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With Scream 4 slicing its way into theaters this Friday, any red blooded horror fan will tell you this film has been a long time coming. From the first film’s impact on 1990s horror, to the third movie breaking all the rules, we can’t help but wonder: What else does Wes Craven have in store for Ghostface and his beloved Sidney Prescott? Who won’t make it? What is the plot twist? Who are the killers? And, most importantly, will there even be a set of rules to follow, let alone break?
In celebration of this movie event, we’re counting down the top 10 kills and thrills of the Scream Trilogy. It was hard to narrow down the list, but we had a little bit of help from a couple of knife wielding psychopaths and their unfortunate victims.
10. Cotton Weary Bites the Dust
Just when Cotton thinks he’s gotten away without murder and moved onto
the trashy talk show circuit, Ghostface comes back with a vengeance in
the opening sequence of Scream 3. We guess that’s what happens when you
live life on the edge, even after you’re given a blatantly obvious
second chance.
9. I Think I Love You!
Cheesy? Sure. Romantic? As romantic as one can get in the middle of a
horror flick. With Sydney facing her impending doom for the second time
around, college boyfriend Derek gives one hell of a performance in the
school cafeteria during Scream 2. We didn’t think his singing was bad
enough to commit murder, but apparently Ghostface disagreed since the
character was shot during the final act.
8. Principal Himbry’s Demise
Any movie that is brave enough to kill off the Fonz certainly has guts. Literally.
7. Maureen Prescott Revelations
If it wasn’t for Sidney’s mother, Maureen Prescott, Ghostface wouldn’t
exist. Billy Loomis wouldn’t have gone insane, his mother wouldn’t have
anyone to blame for her broken marriage, and Sidney wouldn’t have had a
half brother that started it all. That’s a lot of accomplishments for a
woman who’s been dead from the start.
6. Where’s Tatum?
Sidney’s best friend in the first Scream film, Tatum is easily one of
the most memorable characters for her verbal jabs and, well, enhanced
upper body. What we can’t figure out is how the party
didn’t realize that she was missing — until Sidney witnesses her failed
escape attempt through a doggy door. This visual certainly isn’t for the
faint of heart.
5. Randy Becomes Victim
Fans of the series were beside themselves when Wes Craven killed off our
favorite video store employee and fear enhancing rule narrator Randy in
Scream 2. The rap correlation with the rocking van just fits the 1990s
so well that it’s hard not to cite this death as unforgettable.
4. Deputy Dewey Boy
A character that wasn’t supposed to make it past the first Scream film,
Deputy Dewey has become one of the most recognizable from the franchise.
His presence not only ‘saves the day,’ but also led to a real life
marriage (David Arquette and Courtney Cox) and the comic infusion that
the series certainly needed to balance out the brutality.
3. Stab… Literally
In the opening sequence from Scream 2, Wes Craven follows through with
his necessity for cameos and quickly kills off Jada Pinkett Smith and
Omar Epps within ten minutes. The best part is that they’re taken out
during a screening for the film Stab, a take on the first movie’s
Woodsboro Murders book written by Gale Weathers. It all ties in- we mean,
who wouldn’t be interested after a couple of characters are stabbed in a
movie called Stab?
2. Randy’s Rules
Looking back, Scream wouldn’t have been the same without the rules. It’s
that party scene where Randy explains his thoughts on the horror genre
that not only cements the franchise but also paves the way for other
scary movies to come. Now THAT’S impressive.
1. Drew’s Demise
When Drew Barrymore was cast in the original Scream, no one saw it
coming that she would be the first to die. It broke all the expected rules and Wes Craven officially set in motion
what would become one of the most successful horror franchises in
history. We know it made us think twice about answering the phone after
dark.
So we leave you with this: Scream 4 is in theaters this Friday. Check out the fourth installment, see if stands up to its
predecessors and maybe afterwards you can answer the most pertinent
Scream question there is: What’s your favorite scary movie?
–Andrea Amanda Albin
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