Scream

‘Scream’ is one of the new modern horror films that is worthy of the title “Classic.” It has such a blend of humour and horror. Best of all, it’s populated mostly by smart people! Too often the characters in horror movies are such idiots; they do all the things no person with half a brain would. They stay in the creepy house, they go back to the dangerous swamp alone, they don’t call the police and so on. That’s not the case here.

The movie also has an opening scene that is very surprising. Drew Barrymore, no minor star in her own right, gets killed in the opening minutes! That is not the sort of thing you expect, and it sets the stage for the rest of the film. Neve Campbell (as Sidney Prescott) leads a very sharp cast, and there are several delightful cameos. Henry Winkler is the high school principal, and of course he suffers a horrible death as it becomes clear that a killer is stalking Sidney.

The film also has some great tie-ins with other classic horror movies. When the token virgin is watching a horror movie, he shouts at the screen for the characters to turn around. Of course, at that moment, the killer is right behind him! It’s both terrifying and funny.

And then there’s the resolution. Not only is it believable, but Sidney gets to turn the tables on the killers. This is something every moviegoer has longed to see in one of these slasher films, and she plays it to perfection.