SCRE4M
(R)
MOVIE: ***1/2 (out of 5)
DVD EXPERIENCE: ***1/2 (out of 5)
BY KEVIN CARR
Horror franchises have ruled movie houses and home entertainment systems since the 80s when they really took off. (And arguably, horror franchises have been going strong since the Universal monster movies of the 1930s and 1940s.) One of the masters of the genre is Wes Craven, who has launched no less than three notable horror movie franchises.
Many of the horror faithful were understandably thrilled when “SCRE4M” was announced last year, though I held out my support until I had a chance to see it in April. After all, even though “Scream” was enjoyable and “Scream 2” was a lesser film but still fun, “Scream 3” was an absolute mess. However, Craven came in and breathed new life into the franchise by playing off the same reasons why the first couple films were so good.
This installments has Sidney Prescott returning to her home town of Woodsboro on a book tour. However, upon her return, the Ghostface killer shows up again and begins another reign of terror. This brings Gale Weathers out of retirement while her husband Dewey tries to track down the killer.
“SCRE4M” managed to simultaneously pay homage to the original films and update its meta jokes to reflect a new generation of films. It even updated itself to give a nod to a new generation of meta jokes. It was great to see all the original cast come back, with a few additions like the cute and hilarious Marley Shelton as Dewey’s deputy.
It may not have made as much money as the previous three, but “SCRE4M” was a neat horror flick by one of the masters that allows several generation to get in on the fun. I am surprisingly looking forward to “Scream 5.”
The DVD includes a feature commentary with Craven and his cast, deleted and extended scenes, an alternate opening, and extended ending, a gag reel and “The Making of Scream 4.”