Scream 1996
Scream ★★★ Scary Movie 1996 (R)
Director Craven playfully tweaks the cliches of teen slasher pics (which he helped create with “Nightmare on Elm Street”) with this tongue-in-cheek thriller. Yep, where there's a mad slasher on the loose, there must be a group of teenagers “just out for a good time.” The difference is both the killer and the victims have been raised on '80s splatter movies and, therefore, know all the rules. Sexual activity and/or substance abuse? Start picking out coffins. The stalker uses his cellular phone to terrorize his victims. He also uses it to ask his prey trivia questions or offer critiques of lowgrade horror movies. Campbell plays the virginal heroine in the tight sweater, with Ulrich playing opposite as the sexually frustrated boyfriend. More fun than a bucket full of Karo syrup with red dye #3. 111m/C VHS, DVD . Matthew Lillard, Drew Barrymore, Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Skeet Ulrich, Rose McGowan, Henry Winkler, Liev Schreiber, W. Earl Brown, Jamie Kennedy, Lawrence Hecht; Cameos: Wes Craven, Linda Blair; D: Wes Craven; W: Kevin Williamson; C: Mark Irwin; M: Marco Beltrami. MTV Movie Awards '97: Film.