C. J. Daley
I received a physical ARC of this, so huge thanks to Plume, however I did receive it only two days before the book released. I didn’t want to sit on it and not have a review ready for longer, so I also grabbed the audiobook and it is narrated by ROGER L. JACKSON. They should be shouting that from the rooftops! Certainly the definitive way to take in this nonfiction in my opinion. He did a great job and did all the chapter titles in the Ghost Face voice, it really elevated my enjoyment.
This was absolutely fantastic. An intensely deep dive into the Scream franchise and how it’s shaped the horror industry. As a self proclaimed Scream connoisseur (I’ve never proclaimed that) this was right up my alley and I had to have it. For me, this was one of the few horrors I had seen as a kid that stuck with me into adulthood, and I still love it to this day. I was one of those kids that was deathly afraid of anything you told me was supposed to be scary. I couldn’t understand that horror—slashers especially—can be both scary and enjoyable. Scream is a leading example of this and is one of the few I’d actually watch as a young kid. It’s scary of course, someone in a mask is murdering people right on screen, but it was also silly and bordered comical in its self references and satirical dissection of previous horror. As it stands, the first Scream movie is why slashers remain my most enjoyed (and watched) horror subgenre.
As the title states, Scream was the dawn of true meta-horror, a style that has been chopped and chipped and adopted by many others over the years, but few can capture the allure of the first. A slasher horror that knows it’s a slasher horror, that knows its tropes and where it’s treading them? Personally that’s always been my favorite part. The sequels, with their in-universe Stab franchise, equally find a way to mock and poke fun at themselves and their own commentary—all while still commentating. There’s something almost omniscient about them, as they dissect what came before and dictate where horror’s going. The first really paved the way to elevated slashers as a whole.
I love how vividly this painted the experience of the films. With chapters spanning from the original script’s conception all the way up to the latest, and currently unreleased, sequel (read: Requel/Legacy Sequel). I loved how everyone shone light on how wonderful Wes Craven was, the energy he brought to the experience, and how he bred such warmth and an inviting set. As a horror writer myself, it was nice to see the spotlight showing off how nice horror writers are as people! We bring people scares, we aren’t all scary.
I also enjoyed that this didn’t shy away from the controversies. From set troubles, money troubles, reception troubles, even ownership and The Weinstein Company troubles. This book showcases it all, the good and the bad. Not only does it serve as a very honest piece of work, it also provides the inside track on how movies get (and often times do not get) made. From displeased big shots, to rushed sequels, to rights disputes, firings, and studio languishing, there is quite a bit of behind the scenes issues we may never even know about. I even liked that this went into the controversy around the requel, Scream 7. Laying out some info that was previously misunderstood or misinterpreted. I can only add that it’s really sad to see Kevin Williamson (the original screenwriter) coming back to direct one that feels like it’s up against a wall already with the bad coverage and enraged fanbase. But what really shines through, and I’m sure will continue to, is the passion these people have for the entire franchise.
Most importantly, this keeps the focal point on us, the fans. As the fanbase is the point, and no matter what topic this is traversing, it continues to keep an eye on enjoyment. Almost everyone has seen these, has something linking them to one, has a reason why they’ll always rewatch them. That’s what they’re for. So, what’s your favorite scary movie?
I received a physical ARC of this, so huge thanks to Plume, however I did receive it only two days before the book released. I didn’t want to sit on it and not have a review ready for longer, so I also grabbed the audiobook and it is narrated by ROGER L. JACKSON. They should be shouting that from the rooftops! Certainly the definitive way to take in this nonfiction in my opinion. He did a great job and did all the chapter titles in the Ghost Face voice, it really elevated my enjoyment.
This was absolutely fantastic. An intensely deep dive into the Scream franchise and how it’s shaped the horror industry. As a self proclaimed Scream connoisseur (I’ve never proclaimed that) this was right up my alley and I had to have it. For me, this was one of the few horrors I had seen as a kid that stuck with me into adulthood, and I still love it to this day. I was one of those kids that was deathly afraid of anything you told me was supposed to be scary. I couldn’t understand that horror—slashers especially—can be both scary and enjoyable. Scream is a leading example of this and is one of the few I’d actually watch as a young kid. It’s scary of course, someone in a mask is murdering people right on screen, but it was also silly and bordered comical in its self references and satirical dissection of previous horror. As it stands, the first Scream movie is why slashers remain my most enjoyed (and watched) horror subgenre.
As the title states, Scream was the dawn of true meta-horror, a style that has been chopped and chipped and adopted by many others over the years, but few can capture the allure of the first. A slasher horror that knows it’s a slasher horror, that knows its tropes and where it’s treading them? Personally that’s always been my favorite part. The sequels, with their in-universe Stab franchise, equally find a way to mock and poke fun at themselves and their own commentary—all while still commentating. There’s something almost omniscient about them, as they dissect what came before and dictate where horror’s going. The first really paved the way to elevated slashers as a whole.
I love how vividly this painted the experience of the films. With chapters spanning from the original script’s conception all the way up to the latest, and currently unreleased, sequel (read: Requel/Legacy Sequel). I loved how everyone shone light on how wonderful Wes Craven was, the energy he brought to the experience, and how he bred such warmth and an inviting set. As a horror writer myself, it was nice to see the spotlight showing off how nice horror writers are as people! We bring people scares, we aren’t all scary.
I also enjoyed that this didn’t shy away from the controversies. From set troubles, money troubles, reception troubles, even ownership and The Weinstein Company troubles. This book showcases it all, the good and the bad. Not only does it serve as a very honest piece of work, it also provides the inside track on how movies get (and often times do not get) made. From displeased big shots, to rushed sequels, to rights disputes, firings, and studio languishing, there is quite a bit of behind the scenes issues we may never even know about. I even liked that this went into the controversy around the requel, Scream 7. Laying out some info that was previously misunderstood or misinterpreted. I can only add that it’s really sad to see Kevin Williamson (the original screenwriter) coming back to direct one that feels like it’s up against a wall already with the bad coverage and enraged fanbase. But what really shines through, and I’m sure will continue to, is the passion these people have for the entire franchise.
Most importantly, this keeps the focal point on us, the fans. As the fanbase is the point, and no matter what topic this is traversing, it continues to keep an eye on enjoyment. Almost everyone has seen these, has something linking them to one, has a reason why they’ll always rewatch them. That’s what they’re for. So, what’s your favorite scary movie?