New Rules...New Decade: Scream 4 (2011)

 

    Well everyone, it looks like we have managed to make it. It’s the week that a lot of us have been looking forward to for awhile. Scream (2022) is looming over us as its release this week draws ever closer. Who is excited for it? Who is ready for it?

For the past week, we have been working through our Scream retrospective series. Up to this point, we have worked our way through the first three films in the series (Part 1 , Part 2 , and Part 3). It’s been a very interesting time watching the films. For the first time since 2011, I have been able to watch the films in a whole new perspective. Gone are the nostalgia glasses. I am able to see the films as if it was the first time all over again. I guess watching a movie after eleven years will do that to you. Taking the films all in, it’s allowed me to focus more on each of the films on their own as well as a being a piece of this beloved franchise. It’s also allowed my rankings for the films to change as well.

Today, I am going to be talking about Scream 4. Scream 4 was released in 2011. When I looked back at the film, I was honestly pretty shocked about it. For some reason, my memory had kept telling me that it was released in 2012. The major thing that I remember about that time was the hype for the film. Scream had returned and was just everywhere. There was a lot of marketing for that film. Honestly, there’s probably a few people that would agree that it may have been too much marketing. But we had Wes returning along with the original trio of Sidney, Dewey, and Gale. That was a pretty fantastic feeling. And Kevin Williamson had once again returned to his franchise after sitting out on Scream 3. It seemed like things had fallen into place.

Looking back at this film now, I wish that I hadn’t paid much attention to the discussion about it. I had been checking out almost all of the well traveled Scream sites in search of information. (One cool aspect of doing that was that I found one that housed fan scripts for films. Yeah, there were a few that were Scream related. But for the most part, it was just people crafting interesting takes on Halloween, Nightmare On Elm Street, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, even Black Christmas. They were all new telling of the films that worked very well. It’s fantastic what the fans can do that Hollywood can’t with remakes or reimaginings.) But all of the information I read about and discovered, it managed to set my expectations pretty damn high.

When I sat down in the theater to watch the film, it felt like Scream. It felt like we were taken back to a more modern Woodsboro. The original characters felt very much like we remembered them. The new characters, however, felt a little too much like retreads. I get that with this installment, Wes and Kevin were taking a look at remakes and reboots. So it is very appropriate. But overall, it felt like something was missing in the film. The pacing for the film is a bit of an interesting beast. It manages to fly like a rollercoaster, but at the same time not. It felt a bit more straight faced than many were prepared for.

Once I began to see what they were attempting to do, I began to appreciate Scream 4 more. It’s a film that manages to take a lot of expectations that people were hoping for and just throws it in a whole new direction. It definitely makes things a bit more divisive. For me, it works beautifully. However it was also made apparent that the film was another product of studio meddling, a lot of the more detailed aspects of the film ended up being cut. If you check out the deleted scenes, there are quite a few of them that have callbacks to the original film while also being grounded in character. And then there’s the alternate opening. The theatrical opening is a bit of fun and plays a bit more like parody. The alternate opening was a whole another level. It honestly was a bit more bold in its approach. And without music, it’s absolutely terrifying. Part of me wishes that it would been the one used and not have it with music. The studio probably felt a safer approach was more appropriate.

A lot of the aspects that we have come to know with this franchise are evident in the film as well. It just happens to have a little more humor to try to balance the brutal, more cold nature of this new Ghost Face. Ghost Face in this film is more in the vein of the second one. Honestly, it makes so much sense after the reveal in the end of the second act. We have Charlie, who is trying so hard to be a ‘Stu’ stereotype that he ended up in the ‘Billy’ side of the Scream spectrum. It is a pretty brilliant flip of the script. Charlie’s whole motive was to try and help recreate the murders. In his mind, he’s trying to live out his dream of one day directing. Then there’s Jill, Sidney’s cousin. She’s a complete loose cannon that is 100 percent off her rocker. I mean what she does in the end of that second act is just mind-blowing. That’s honestly highlights the brilliance of Scream 4. Everything we thought we knew, it was wrong. Wes and Kevin had brilliantly subverted so many of those expectations. And at the end of the day, that’s why I think a lot of people were against the film at first. It wasn’t what they were expecting. But ya know, you have to progress somehow or bring something new to the table. That’s how the first film was crafted as well as this film.

Overall, yeah there may be some pacing issues with Scream 4. It feels like a large reason is the fake-out with its second act. But this is still Scream. It does feel a little more studio-polished, but at the same time not. It doesn’t feel like as much of a cookie-cutter product as Scream 3 was. It honestly feels like Wes was even playing up the reboot angle with the cinematography. Ghost Face is a bit more tense as literally the film doesn’t fully address the rules. And that’s something that highlights what horror was about at that point in time – a lot of it wasn’t following any set rules. They were trying to shock audiences by doing something completely clear out of left field. I feel like the only thing that the film is missing is the use of Red Right Hand, as that has become a bit of a theme for these films. Even though the film lacked a bit of character, it still managed to stick the landing for me and lives up to the original. It's also a fitting epilogue for Wes as well as he gave us one last good scare.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

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Forget The Rules: Scream 3 (2000)

    Hello everyone, today I'm continuing with the third installment of our Scream retrospective (Part 1 and Part 2). Scream built the foundation of the modern slasher with its rules. It wasn't afraid to take the mirror and reflect it upon itself. It definitely was something that the horror genre needed at that time. Scream 2 took those rules and built an even better foundation. Two films in and the public was in love with this franchise. It had managed in two films to take a new approach to horror films and then their sequels. By that point, everything was pretty true. However as things are in life, there is no simple black and white. The world can be grey. And that is something that was even more present in the late 90s/early 00s. The world had changed a lot in just the four years from the release of the first Scream. And honestly, it was shaken a lot by the Columbine Shooting. That event was something that changed Hollywood as they began to look deeper at what they were presenting to the public. 

    With Scream 3, this was the entry that took that solid foundation and for a time - broke it. It's an entry that does not necessarily feel a part of the franchise. It's the weird middle child nowadays. I'm not going to tear apart the film. That is not my intention. However, I am not going to be exactly praising it either. 

    After the success of Scream 2, the studios were looking for another entry. The public at that point were probably clamoring for more as well. I mean if something's successful - why not keep making more of it. Honestly, that's a sentiment that may work. But after enough time, if you keep making more, you can create franchise fatigue. It's something that has honestly happened with other horror franchises - Elm Street, Friday the 13th, Halloween, the Saw films, and even the Paranormal Activity films are all good examples. The studios kept pushing what they were seeing as successes till the public was done with them. 

    With this huge success under his belt, Kevin Williamson was even more of a name. He wanted to delve out of the horror genre and tell other stories. He managed to find success over at The WB! (today it's better known as the CW) with Dawson's Creek. It was this commitment to that series that would prove to be a problem for the third entry of his successful series. Williamson did provide a 30 page treatment of what the film could be. 

    But after Columbine, it was very apparent to the studio that Williamson's original idea would not be feasible. Without an idea, script, or even the original writer, Wes Craven was honestly up against the wall. Yeah, we would have original three stars Neve Campbell, David Arquette, and Courtney Cox returning. But that's only a small fraction of what makes the films work. The studio was super keen on having a third entry and so enlisted Ehren Krueger to write the film. But with the way the production went, they were filming as they were writing. Not necessarily a sure fire way to ensure a successful entry. 

    With this third installment, Scream 3 brought things to Hollywood. It had decided to finally take the mirror from horror films and their sequels to the film-making machine. Honestly, it's a bit of a bold move. In a way, it further develops the tropes that had been established. It also continued the themes present in the series. It also left us seeing Sidney's mother, Maureen, in a new perspective. That's honestly one aspect that I feel works really well. It allows Sidney to see Maureen as just a regular person. She made mistakes and wasn't perfect. Yeah, it's something we had known from the original film. But rounding out the third entry with this, it allows Sidney to take a look at herself as well and figure out who she is. 

    When you look at Scream 3, it feels a little off. That was the first thing I noticed when I went to see it at the theater with my Dad and Grandma. Yeah, it was the characters that we love and the world that Williamson had made. But something wasn't right. As time has gone on, it's clear that there was a lot of studio pressure. It's something that definitely hindered the film. They were trying to just push out a product and hoping for the same success. 

    The story for the film is interesting. Ghost Face has returned and is now going after the cast of the new Stab film. It allows things to be a bit different as we see Sid, Dewey, and Gale interacting with their 'Stab' film counterparts. I mean Parker Posey working alongside Courtney Cox is pretty great. Actually Parker Posey is definitely one of the new comers that works super well. It allowed the real to blend with the fiction in a pretty unique way. 

    The opening film was something that at first I wasn't fond of. Here we have Cotton Weary returning, but he becomes the Drew Barrymore of this film. That's honestly a pretty bold way to begin the film. And it's the best way the film could have opened. Especially after the production had to scramble as an early draft of the script had been leaked. This was definitely something that wasn't exactly uncommon for this franchise already. 

    For the most part, the kills in this film work. Well outside of Patrick Warburton, that's something that's not his fault. The image of Ghost Face scrambling with a big guy like Warburton is a bit laughable. But everything on this end follows what fans were expecting from a Scream movie. 

    The revelation of the killer. That's definitely something that felt off. It doesn't help that it wasn't till halfway through production that they had decided who would be behind the Ghost Face mask. So for the beginning portion, Scott Foley feels a bit more light-hearted than in the second half. If they had known from the beginning that he was going to be the one, well it may have helped strengthen the film. For me, I like that he's Sid's half brother. Foley does shine in the second half of the film. When he turns, it's fantastic. The one thing that did feel off is that there was only one killer. That's something that typically felt off compared to the previous films. By this point, we were expecting two killers. And if we would have, it would have been Angelina. It honestly still makes the most sense. Secretly, I am still wondering if maybe she had helped out without revealing it. The reveal that Roman was behind Billy and Stu in the first film. That's where it took a dip in quality. Did we honestly need that little bit of knowledge? All that did was make it seem like Roman was the overarching villain in the shadows of the films up to that point. It was a tad too much. 

Overall, Scream 3 may not work as well as the previous films. But it's not terrible. It honestly was the best that Craven and everyone could have done with what they were given. It's just more of a studio product than anything as the studio's fingerprints are all over it. 

Rating: 3.75 out of 5. 

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Someone Has Taken Their Love For Sequels One Step Too Far: Scream 2 (1997)

 

    After I saw Scream, I was wondering if there would be a sequel. I mean at this point in horror, sequels were something of a scarcity. Mostly because again people were kind of afraid to take chances. And if there was a sequel, would it be able to be as good as the first one? Or would it take the route that most sequels seemed to and trying to cash in on the lightning in a bottle? One of the big things that I remember bout this time was the fact that the internet wasn’t as huge as it is today. So movie news was something that was a bit hard to come by. When it was announced that there would be a Scream 2, well it was a big deal. Everywhere seemed to be talking about it.

    It was a big sign that Scream had become something of a massive entry in Pop Culture. I remember there being lots of press junkets. There was lots of MTV News bits that talked about the film. Lots of guest appearances on Total Request Live on MTV or VH1. It was a bit crazy that there was this amount of hype for the sequel. Looking back on things, it actually shows how special it was. Williamson had tapped into something that everyone was looking for and had helped revive the genre that he loved.

    Now that it was more in the public eye, everybody was scrambling for info about the sequel. One of the big things that happened was that the script had leaked. No one knew who it was or how it happened. But quickly, everyone was scrambling to change the ending – thus creating at least three different endings to the film. One of the alternate endings involved a conspiracy that had Hallie, Derek, Debbie, and Mickey all working together to try and bring Sidney down. Another faux ending had Dewey being the one responsible for the all the murders. After hearing about these, I am absolutely surprised at hearing these. These endings would have been crazy.

    Scream 2 managed to become even more of a bigger deal than the original. Everyone that had survived was returning on-screen and behind the scenes. It was attempting to capture the lightning in a bottle twice. And honestly, that was pretty cool. The many times of re-watching the original only fueled my hype for the sequel.

    During its opening weekend, my parents had decided to surprise my sister and I with a trip to the movies. They had thought that I was ready to see my first horror film in the theater. This was a bit of a massive deal for me. I mean at this time I was 9 years old. It was definitely a completely different time to live in. Back then, you only needed to have parents along with you to attend the movie. These days, it feels like that’d be a lot harder to do potentially.

    I sat there in the third row of the theater. The screen lit up and began playing the previews. Quickly the previews flashed by and the film started, I sat there engulfed in the film. The film was awesome. It was everything I had hoped it could be and more. It not only managed to stand toe-to-toe with the original film. 9 year old me would have ranked Scream 2 higher than it. It left me floored. I was thrilled and at times I was wondering where things were going to go next. Then the moment happened, it was one that hit me so hard. Randy, Dewey, and Gale searching through the campus trying to figure out where the killer could be. It’s a moment that made me believe that no one was safe. When Ghost Face opens the van door and snatches the unsuspecting Randy, I was not ready. This here was my favorite character in the film. He was the movie lover. I gravitated towards him because of his humor and love for the genre. So losing him, it shattered me. I was left sitting there in the theater – in shock. I was quietly thinking to myself that if another of the main cast died – well, I was done.

    Then again, Wes set the scene as Gale witnesses Ghost Face attacking Dewey in the sound booth. We had already lost Randy. What the hell was going to happen if we lost Dewey? If that happened, was there a chance we could lose Sidney too? What was going to happen next?

    And brilliantly we entered the final moments as the killer was revealed, it was Mickey the freaky Tarentino movie lover. Of course, it was. Looking back at the film now, it makes so much sense. Especially with how Ghost Face operates in that opening sequence, it was Mickey creating his movie. He was so sure of himself and loving every minute of it. That opening alone showcases just how off the wall and insane he was. Yeah, Debbie Salt had to help here and there. But for the most part, I definitely feel like Mickey was the one responsible for a lot of the murders. Well except for Randy. Mickey works so well as a character because he is the anti-Randy. He’s one of us. He knows the rules and gladly throws them out the window. His only goal is to create as much havoc as possible to craft something of a ‘film’ in his mind. And then Williamson managed to callback to Friday the 13^th with the reveal of Billy’s mother. That was pretty interesting. I mean it definitely sets itself apart from taking what you think you know and twisting it. The safe bet would have been to have Derek involved or just Mickey by himself. It would be something that the audience would expect. But not Billy’s mother, so I applaud Williamson and Craven on that.

    After the movie ended, my parents asked me what I thought about the movie. I told them that it sucked that Randy died. The movie was great but that was my biggest gripe with it. I didn’t wanna see Randy go. There was still a lot of places that he could have went. But his story was cut short – because of his actions. If he hadn’t been badmouthing Billy and was so sure of himself, there may have been a chance he would have survived. But again, he thought he knew the rules.

    In the years since that first view, I had watched Scream 2 a lot. It still manages to hold my attention. There is some aspects of it that kinda don’t click with me. But for the most part, it is a solid next chapter. I definitely have broken down the film a few times. Does it capture the spirit of the original? Yeah, I would say that it does. Is it as good as the original? Honestly, I don’t think so. So in my ranking of the films, I would rank this below the original. But on another note, Grandma loved it as much as the first one.

Rating: 4.25 out of 5.

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What's Your Favorite Scary Movie?: Scream (1996)

 

    Hello everyone, I have a very serious question for you all. What’s your favorite scary movie? This was the question that had defined an era in the horror genre when it was asked. But back in 1996, who would have imagined that would have been the case? Certainly not many in Hollywood. When it was first beginning production, Scary Movie was something that not many could have foreseen going the distance and breaking all the odds. It just felt like another horror film. However, Kevin Williamson did something that not many could do back then. He turned the mirror of the horror genre back onto itself.

   Wes Craven originally even went as far as passing on the project. At that point, he was literally ready to be done with the horror genre. I mean honestly who could blame him at that point. He was a legend at that point with the films he had made. Last House on the Left. Hills Have Eyes. Those two films alone launched Craven’s career. But it was his work with Nightmare On Elm Street that catapulted him even further. Now it’s been well known that there was a kid at a convention that Craven attended had helped push him back to the genre that he was very fond of. “You need to get back to making something kick-ass.”. Well, I hope that that kid was very proud of how much of an impact those words would have on Craven.

    Before you knew it, we had Craven on board directing the film from Williamson’s script. It was something totally different than what a lot of us were used to at that point. We were used to typical horror films that were gore for gore sake but lacked a punch. Or they were a bit of a mindless fluff with no story to them. Honestly, the early 90s weren’t very kind for us horror lovers. I mean the genre was on a bit of a decline at that point. So people weren’t taking many risks with it – thus direct-to-videos were a huge thing. It was a bit of a rut. Thankfully, Craven and Williamson were able to work together to craft something special.

    For me, Scream is a very interesting film. At the time, I was 8. I had seen a lot of horror films at that point. Earlier I had mentioned times where my sister’s friend would come over with huge plastic bags full of horror VHS tapes. And my parents’ were cool with it. They knew that as long as I knew the movies were just movies, I’d be okay. So I had seen countless films. I was well versed in the Elm Street series – The Dream Master and Wes Craven’s New Nightmare being two of my favorites in that series. Friday the 13ths were ones that I hadn’t necessarily dove into just yet, outside of the showings on the Sci-Fi channel. Happy Birthday To Me, April Fool’s Day, and The Shining were a few of the examples that I would get to watch during those snowed in days. Sadly though, I wasn’t fond of The Shining. At 8 years old, who could honestly say that I fully understood what was going on with its story? Not me.

    I remember asking my Dad one day, “Why is Sam going with Mom? Why can’t I go?”. He just shrugged and responded with that it was for last minute Christmas shopping. At that point, I probably just went and played Super Mario All-Stars on Super Nintendo or Gargoyles on the SEGA Genesis. But later that night, they had returned from ‘shopping’. I overheard my Mom telling my Dad that the movie they had gone to see was so scary. I was very upset because I wasn’t able to go to the movies. At that point, I loved movies. I loved going to the theater and just watching the stories unfold. It was like a major event to me. To hear that there was a movie that I couldn’t go to see, well it sucked.

    A few months passed, I didn’t pay much attention to it. I had gotten over the fact that I had gotten left behind. We were looking through the movies on pay-per-view and my sister came across Scream. Immediately, she got up and ran out of the room to talk to my parents. I was left just a bit confused as to what was going on. Okay, cool – she wants to watch a movie. Yeah, I get that it was a bit of a big deal back then to rent a movie on pay-per-view. The three of them return to the room and they buy the movie. It was an all-day movie rental and the next showing was in an hour and a half. My parents had decided that we would all sit and watch it on the next showing. I think I had just rolled my eyes like it didn’t matter. It hadn’t hit me yet that this was the same movie that they had watched just months previously.

    Well the next hour and a half waiting, it felt like forever. I think at that point – my sister and I played some Mario to help pass the time. That was something I fondly remember us doing quite a bit. It was usually Super Mario 3. That was kind of our jam. It was just one of those things that we managed to bond over. Looking back on it - horror movies, watching Buffy, and Mario 3 were kind of the only things we did together. You see, there’s a 7 year age difference between my sister and I. I am the youngest. Unfortunately with the way things unfolded for our family, we drifted apart.

    Then we sat together in our living room as the opening title flashed on screen. The next hour and forty minutes seemed to fly by. I wasn’t sure what the reaction my family was waiting for from me bout the movie. I guess they were expecting the movie to completely terrify me like it managed to do with my Mom and sister. However, that was far from what I thought about the movie.

    Scream was a hit with me. It was something different. I may have been 8 years old, but could tell this was new. It took everything that I had loved about horror movies and brought it back in such a unique way. It wasn’t afraid to poke fun at itself. Yeah, the movie may seem scary. But honestly, I feel like all of the horror movies I had watched up to that point had made me ready for it. It was very clear that Scream was a love letter to the genre that Williamson had loved so much. And it had hit at a time when the public and myself were ready for something new.

    In the months after watching Scream, I had managed to talk my Grandma into watching it with me. I have mentioned her before. This is the same Grandma that loved Halloween. She wasn’t sure if I was ready to watch Scream. I reminded her that I had seen it quite a few times already. Quickly, Scream hit with her as well. She loves it so much. Over the years, we even managed to watch it countless times together.

    Recently, I revisited it. I wanted to see if it held up. It had been quite a few years since watching it last. I think the last time I watched it was when Scream 4 was getting ready to be released. A month or so ago, I picked up the Blu ray set of the first three movies. Yeah, this is the same set that has the two spectacular documentaries about the films – Still Screaming and Scream: The Inside Story. If you have a chance of picking it up, I highly recommend it.

    Scream still holds up so well. I still find myself enraptured with the story and the characters. To this day, I have tried to figure out who was where when X happened. And to this day, I still haven’t figured it out. It delivers on everything I love about the genre. The characters are all so memorable as well. The casting on the film was absolutely perfect. And still I love the opening with Drew Barrymore. It’s the biggest love letter to the franchise as it managed to encapsulate everything Hitchcock had masterfully done with Janet Leigh and the opening in Psycho.

    Many films over the years have tried to capture the lightning in a bottle that Scream had. And honestly, a lot of them have failed. There is absolutely no way to to recapture that. Scream is the film of a generation and masterfully defined horror for what came next. There is a reason it works so well and stood the test of time. It is a beautiful masterpiece of a film that is essential and is one of Craven’s finest works.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

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31 on 31 for Halloween Day 13: My Soul to Take

Wes Craven. It's hard to believe that it's been six years since we have lost him. His last film he gave us was Scream 4. At the time, it was a bit divisive for that franchise. However, it's time to talk about the one that people tend to overlook. Let's talk about My Soul To Take. 

My Soul To Take was released in 2010. It was considered to be a bomb. But it was the first film since New Nightmare from Wes that he wrote, produced and directed. For me, it is one of my favorites and I consider it to be underrated. 

The film kicks off with the story of Abel Plenkov. He was a family man that suffered from Dissociative Identity Disorder. One night he discovers that one of his identities is the Riverton Ripper - a slasher that has been rampant lately. Plenkov kills his pregnant wife and attacks his psychiatrist. Before he can kill his daughter - Leah, he is brought down. 

But before the night is over, the Riverton Ripper makes one more attack during the ride to the hospital and then seemingly vanishes.

Years later, the story of the Ripper is still being talked about. It's become a bit of a legend. 7 kids find themselves being targeted by someone. Bug and his friends got to try to figure out who it is before it's too late. 

I won't go too far into the film itself because it's a bit of a rollercoaster. But it's very interesting. It isn't trying to overthink things. It's just trying to be simple and tell a story. That's something that I definitely support. 

However the thing that I feel hurt the film is the expectations. Whenever people hear Wes Craven, they immediately think Scream. So immediately people compare it to Scream. And then the expectation that it needs to be a thinking piece or super in depth, well it set up things to fail. Wes even discussed the backlash to the film in interviews and had said that he was hurt bout it because he stood by it. Honestly that shows that he made the film to make a film. He wanted to have fun while doin it and to be proud of it.

All of the actors and actresses in this film do a great job. It's really cool to see some familiar faces and to see where they got their break. This was one of Max Thieriot's first gigs and went on to do Bates Motel. He's definitely an interesting actor and then further more when he got to Bates Motel. We also get to see Danai Guirira, best known as Michonne on The Walking Dead and Okoye from the MCU. Actually go look at the cast for this movie. It's really interesting seeing all of these actors and actresses together at this point in their career. Lot of them were up and coming. Then after working with Wes, they would end up finding their breaks. It's pretty cool to think bout that. 

Now, there's some gore in this film. Actually there's a lot of gore in the film. It does not skimp on it. While I wish I could say that it's scary, it's not. It may be due to the fact that there's quite a bit of jump scares. But Wes does what Wes does and was able to make everything look interesting. 

Do I recommend this film? Yeah, if you haven't seen it before. Give it a shot and go in with an open mind. You might be just surprised. If you have, give it a rewatch. There's always some small detail to pick up that you may not have noticed before.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5. It's not groundbreaking and it's not trying to be. It just trying to be enjoyable. Good rainy day movie.

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SCREAM 25: The Legacy of Ghostface

For 25 years now, Ghostface has been gracing many different forms of multimedia whether it was the films, the tv series or the Dead By Daylight chapter. It is such a definitive look for the slasher. Clean. Iconic. It was able to immerse itself into the pop culture zeitgeist with ease. 

The initial design is the one that layed the groundwork. It established itself with the sleek and simple design. It made sense since this was one that was supposed to be able to be purchased anywhere. In the first Scream, they even went on to call it the Father Death costume. This was a fantastic name for it as it helped evoke that feeling you get when you hear the word Death.  

After the first film was such a success, it felt natural that we would see more of Ghostface. To the point where we ended up getting Scream 2, 3, 4 and the upcoming SCREAM in 2022. With each film, they never strayed far from what came before. They were honoring the legacy that was being built. That's why there was no shake up in that initial design. 

The personality of the person underneath was what shined through. That's also a factor in why the first, second and fourth film have lots of replay value. To see if we can pick out who did what and at what moment. There were a few scenes where it was absolutely clear who did what. Never is this more evident than in the second film with Randy's death. All of those factors helped paint different distinct versions of the infamous slasher known as Ghostface. 

Next up, we were introduced to a different Ghostface altogether in Scary Movie. Some may not consider this to be a legit contender in the Ghostface Legacy. However, I do as the basis of Scary Movie is spent spoofing the Scream films. 

This Ghostface amplified the goofiness to a whole nother level. Yeah, the Scream movies show that there's a human underneath the costume that sometimes messes up (see Sidney's initial attack). But this was to Airplane level of absurdity. This allowed the audience to be in on the joke. Especially as we see the different takes on the mask throughout the film. This was a very fun way of allowing this Ghostface to express himself. Be it by stoned or the whazzup. This helped show how much of an impact Ghostface had on Pop Culture.

As time passed, there was word of the Scream tv series from MTV and then later VH1. It was known that this would be a whole new take on the material and world. Almost a reboot in a sense with the first two seasons. With the decision of a new take, it meant that there would be a new Ghostface. Enter Brandon James. 

This was a more unique approach. It allowed the chance to redefine Ghostface. 

Yeah, there are many that did not enjoy the series. I appreciated it for doing things differently. It allowed more time with the characters and in the world. Here, we weren't hindered to the 2 hr runtime. Everything was allowed the proper time to breathe. So, I applaud them for doing something differently. 

The new approach allowed a more organic version of Ghostface mask. It also gave a unique reason for it being different. The fact that it was designed to be a post operation medical mask - it was a realistic approach that helped ground the tone for this series. 

With the third season of SCREAM, it abandoned the cliffhanger of the previous season. Fans would be left wondering what happened. Personally, I was a bit upset when I finished it to find out it would never resolved. The studio had heard enough of the upset fans bashing of the show and decided that it would return to what worked. It would go back to more of a tone of the film series. 

With this return to form, it brought back what some people were clamoring for - the OG Ghostface mask and the return of Roger L. Jackson as the voice. This was a huge shakeup as it firmly transitioned the series into an anthology format. This was a more traditional take with Ghostface and the series. Honestly it felt as if it still took place in the world of the films. And unfortunately for the series, it was a last ditched attempt to right what they were seeing as a sinking ship. 

However, I still view both as viable entries to the legacy of Ghostface.

In 2019, the game Dead By Daylight was a massive success. It allowed a 1v4 format of playing out a horror movie as you controlled either the survivors or the killer.

However, there was a killer that felt a bit like Ghostface already - Legion. Legion allowed the opportunity to play as Ghostface lite to some but allow the killer to represent themselves as either a male or female variant. There were multiple masks that all settle themselves brilliantly into the motive that Stu had laid out - they did it cause it was fun. Each one of the masks had a different trait to them. It was fantastic. There are some that may not like Legion, however I loved it. 

And it's my personal head canon that they were inspired by Stu and Billy. It makes a lot of sense. It also can show the impact of Ghostface.

Then things changed when Behavior Interactive announced that Ghostface would be entering the World of Dead by Daylight. There were a lot of fans that were excited by this news. For me, I questioned it. Was this going to be Ghostface that we knew? Was this going to just be a cash grab? 

When Ghostface released, I was very surprised. This wasn't the original Ghostface and was not tied in any way to the film series of Scream. This was a completely new take on Ghostface. 

In the Dead by Daylight lore,

Danny Johnson, known as Jed Olsen by some, grabbed the newspaper from the kitchen counter: it was a week old, but his face was on the front page, grainy and sunken. It was one of those muggy afternoons in Florida when heat and humidity permeated everything in the kitchen, making him sweat while standing still. He slouched in a damp chair to read. This article had better be good—his work in Roseville had been outstanding.

GHOST FACE DISAPPEARS June 18, 1993

At first glance, Jed Olsen was a modest and enthusiastic freelancer with experience in a variety of small newspapers. The staff at the Roseville Gazette appreciated how easy-going and honest he seemed, and so he was treated as a stranger for no more than five minutes into his interview:

"Jed quickly spotted the editor-in-chief in the room, gave him a wide smile and a firm handshake, and talked about good old American values. And that was it, he was in." —Ex-Contributor at the Roseville Gazette

Olsen never justified his erratic career path, which zigzagged between several small towns from Utah to Pennsylvania. There was no verification of his previous jobs. He had a decent portfolio plus a good attitude, and they needed a contributor right away.

THE ROSEVILLE MURDERS

Olsen had been working at the newspaper for five months when the Roseville Murders began: victims from young to old, stabbed to death in their homes. From the reports, the victims seemed chosen at random, yet the killer knew his way around in the houses. The multiple stab wounds indicated a personal motive. No traces of DNA were found. The local police were confounded: the murders were carried with fury akin to a crime of passion yet coldly premeditated.

The murderer also liked to stalk his targets. Two victims had reported being followed on their way home by a dark figure, a few days prior their death. The killer would follow them from Walleyes, a small bar in Northern Roseville, and snap pictures of them at home, while looking for a way in. He could watch the same victim for weeks, meticulously registering their habits and routines. When he felt the urge to kill, he'd visit the most vulnerable victim on his list, and break inside the house quietly.

The whole staff worked on the Roseville Murders story. Olsen was often sent to interview the family of victims and relay official statements from the police. Unknown to everyone at the time, his involvement added to the final body count.

THE GHOST FACE

Panic swelled in Roseville when Olsen produced footage of a hooded figure breaking into a house at night. The masked face, a white blur in the dark, stared at the camera for a second, before disappearing inside. “The Ghost Face Caught on Tape” was the resulting article, written by Olsen. He seemed proud of his work at the time, enjoying how the whole town feared his ghost stories.

Weeks later, Olsen left a note on his work desk and disappeared:

"I hope you liked my stories--I enjoyed bringing them to life. Don't worry, I'm not done." –Jed Olsen

The Roseville law enforcement still refuses to comment as Jed Olsen remains at large.

Danny smiled, ripping out the article from the newspaper. When the investigation had been pointing to him, he’d packed his bags and left Roseville swiftly.

He got up, the clammy seat pulling his skin. An oppressive humidity engulfed him as he entered the bedroom. Condensation dribbled on a small misted-up window as bits of cracked wallpaper hung limply. Its floral pattern was covered with gruesome photos and newspaper headlines. Danny pinned the week-old article on top of a picture of lacerated scalps. A faint pang of hunger hit him, and he wondered when he had eaten last. Was it this morning, while washing his knife and clothes? Or was it last night, after following that girl down the street? He couldn't remember clearly.

Taking a step back, he admired his work on the wall. His mind drifted, remembering all the articles he’d written, the stories he’d planned, and the scenes he’d brought to life.

A shiver ran through him. A chilling breeze transformed the bedroom's humidity into an opaque, freezing Fog. A woman shrieked. Dead leaves crunched under his feet. He smiled in anticipation.

This was an all new character. The things I love about Dead by Daylight is the lore that they created. Each one has a very distinct story. They could easily be stars in their own films. And Danny Johnson's Ghost Face is another wonderful addition to the Legacy of Ghostface. 

Would I be interested in seeing more stuff with this version? Yes, absolutely yes. It is a completely new character that has so many possibilities and layers. For me, this is one of my favorite takes on the character. 

It's also interesting because there are many different cosmetics for this version. They add so much personality to Danny Johnson as a character. 

While the default is fantastic, it is a very nice modernization to the typical Ghostface look. It's one that feels more organic and handmade then something you would find in the local Halloween shop.

My favorite of these new takes is the Devil Ghost Face. It's better known as The Devil Incarnate. This feels like a natural evolution of Danny's character. It also helps show Danny's mindset that he is operating under now. He enjoys causing pain and suffering with his victims. With the Entity's gift, he has been turned into a Devil. Always present in the shadows, waiting for his next victim to sacrifice. 

Each of these incarnations are all valid. They bring something new and different to the Legacy. And it illustrates the strength and power of the character that we are able to have all these different versions. 

*The Ghostface design and title are owned by Fun World*

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The Impact of Wes Craven On My Life

From a young age, I was introduced to the films of Wes Craven. It was my Mother and sister who were the ones that brought me into the fold. That first film was the original Nightmare on Elm Street. It scared the absolute bajeezus out of me. 

I remember there being some nightmares that I had where I was haunted by Freddy. You would think if the film scared me that much that I would stay away from it. Truth be told, there was no way that was going to happen. 

I found it a bit fascinating that here was someone that could enter the dreams of others. To some with just that description, it could come across as a superhero. However that was not Fred Krueger. He was the darkness. The one that lingered in the shadows waiting for you to start your slumber. Biding the time for that right moment to strike. 

At first, I saw Fred only as a monster. The Boogeyman. But over time, I began to notice that there was some grayness to his character. Yeah, he can be cold and heartless. However, he was wronged by the parents of Springwood. That element just lent a slight change to how I viewed the character. Yeah, he took children from their parents. Countless number. But it was mishandled when they burned him. They didn't need to enact this justice. No matter what the cost is it wasn't right. Because eventually what is out into the world will come back upon them. 

It was thanks to Wes for bringing this character into the world. For without it, who knows if I would be a horror fan today. 

The next film that I had seen was Swamp Thing. I remember seeing it on the Sci-Fi channel. Again, here we had what looked like a monster. But ultimately it had the heart of a man. I had known the character previously from the old cartoon they had made. But Wes' take on the material was a whole new level. Wes appreciated what he had to work with. And he made it his own. He gave Swamp Thing heart. And by this time in my life, I was a little bit into comics. Mostly because of the cartoons or films. But here, I was beginning to look into the world of Swamp Thing because of Wes. 

Then the Scream movies came along. I never had the chance to see the first on the big screen. But you better believe I got see it when it came to VHS. Scream means a lot to me. It was one of the first horror movies that I had seen that my Grandma also really loved. To the point where when I came to visit, we would go to the video store and rent it quite a bit. Ultimately she just decided to buy the film because of how much we enjoyed it. Scream 2 was the first entry I got to go see at the theater. And that was a whole experience unto itself. But when it came time, Grandma wanted to watch it with me. Then the third came out. And I had the pleasure of going with her to see it. So again, I thank you Wes for your involvement. You helped build a relationship between my Grandmother and I. 

New Nightmare. That was a whole beast altogether. Out of all of his films, this was the one that stood out the most to me. It may be all of the films as fairy tales or folklore that is present in it's themes. But it ended up being my go to film. It was the one I remember watching the most of the Elm Streets. Because of the relationship that Wes crafted between Nancy and Dylan. That bond between them was something that meant the world to me. Probably because I found myself relating to Dylan so much. At that point in my life, my mother was there. But she really wasn't. She was ghosting through her life. Only paying attention and caring when it mattered for her. Looking back, I see it's because she never wanted me. I was an oops. A mistake for her. So, seeing Dylan and Nancy together. It showed me what a true mother would look like.

Through the years, I wished I had the chance to meet you. Who wouldn't want to meet someone that they had looked up to? Wes was my hero. He was the first director and storyteller that had me thinking about what that would be like as a career. He helped me find my love for horror and film. At that point, I knew I wanted to be part of the community somehow. If it wasn't through directing, it'd be by talking about film. Sadly, I never had the chance to meet him. There are still films of his that I have never seen. I will be taking time to watch those. But you know what, this is enough. This is my way of getting to say thank you.

Thank You, Wes. You are a Master of Horror. Your legacy will always live on and be remembered. Thank you for creating the monsters in the shadows and the heroes that stood up to them. 

-Matthew

This one was for Wes.