, the brutality of the murder... it was all so shocking and yet deliciously dark and cool. So I continued and found that the movie was not a typical slasher but a sly, witty deconstruction of the genre I have hated and been oddly attracted to. The chase scenes are pulse pounding, the characters adequately developed, and the violence tolerable. The movie, and franchise, seem to benefit from the mystery aspect of the movies, the question of who is behind the mask. In some slashers, the identity of the killer doesn't really seem matter, the numerous victims do... which is kind of odd because lord knows the numerous victims aren't getting any development! Perhaps that is why the genre can often feel empty. What makes the movies so "meta" is the fact that the characters acknowledge the situation they are in and how it resembles many of the horror films that they love to watch. The rules are spelled out, broken, and the characters pay the price. One thing I did find so interesting was the fact that the killer was fallible. It seems that the victim is often at the mercy of the killer, running and screaming, never fighting back(am I wrong?). This is not the case in Scream. The killer trips, the kids fight back... it was all strangely empowering. All of these kids stood a chance, something I'm not sure many victims get. It is said that Scream helped redefine a genre and it's easy to see why. Scream is a funny, scary, and an all around cool movie with one hell of an ending.
I pressed on the second film with high hopes. And they were met. It was more of the same witty and clever violence... but was still a joy to watch. The rules for a sequel are a little different:
"1. The body count is always bigger.
2. The death scenes are always much more elaborate, with more blood and gore. "
The first scene of the sequel is arguably more meta than the entire first movie, a murder at the premiere of the movie Stab, a fictional movie based off the events in the first movie. Is that hard to understand? Basically, a survivor of the first movie takes what she experienced, writes a book... which is turned into a crappy horror movie, the very thing the original Scream was poking fun at. The first murder at the premiere seems to send a message about the effect of violence in movies... a message I am still a bit fuzzy on... While the movie contains all of what made the original great, it does manage to add some more, most notably character development. I remember a scene where I quite literally felt myself falling in love with the characters. They begin to form bonds with each other, bonds I feared would be severed by the swing of the killer's knife.
The third movie is generally regarded as the low point of the series, accidentally employing the very clichés that it once scoffed at. It takes place on the set on the newest movie in the fictional movie franchise based of the events of the first movie (I'm really not sure how to explain it in a clearer way).The issue lied with writing. The script had a change in writers, a change I noted rather quickly. The killer's dialogue was particularly satanic, opting to tell people they "are going to be skewered like a little piggy" rather than opting for the classic "you're going to die tonight." Such dialogue made me cringe a little more than I would have wanted. Essentially, the movie is a long, murderous episode of Scooby Doo played by the rules of the final installment of a trilogy:
1. "You've got a killer who’s gonna be superhuman. Stabbing him won’t work, shooting him won’t work. Basically in the third one, you gotta cryogenically freeze his head, decapitate him, or blow him up."
2. "Anyone, including the main character, can die."
3. "The past will come back to bite you in the ass. Whatever you think you know about the past, forget it. The past is not at rest! Any sins you think were committed in the past are about to break out and destroy you."
The chase scenes are still thrilling, the characters continue to develop, and the movie does have some genuine thrills. The final act does take place in a mansion with numerous secret passages, further amplifying the Scooby Doo feel. However, during this installment, as one of the supporting and infinitely disposable characters acts rather selfishly in the face of death, I realized why I am often so offended by horror movies. There is something about human being's natural instinct to save ourselves that I find particularly disgusting. People are selfish when faced with their own demise, often sacrificing others for their own escape. Perhaps it is the fact that this instinct lies in all of us that I find so threatening but something about it does not sit right with me. However, the recurring characters in these films do not fit this description. They never seem to think twice about running towards the killer in hopes of saving their friends. The recurring characters aren't victims, they're fighters. They aren't survivors, they're heroes. It's an aspect that seems to enhance the characters and really allow you to root for them. Is it great? No. But it's watchable! If you watched the first two, you probably will find something to like in the third one.
The fourth installment, being released 10 years later, deals with a reboot. Someone is once again slashing people and observing the rules of the reboot/remake. The movie seems to get away from itself at times, becoming possibly too meta (like mega-meta). The movie may simply think it is smarter than it is. For example, the scene in which they lay down the rules is thrown at you very quickly in an attempt to make the whole thing feel slick. I took the liberty of transcribing the rules:
" The unexpected is the new cliché. Virgins can die now… and the kill’s gotta be way more extreme. Modern audiences get savvy to the rules of the originals so the reverse has become the new standard. In fact, the only surefire way to survive a modern horror movie? …You pretty much have to be gay."
Anyone else get lost somewhere in there? It's still fun and by this point, I am so attached to the characters that I am screaming at my screen when they are in danger, squirming and squealing at the intensity... I may just be a freak, but I really attached to these characters and I really didn't want to see them get slashed. It should be noted that gore is rather amped up in this installment. The MPAA seems to have become more lax on the amount of violence that it allows in film because the blood really seems to flow. It isn't the strongest installment but it is still fun.
Scream is a series that I respect immensely for it's ability to poke fun at and properly deconstruct a genre that seems to often be looked down on. It arguably loses steam in its later chapters but in truth, they are all watchable and all enjoyable. Definitely worth checking out... if you have the guts. After you watched the franchise, I'd just be dying to know... What's your favorite scary movie?
Scream is rated R for strong graphic horror violence and gore, and for language.
Scream 2 is rated R for language and strong bloody violence.
Scream 3 is rated R for strong horror violence and language.
Scream 4 is rated R for strong bloody violence, language and some teen drinking.
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Tags: Scream, Scream 2, Scream 3, Scream 4, Scre4m, scream franchise, scream series, r, horror, thriller, recommended,
