Why Scream is a must-watch every fall
t’s not until the leaves are brittle and the wind carries a small chill that we get an autumnal urge to partake in the coziest of activities. One thing that should take precedence over any hot apple pie, cider donut, or local festival is a good scary movie. I don’t necessarily imply traumatizing, soul-twisting films such as Hereditary or The Exorcist at the mention of scary movies: you can save those for silent, mundane nights that call for utter disturbance. October is the time to sit on the couch with friends to laugh, shout, and scream—it’s the season for a good ol’ slasher film!
If you're not a horror fan, you may be rolling your eyes at the vision of a psycho wielding a knife and laughing maniacally. Most negative opinions about slasher films reside in their intrinsic formulaic nature and predictability. One could watch the slasher films produced and harbor valid questions: “Why is the main character so stupid?” and “Why is the killer practically invincible?” Others felt this way as the popularity of slasher films dwindled in the years following the golden age of slashers, taking place in the 80s. So, with the turn of the century in mind, one entry would revitalize the genre for decades to come.
Scream, written by Kevin Williamson, was released in 1996, and single-handedly resurrected this long-stagnant genre with a refreshing change of pace, offering a different taste than the staleness audiences became accustomed to. One main reason was that Scream was one of the first of its genre to sprinkle meta-commentary into the violent rampage of a serial killer. A character’s entire purpose cemented the film’s self-awareness: their goal is to verbalize the tropes and conventions of slasher films. Scream is the definition of horror satire, going as far as to poke fun at the final girl trope, the “damsel in distress,” and the obsession with giving villains plausible motives.
The protagonist herself makes a petty remark on the irrationality of horror victims who run up the stairs at the entrance of an intruder yet, ironically, replicates that action later in the movie. This hypocrisy is not meant for us to laugh at her—it is more of a statement about how we make seemingly irrational decisions in the face of fear. Because, unlike other slasher films, our final girl is no idiot!
While Scream has a perfect blend of horror and comedy - one seamless enough to have you laughing and screaming within a minute - the movie’s mystery element stands above all else for me. An underrated attribute of Scream is that it's a “whodunit” done right. The cast is filled with lovable, quotable, funny, and fleshed-out characters, justifying their location and actions in the movie, making the twist ending unpredictable, and the game of “guess who” all the more fun.
A fun aspect of the film that makes Scream distinct from other slashers is the humanization of the villain(s). These psychopaths have no supernatural capabilities, hyperintelligence, or unrealistic athletic ability; they are just crazed. The film emphasizes the villain’s weaknesses, highlighting the idea that murderers are regular people, too. We watch our protagonist put up a decent fight against a threatening yet clumsy Ghostface; who’s prone to falling down a flight of stairs (this facet of Ghostface will make you laugh). Moments like this morph the usual feeling of dread and hopelessness evoked by horror into something of a “feel-good” scary movie, offering comedy in tangent with scares.
Though this film is stocked to the brim with tropes, don’t let these conventions scare you away from this movie filled with thrills, laughs, light-heartedness, and, most importantly, scares! While “feel-good horror” may read like an oxymoron, it’s a phrase that perfectly captures the experience of Scream. Scream (1996) is a must-watch annual Halloween staple, which must be watched every time the leaves brown and the end of October approaches.