Don't answer the phone.Don't open the door.
Don't try to escape.
Screenwriter Kevin Williamson saw a 1994 episode of news-magazine show Turning Point about a serial killer operating around Gainesville, Florida, killing college students. Inspired by this real life case, and a fondness for 70s/80s slasher films, Williamson wrote a script called Scary Movie...
Where Scary Movie differed from conventional slasher films, is in how the characters treat the situation. In the mid-90s, teenagers were au fait with horror film conventions and the brainless victims of slasher films just didn't fit with the contemporary streetwise vibe. In essence, Williamson's characters had seen the slasher films they were now a part of...
Miramax bought the script in 1995 and director Wes Craven (horror maestro behind The Last House On The Left and A Nightmare On Elm Street) became attached. Craven had just finished New Nightmare -- a post-modern spin on his Freddy Kruger character -- so Scary Movie seemed like a chance to fully embrace this knowing, tongue-in-cheek style of horror...
Craven assembled his cast: Party of Five teen star Neve Campbell as heroine Sidney, Friends actress Courteney Cox as plucky reporter Gail, Cox's later husband David Arquette as Office Dewey, Jamie Kennedy as Randy, Matthew Lillard as Stu, Skeet Ulrich as Billy, Happy Days Henry Winkler as Principal Himbry, and Drew Barrymore as Casey.
It was Drew Barrymore's casting that would prove particularly clever -- as she was the most recognizable face on-screen, yet is famously killed after the bravura opening 12-minute scene. This worked wonders to unsettle the audience and make everyone unsure who would survive till the end... and, indeed, who the killer was...
Scary Movie was retitled Scream late in production, and released on 20 December 1996. Strangely, it actually only peaked at #3 in the US box-office, but received a lot of positive response from critics -- who felt it revitalized the tired slasher genre by approaching it from a different angle and having fun with the concept, whilst retaining effective scares. It went on to become a huge worldwide hit.
Scream was undoubtedly the catalyst for a resurgence of interest in slasher films, and the horror genre in general. Hot on its heels came Cherry Falls, Urban Legend, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and even parodies like 1999s Scary Movie.
A sequel, Scream 2, that reunited all the cast and crew, was released in 1997 and surprised everyone by being just as accomplished. Critics particularly liked how its nature as a sequel became an integral part of the film's narrative itself.
In 2000, Scream 3 was released, but screenwriter Kevin Williamson only provided the storyline, while Ehren Kruger penned the actual script. Again, everyone returned for this final chapter in the Scream trilogy, and the film did great business at the box-office... but reviews were notably mixed, with many people feeling the genre had again run out of steam and the plot itself was disappointing.
A fourth film has been mooted for a few years now, although the franchise seemed to reach a fitting conclusion with Scream 3. Wes Craven has long said a fourth film isn't likely, but has since admitted the studio is in talks about how to resurrect the franchise for another installment.
Trivia1. The Ghostface character was mostly played by stuntman Dane Farwell. The actors only wore the costume when necessary (i.e, when taking it off the unmask themselves.)
2. The Exorcist star Linda Blair cameo's as a reporter.
3. To make Drew Barrymore cry, Wes Craven told her stories about animal cruelty and the death of her own dog.
4. Wes Craven found the iconic Ghostface mask whilst location scouting in California. Producer Bob Weinstein thought it looked idiotic, but was told to reserve judgement until he'd seen the first scene... after which, he admitted he was wrong.
5. A real high school in Santa Rosa was going to be used in the film, but they objected over the film's violent nature.
6. Billy Loomis' surname is named after Donald Pleasance's character in Halloween.
7. The school janitor ("Fred") is clearly modeled on the appearance of Freddy Kruger.
8. All Ghostface's phone calls were done on-set, with voice actor Roger Jackson.
