Scream

Details

Wes Craven didn't just make another slasher film - he dismantled the genre and rebuilt it in his own image. The opening sequence alone is now legendary. A seemingly simple phone call to a suburban home escalates into one of the most tense and shocking introductions in horror history. Casting Drew Barrymore - the film's biggest name at the time - only makes the moment more audacious.

From there, the story centres on Sidney Prescott, a teenage girl still reeling from her mother's murder. When a masked killer begins stalking her and her friends, it becomes clear that this isn't just another random slasher - this is someone who understands horror films intimately.

What makes Scream so clever is that the characters know the "rules" of horror. Jamie Kennedy's Randy openly explains them: don't say you'll be right back, don't drink or take drugs, and under no circumstances have sex. The film laughs at these clichés while simultaneously playing them straight. It's self-aware without ever becoming parody.

Neve Campbell delivers a strong performance as Sidney, grounding the film emotionally. She isn't a helpless victim - she fights back, questions everything and refuses to play the part expected of her. Around her, the ensemble cast balance humour and menace beautifully, with Matthew Lillard in particular bringing chaotic energy to the mix.

The final act delivers one of the most satisfying twists in 90s horror - shocking, darkly funny and entirely consistent with the film's razor-sharp script. It's no surprise that the film sparked a revival of the slasher genre almost overnight.

Picture & Sound

Sadly, the DVD transfer does not do the film justice. The image quality is inconsistent, with noticeable artifacting in darker scenes and poor handling of shadow detail. The problems are visible early on, even around the Dimension logo, which is hardly encouraging.

The Dolby Digital soundtrack is equally underwhelming. For a film that relies heavily on tension, silence and sudden audio jolts, the surround mix feels surprisingly flat. Dialogue clarity also leaves something to be desired, which is disappointing for a relatively recent production.

Menu & Extras

To compound matters, the Region 2 disc arrives completely bare. No commentary, no featurettes, no production notes - nothing. For a film that had such cultural impact, this feels like a missed opportunity of criminal proportions.

Overall

Scream remains one of the most intelligent and entertaining horror films of the 1990s. It revitalised a tired genre and proved that you could be clever, funny and genuinely frightening all at once.

Unfortunately, this particular DVD release fails to match the quality of the film itself. If ever there was a title crying out for a proper special edition, this is it.

Special features

• None