Hello everyone, what a time to be a Scream fan right? I mean we have had the 4K remaster of the original film finally released. We have had plenty of coverage left and right of the new film. The new film finally saw its release. Hopefully soon, it'll receive a VOD release for those that were not able to or strongly against going back out to the theater. There's a bit of rumors that it'll see release come March or April on Blu Ray. I cannot wait for that and hope that there's some solid features on that release. If it has audio commentary, I will be absolutely through the roof. Paramount and Radio Silence can we please have commentary.
Well, I provided my coverage of the entirety of the Scream franchise so far. But much to my chagrin, it turns out I wasn't done yet. I had to go back to Scream 4. Now, I really have come to enjoy Scream 4 a lot. It's whole message and themes on remakes was very ahead of the time. It just had a bit more humor interjected into the film. Which hey, aren't remakes supposed to be different for difference sake? Kind of fits in with everything. But I was wondering if there were a few too many studio interjections on that cut of the film. Apparently, I was not the only one.
Over the years since its release, Scream 4 has received quite a few different fanedits. The whole goal of it was trying to either extend it or to present different audio - the PayPerView cut of Scream 4 actually had some different audio bits compared to the original theatrical release. I have viewed a few different versions and to an extent it works.
Well, I was searching on YouTube and trying to find a video for Red Right Hand. (I can't get the song out of my head. That whole sequence in the new film where it makes its return to the franchise, it still is such a standout for me.) I found a teaser trailer for Scream 4: Final Cut from PLBoucher. I clicked the trailer and immediately went to the description to discover that Final Cut was PLBoucher's fanedit of Scream 4.
At first, I was a little hesitant if I wanted to scroll through the edit list or just view the edit itself. First off, I would like to make it known that in order to have the fanedit - you must possess a copy of the original film. Good, now that I've gotten that out of the way - I jumped into the edit withoout looking at the edit list.
This fanedit is definitely my preferred version of Scream 4 now. Final Cut feels a bit like I imagine Kevin's original script for Scream 4 was. There is still a bit of humor. But for the most part, the more over the top points are gone. No 'Fuck Bruce Willis'. Removing these moments, it helps bring the tone back to the original film. Also something that really helped the pacing is the restoration of a few deleted scenes, they have been edited but they work beautifully. Restoring these moments helps with the characterization so much. Dewey is now a bit more of a competent sheriff. The other cops have a bit more personality to them. Trevor is no longer just a red herring of a shell. He actually has a moment here and there that makes him come across a little more likeable. The opening and ending of the film also works so much more in this version. The whole last few minutes fight in the hospital is still there, but it's more of an after credits sequence now.
I cannot recommend this version more than enough. It is the version that when I revisit 4 again, I'll be going to Final Cut. This edit can be found over at https://plboucherdesign.com/.
Rating: 4.75 out of 5.
Now, I could leave this as just a review of the fanedit and have it be that. However, I decided that maybe it would be interesting to reach out and chat with PLBoucher about his fanedit and the Scream franchise. Check out the interview below.
What was your introduction to the genre?
My first introduction was probably through kid-friendly horror shows like Are You Afraid of the Dark (and Goosebumps to a lesser extent, although I was a big fan of the books). My mother has always been a fan of horror too and one day she came home with Halloween on VHS, which is her favorite. I watched it in the middle of the afternoon and I was still terrified. From then on, I caught a lot of horror movies on TV. I taped a double-feature of Halloween H20 and Scream 2, which got a lot of play and solidified my love for both franchises.
What is it about the Scream franchise that you love?
Scream was one of the first horror series I stumbled upon, and seemed perfect for a kid who was definitely not old enough to watch movies like that. Because although they were violent and scary, they also had comedy as well as fun, relatable characters. I also still think to this day that Scream has one of the best horror screenplays ever made. It moves fast while juggling many characters that aren't treated like canon fodder, and has genuine surprises as far as the whoddunit aspect goes. It's easy to forget how ingenious the twist of having two killers was.
What were your initial thoughts on Scream 4?
There had been a lot of build-up in the horror community for months before the release of Scream 4. I probably made 6 fan posters and even won a contest to go to the premiere (being in Montreal, I sadly could not attend...) I had mixed feelings about the movie but I still had a blast since it was the first time I was old enough to see a Scream film in theaters. I thought a lot of the problems from the 3rd film were still around: not enough suspense, too many jokes that fall flat, muddled meta commentary. The pacing and the cinematography were also a bit off. But Sid, Dewey and Gale were still well-written and faithful to their portrayals and a few set-pieces were effective. I saw it on opening night Friday and went back on Sunday!
What is it about the Scream franchise that you love?
Scream was one of the first horror series I stumbled upon, and seemed perfect for a kid who was definitely not old enough to watch movies like that. Because although they were violent and scary, they also had comedy as well as fun, relatable characters. I also still think to this day that Scream has one of the best horror screenplays ever made. It moves fast while juggling many characters that aren't treated like canon fodder, and has genuine surprises as far as the whoddunit aspect goes. It's easy to forget how ingenious the twist of having two killers was.
What were your initial thoughts on Scream 4?
There had been a lot of build-up in the horror community for months before the release of Scream 4. I probably made 6 fan posters and even won a contest to go to the premiere (being in Montreal, I sadly could not attend...) I had mixed feelings about the movie but I still had a blast since it was the first time I was old enough to see a Scream film in theaters. I thought a lot of the problems from the 3rd film were still around: not enough suspense, too many jokes that fall flat, muddled meta commentary. The pacing and the cinematography were also a bit off. But Sid, Dewey and Gale were still well-written and faithful to their portrayals and a few set-pieces were effective. I saw it on opening night Friday and went back on Sunday!
When did you decide to create a fanedit of 4? What led to that decision?
I knew there were moments of comedy that I wanted gone as soon as I came out of the theater. Many of these ruined the suspense and pulled me out of the movie, the best example being "Fuck Bruce Willis". I believe the comedy in Scream should never undercut the horror, which this one did often. It would be like if Randy said his famous line "I never thought I'd be happy to be a virgin!" RIGHT AFTER he gets shot by Billy. It would deflate the tension immediately!
Once I saw the deleted material on the Blu-ray, I knew there was potential to add some scenes back in, in order to slow down the middle of the film, which seemed in a rush to get to the next kill. But since I saw that a lot of fan editors had already created their own "extended" version of the movie, I put this project aside until 2019 where I picked it back up.
What was the reasoning behind the cuts or additions you have made to the film?
Humor is subjective, so I removed what I personally thought didn't work. For instance, I loved the fake Stab opening, but felt the second one was a bit too forced for its own good so I removed it, even though some fans loved it. Character-wise, I wanted Alison Brie's character to be less over-the-top unlikeable, Dewey to be smarter and more useful, the cops less goofy and Jill's mother more sympathetic. Basically take everyone down to a more serious level worthy of the first 2 movies. The biggest changes were the opening and ending. The ending was made to emulate the original way Kevin Williamson wanted the movie to end: on a cliffhanger, before the producers put the kibosh on that idea.
What was the reasoning behind the cuts or additions you have made to the film?
Humor is subjective, so I removed what I personally thought didn't work. For instance, I loved the fake Stab opening, but felt the second one was a bit too forced for its own good so I removed it, even though some fans loved it. Character-wise, I wanted Alison Brie's character to be less over-the-top unlikeable, Dewey to be smarter and more useful, the cops less goofy and Jill's mother more sympathetic. Basically take everyone down to a more serious level worthy of the first 2 movies. The biggest changes were the opening and ending. The ending was made to emulate the original way Kevin Williamson wanted the movie to end: on a cliffhanger, before the producers put the kibosh on that idea.
I was very disappointed by the opening when I saw the film in theaters. For a series with such strong openings, this one felt lackluster (not surprising since most of the Jenny chase was a reshoot). The alternate one on the Blu-ray was better in concept but didn't fare much better in execution. Instead of picking one or the other, I stitched both together, which requires a certain amount of suspension of disbelief but in the end makes a stronger beginning.
How has the feedback been for the edit?
The feedback has been great! Going as far as many people saying it was now their go-to version of Scream 4, which is always the highest compliment you can give to a fan editor.
Why should people check out Scream 4: The Final Cut?
Basically, there's just enough that is changed that the movie now feels more like the first 2 installments, but not too much that it's unrecognizable if you're already a fan. It's a fun, new perspective on a flawed entry in the series and, if you stay until the end credits, still stays canon for the 2022 movie!
Have you seen the new film? If so, what were your thoughts on it?
Tragically, the movie theaters in Quebec closed back up near the end of December so I can't see the new film yet!! Right now, I'm not living in fear of Ghostface, just of spoilers.
Thank you PLBoucher for taking the time to answer my questions!
Check out PLBoucher over at plboucherdesign.com
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