The horror genre was on life support by the time Scream came along and changed the game as we knew it. Even though the early 90’s had the occasional original idea (Candyman or Wes Craven’s New Nightmare) it was mostly a complete dead zone for horror. As titles such as Dr. Giggles came and went, horror fans were left with mediocre material and dismal box office.
It’s very fitting that a childhood horror fan is partly responsible for the rebirth of the genre in 1996. Kevin Williamson was pretty much all of us as we sat in front of the TV and stared at it in shock and awe as “The Shape” stalks Laurie Strode in the horror classic, Halloween. He shared the same affinity that most fans have for the genre and he put his fanboy knowledge to great use when he set out to write Scary Movie (the original title for the film that would become Scream).
Williamson’s script was a beacon of originality. Let’s write a horror film where the characters are self-aware enough that they’ve not only see other horror films, but they’re completely in touch with the cliches of the genre as the real life horror of their story is taking place. The self-referential approach hadn’t really been done before and, oddly enough, the person who would end up directing Scream (Wes Craven) had dabbled a bit in it with his very own New Nightmare. The concept was so new that Williamson’s script could go either way. It could be virtually ignored by everyone who came across it or it could be at the center of a fight for who would be the studio lucky enough to release something that hadn’t really been done before.
The script for Scary Movie went on sale on a Friday in June of 1995 but received no bids. By the following Monday, the script was at the center of a big bidding war between several major studios, which included Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures, and Morgan Creek Productions. Also in play was Miramax and it felt like a perfect fit for their then-fledgling Dimension Films division. In the end, Williamson went with them and the deal also included a contract for two sequels and a possible fourth unrelated film.
As these deals are being made, the career trajectory of Wes Craven is at a crossroads. The man who created the stuff of nightmares in A Nightmare on Elm Street, struggled a bit in the 90’s to find his footing as a filmmaker. There were some highlights (The People Under the Stairs and the already mentioned, Wes Craven’s New Nightmare) but by the time we came upon Vampire in Brooklyn, it seemed that Craven was losing his touch a bit.
Wes Craven famously turned down the offer to direct Scream on several occasions. He was feeling a bit jaded by the genre and wasn’t sure he wanted to even be involved with movies like that anymore. It seems as if the universe kept bringing this project back into his orbit. The fresh sensibilities of a hip new writer seemed to be just what the seasoned director needed in order to fall in love with the genre again but Craven consistently kept turning his back on it. Things took a turn when actress Drew Barrymore signed onto the project at her own request. Craven felt like if an actress of her stature at the time was willing to join the project, then it would be much different from his past endeavors in the genre. This stroke of casting brilliance was the push Craven needed and he finally accepted the job.
Drew Barrymore was originally cast as Sidney Prescott but we all know that beginnings sometimes have new endings. There are a series of debates over why Barrymore opted to take the smaller role of Casey Becker, the opening scene victim. Most believe it was her idea that it would be more shocking if they had an actress of her caliber appear to be the star and then suddenly have her gone within the opening minutes of the film. Others have cited that she had other commitments which meant she couldn’t take on a bigger role but in the end, her name was still used heavily in the production and it’s her face that graces the key art of the posters that were released for the film. Craven was very disappointed having his big name leading lady reduced to a character that would die early on in the film. This was the reason he took the project on and there couldn’t be anyone else to fill those shoes, right?
Every horror film needs a memorable heroine that is equal parts vulnerable and strong. The essence of this is in the writing for Sidney Prescott but it all comes to life with the casting of Neve Campbell. The actress was becoming well known for her role on the drama, Party of Five and had some big screen exposure from her role in The Craft. She was no Drew Barrymore at the time but this is an example of something that was meant to happen. There is no Sidney without Campbell and she feels as if she was born to play the part. She’s a true “scream queen” but she gives the character a sense of depth that is missing from most performances in the genre. There is a reason why it has been amazing to see Sidney grow from film to film. It’s a testament to what she brings to the role and I’d say that she has made Sidney into a true classic when it comes to horror movie heroines.
A good heroine needs support and the support rounded up here is significant. Friends was one of the biggest shows on TV at the time so it had to be its own casting home run that Courteney Cox sought out the role. The studio wanted a more recognizable name to take on its tabloid reporter Gale Weathers and this was perhaps the best possible outcome. The female casting was completed with Rose McGowan who embodies the spunky and cynical best friend role with the greatest of ease. She’s the perfect balance to the obvious innocence that is represented by Neve Campbell.
On the male end of things, much like the Barrymores, the Arquettes have a far reaching name in Hollywood. It would be up to David Arquette to bring life to Deputy Dewey even though he was approached to take on Billy Loomis, a role that would go to Skeet Ulrich. Arquette is a bit different from what they had in mind but he certainly brings enough of his own charm to the role that it’s clear he was meant to play him. Skeet Ulrich has the Johnny Depp inspired smolder to bring life to Billy and he really makes you believe he could be innocent or that there is evil beneath the surface. Matthew Lillard and Jamie Kennedy were virtual unknowns back when they were cast in the film but could you see anyone else filling these roles? They were just the final component needed to round out a talented cast that was just aching to break out.
Watching Scream for the first time was a surreal experience as a horror film. This was a film that was for us and by us. It didn’t pander to the audience and it matched its wicked sense of humor with effective scares that still resonate. The opening sequence is still a classic of the genre. It took horror out of the woods and put it right in our own backyard. This film, much like Halloween, feels like it could happen to you and that is what makes it all the more palpable. There was nothing like this 20 years ago and this is why Scream was the much-needed jolt the genre was craving.
That being said, I don’t think anyone knew we needed it initially. A release date of December 20, 1996 didn’t bode exactly well for a horror film. This is a time of year dominated by family films so how could this one possibly break out? The studio believed it to be great counter programming while others deemed it “DOA” – dead on arrival.
Was Scream a Box Office Success?
It wasn’t “DOA” in terms of reviews. Critics loved and embraced the film and applauded its originality. Kevin Williamson earned huge praise for his script while it was considered a return to form for director Wes Craven. Despite good reviews, the opening weekend of $6.3 million was viewed as a disappointment. Most involved kind of wrote it off after that opening weekend but amazingly in week 2, the weekend grossed increased. The same thing continued to happen in week 3 as well and keep in mind, this is before the internet was a barometer for generating instant word of mouth. Scream’s word of mouth was achieved the good old fashioned way and it spread so far that Scream was still playing in theaters when work on Scream 2 began. The film grossed $87 million during its initial run but was re-released in April of 1997 and added $16.2 million to its total which resulted in a $103 million finish. The film that was deemed to fail, ended up being the 15th highest grossing film of 1996 and it played in theaters for nearly eight months after its release.
With the success of Scream, horror was hot again and anything similar the studios could get their hands on had to be made. Kevin Williamson shopped his adaptation of Lois Duncan’s I Know What You Did Last Summer around before he sold Scream but no one was interested. After the success of Scream, one of his first scripts felt hot again and by October of 1997, Summer was opening in theaters with a hip young cast and claiming the box office crown during its opening weekend (a position it held for three weeks in a row). Much like the slasher films of the 80’s which were heavily released due to the success of films like Halloween and Friday the 13th, the 90’s teen horror craze lit up the box office and before you knew it, Scream had a slew of imitators that ranged from decent to just plain bad but there was a joy in the air among horror fans because the genre was back and had some life in it again.
Scream would eventually become a franchise. It was about a year before we got Scream 2, which actually got better critical reviews overall among the critics and nearly matched the $103 million gross of the original. It’s widely considered one of the rare sequels that is either better or just as good as the original. The shine came off a bit by the time Scream 3 hit theaters in 2000 because the genre had evolved yet again with the release of The Blair Witch Project in 1999 and the self-aware style of the Scream films became a bit old hat. What would end up being Wes Craven’s final film before his death was 2011’s Scream 4 didn’t recapture the box office glory of the franchise but as an ode to the fans who embraced Scream in 1996, it’s a fitting chapter that more than holds its own.
In the end it all goes back to the original and it’s so hard to believe it has been 20 years since Scream redefined the genre. Some might think the film is a bit dated now but its concepts, characters, and execution are still so very fresh that I think it more than stands the test of time.
Another 20 years will go by and you’ll still catch us asking in our most creepy voice,
