Scream may “rigorously dissect and discuss the formula elements of its sub-genre”, but that doesn't get in the way of the witty parody and satisfying scares, argued this review in our May 1997 issue.

A clever twist on the horror genre, but when the humour runs out the predictability creeps back in.

Scream Rating *** A must see Directed by Wes Craven Written by Kevin Williamson With Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Skeet Ulrich, and Henry Winkler. By Bill Stamets The decay of culture is perhaps our most commonly cited fin de siecle cliche, and nearly everyone holds the entertainment industry at fault. In recent years horror directors […]

R • 1 hour 51 min • 1996

Wes Craven's Scream is bloody hilarious

THE PILEUP SEEMS TO GET WORSE every year: that end-of-the-year deluge in which Hollywood hangs out its Oscar bait, its seasonal heartwarmers, its would-be blockbusters, and waits to see who'll bite.

Wes Craven draws on a shared pop cultural heritage in horror flicks to fashion this bloody brand of post-modern comedy. 'So you like scary movies? Name the kill

For a film whose genre self-awareness has now become as culturally prevalent as the very cinematic conventions it addressed, Scream remains a highly polished piece of meta-slasher mayhem. Chockablock with references to its classic horror predecessors, Kevin Williamson’s script manages...