SCREAM 2
US, 1997, 116 minutes, Colour.
Neve Campbell, David Arquette, Courtney Cox, Sara Michelle Gellar, Timothy Olyphant, Laurie Metcalf, Liev Schreiber, Jerry O'Connell, Heather Graham, Jada Pinkett, Omar Epps.
Directed by Wes Craven.
Scream 2 is the sequel to the very successful Scream of 1996. It brings back the central characters played by Neve Campbell, David Arquette and Courtney Cox. It also repeats something of the plot of the first film, though setting it in a university campus. There is a twist, like the first film, at the end.
The original Scream was successful because not only did it have horror aspects, but it also played with audience identification with horror movies. Central characters were movie buffs. Rules about horror films were given and these were fulfilled - and broken. In this film there is a discussion in class about the effects of horror films, especially their influence with the culminating point being made that because the student was imitating horror films, therefore he was the victim of this kind of horror and could not be held responsible.
Neve Campbell is good again as the beleaguered Sidney. David Arquette reprises his role of the genial but rather slow-witted policeman. Courtney Cox is in full flight as the ambitious anchorwoman who has written a book on the first case. Newcomers to this film include Jerry O'Connell, Timothy Olyphant and Laurie Metcalf. Liev Schreiber, accused of the crimes in the first film, also returns. The film plays on the idea of a film being made about the incidents in Scream 1 - with Heather Graham playing the Drew Barrymore character. The film also opens in the same way as the first film did with a celebrity being killed off, this time Jada Pinkett Smith who is watching the premiere of Stab. She is accompanied by Omar Epps who is also murdered.
Both films were written by Kevin Williamson. Wes Craven initiated the Nightmare on Elm Street series and returned to it 15 years afterwards with Wes Craven's New Nightmare.
1. An entertaining horror film in itself, sequel? Audience familiarity with the style, the scares, the characters, the plot lines, the solution as well as the satire and humour?
2. Wes Craven and his interest in horror, style, tone, the campus setting, the theatre?
3. Audience response to horror, the catharsis, fear, fear of fear, the shocks and their effect, the humour in laughing at oneself being afraid, the tradition of horror films and the allusions to films in this one?
4. The prologue and the audience watching Stab, the cult status, everybody with the murderer's mask on? The re-enactment of the opening of the first one. Jada Pinkett and her watching the film, going out for popcorn, Omar Epps, going to the toilet and being killed, her return, being stabbed in the cinema? The artificial and the real? The perspective on the horror film, especially by the audience all cheering?
5. Sidney and the background in the first film, the murders, Billy Loomis and his associate, her own father, her absent mother? Her best friend at the sorority, the other girls, going to the parties, her not being sociable? Her boyfriend and the relationship with Mickey? In class, the rehearsals for the play, her being Cassandra, the prophetess of doom, the rehearsals with the Greek masks and the overtones of Greek theatre - with the Scream murderer amongst them? Her fears, Cotton's returning and her blaming him for the past, his wanting the interview on television and his day before the public? Dewey and his return and concern about her?
6. The class and the discussion about horror films, the effect of horror, Mickey and his discussion of various other points. The irony with his being the murderer? His plea about the influence of the movies, the support of the moral majority, sympathy for him as a victim?
7. Sid and the various chases, the rehearsal, in the theatre, her boyfriend and Mickey and the challenge, the boyfriend being killed? The car escape, her best friend, the murderer being the driver and threatening them?
8. Dewey and his help, genial, suspicious, Gail and Joel, her wanting to be at the scene of the crimes, her callous attitudes? Her having written the book? Debbie and the clash between the two, Debbie asking for the autograph, her wanting the news scoops? The irony of Debbie being the murderer and being Mrs Loomis? The chase in the studio, her watching Dewey getting stabbed? His surviving, her change and leaving the television camera to be with him?
9. Mickey, his motivation, imitating Billy Loomis and his friend? Killing his friend? The parallel with the original?
10. Debbie as Mrs Loomis, as a reporter, the clashes with Gail, the final mad confrontations, her motivations, revenge, her death?
11. The interlude with Sarah Michelle Gellar, being terrified in the sorority, the phone calls, becoming a victim, the chase, going out the window?
12. The motivation of the killers, important or not, the ending with Cotton being the hero, his getting his day on the television? A horror franchise of the '90s which entertained a great number of people around the world?
