Halloween Horror #1

For this Halloween I decided to watch a couple classics that are considered to be essential viewing for new fans of the genre like myself.
It has been a great month discovering a few more horror classics as well as a range of fresh modern films, pushing horror in new directions, laying the foundation for an exciting future in the genre.

I chose to begin my Halloween double feature with Wes Craven's classic slasher, Scream a film that revitalised the popular sub-genre at a time that it needed it the most. Wes Craven managed to create a comedic satire that both poked fun at every overused cliché, while also sharply directing a film that shows technical mastery in its ability to build tension over long flawlessly crafted sequences. My favourite of these sequences has to be the stunning logistical marvel of a set-piece that is the house party scene, directly leading into the hilarious yet equally disturbing finale, summarising everything great about this film.

Scream chooses to show a self awareness that without precise and careful writing would come off as ridiculous and stupid. However this is not the case as Scream's screenplay manages to achieve something astonishing with its writing. Everything plays out beautifully due to its perfect time scale during each terrifying sequence.

Of course Scream would not be the success it was without its precise editing allowing everything to make sense and not fall apart upon closer inspection.

Finally, the killer cast, layers of references for all the horror buffs out there, creative sound design and a soundtrack that pays tribute to the foundational horror classics that came before it with a fresh twist that contributed to Scream's layered tone perfectly.

I loved this film and will be revisiting soon for a more closer, in depth study of its fresh approach to a classic sub-genre.

8.9