Scream | Anatomy of a Franchise

[@thechickapedia1175]

“Ghostface doesn’t use a gun” maybe in the majority he doesn’t but I never got that argument. Billy and Stu had a gun, Mickey and Nancy loomis did… they all end up with guns. So yes he does.

[@fernandomaron87]

Billy got the gun from Sidney when he appeared with his fake wounds falling down the stairs, i think what he meant is he never had a gun when he was commiting the murders while wearing the mask.

[@dahannes6739]

I think in literally every single Scream the killers User guns

[@ThePhantomSafetyPin]

"Ghostface doesn't use a gun." Scream VI: Hold my Buck 120 while I get this guy's shotgun real fast,

[@juggadadjones3966]

There’s a script floating around of a Friday the 13th that ends in a snow massacre and that idea has always stuck with me WE WANT SNOW IN OUR HORROR

[@Dhampire1976]

That's literally an old F13 fan film lmfao. How embarrassing

[@captainbarbossa289]

Dead Snow has you covered!

[@drishtisanger3899]

The shining

[@Dookieman1975]

There’s a fan film and I think it does this concept to perfection. It’s called never hike in the snow

[@Funnylittleman]

@@Dhampire1976no, there’s a script out there that was up for production but got scrapped. I’ve read it, it was neat. Would have been a fun entry.

[@QuikVidGuy]

I think the opening of 2 isn't really talking about the movies inspired violence. I think it's reversed, rather. That types of fictional violence are distracting from the real impact of the people whose deaths it was based on. Craven self-critiquing for his previous "based on a true story" films and how they trivialized tragedies.

[@maddiefromthevineyard]

I agree with this take so much. I've always thought of Scream as a critique of how the media exploits violent crime and victims. Mickey's motivation of wanting to have a trial and have the christian coalition defend him has always been so fascinating. The parallels to real life serial killers having fans and becoming infamous, sitting on death row with fan letters. I love how Scream addresses the victims always being targeted while the fictional killers are immortalized. That's what separates it from other slashers imo, but other slashers are also awesome in their own way.

[@sofiaatomo5175]

this. i also interpreted it similarly

[@maca76]

yeah for me Scream never has said, "its the fault of the movies" it has always been "these people hide behind their media" and "media exploits violence without any regard"

[@babyfaceweeb8937]

So basically the conjuring franchise and The Haunting of Sharon Tate are quaking.

[@passthehanky]

I totally agree. Scream isn’t saying that movies have anything to do with violence. The fact that it’s billy who says it in the first film is a commentary itself on how often criminals don’t want to take responsibility for their own faults. It’s not the thesis of the film or even an opinion the filmmakers hold. It’s pointing out that the killers would have done this either way, they just use movies as a scapegoat.

[@consistentlystupid4726]

You mentioned not understanding Mickey's motivation in the second movie and seem to be tying it into your idea that the Scream franchise is being defensive about movie violence and how it related to real violence. I don't think that's his "real" motivation though. His motivation is to have a show trial. Scream 2 is only two years removed form the OJ Simpson Trial and it is impossible to overstate how big that was in the media. Mickey's motivation is obviously based off the idea of media sensationalizing trials. He doesn't want to get away with the murders. He wants to be caught and put on TV and his plan is to use "movie violence" as an excuse.

[@escalatingbarbarism5096]

He's also clearly just a natural psycho that Mrs. Loomis "met online", and I've always understood that to mean he was probably already a serial killer before he enrolled at Windsor College to be part of her plan.

[@doobzsalam1847]

As dark as it sounds mickey always reminded me of some school shooters wanting to the fame even if dead or behind bars. They still get to go down in history

[@ultravi0lence]

I mean yeah… Mickey specifically mentions that the killings were just a prelude to the trial. Even says he’ll get Johnnie Cochran and Alan Dershowitz to represent him, who were two of OJ’s lawyers. Always thought it was pretty well laid out what his motivations were.

[@pictureperfect3211]

I was JUST about to race to comment section to point this out. Out of all of the killers, Mrs. Loomis included, he has the best motive. He’s a serial killer that she hired. Yes he has a film obsession, and yes he wants to become famous for his murders, not unlike most real life serial killers. And interestingly enough IS THE ONLY GF THAT WAS WILLING TO STAND TRIAL FOR THE MURDERS. His quip about the effects of cinema violence I think is an extension of his hubris. Remember this is the same person that throughout the film, manipulates Sidney into not trusting Derek, leading to his death and her heartbreak. Him thinking that he can surrender after the murders, and seemingly manipulate an entire courtroom, that tithe movies are to blame, is less a commentary on movies themselves, and more a commentary on the ability of our society to fall victim to these kinds of mora panics. Remember this is the same decade that freaked out about video games and why their ratings on games and even music albums…because white suburban a moms really did believe these things could drive their teens to murder. Scream 2 twenty six years later continues to be the most misunderstood sequel is swear.

[@Maglors_grief]

Yeah Mickey is pretty different from all the other Ghostfaces because he actually wants to be caught, arrested, and put on trial. He wants the attention for it. And if he used the excuse that horror movies made him do it then that would definitely get everyone's eyes on him because censorship in media was a huge discussion in the late 90s/early 2000s with certain groups saying that movies, music, and games influence people to be violent. I'm surprised some people still fail to understand Mickey's motivation when he literally had an entire speech about why he was doing what he was doing lol.

[@mattpalmer1140]

People: Ghost face shouldn’t use a gun! Ghost face every single time after the reveal: Uses a gun at least for intimidation

[@ThatsThe_Spirit_]

He also shouldn't wear a bullet proof vest either in my opinion. He's pretty tough n invincible for the beginning half of the movies anyway so I think he'll be OK without it lol. 😂😂

[@AmyCherryLMAO]

i think ghostface can use a gun once, as a treat

[@ThePhantomSafetyPin]

@@AmyCherryLMAO Ghostface can have a little gun as a nice murder apertiv.

[@VersusArdua]

I think Billy's iconic line at the end is less a statement about violent media causing violence and simply about how violent people will naturally find violence in fiction enthralling. He doesn't say, "I watched Halloween eighteen times, and now you are going to die!" It isn't an indictment of horror as a genre, he's simply just stating the obvious. Billy would have killed regardless of his movie watching habits, and I think the film makes that quite clear through his overt psychopathy.

[@bbbele]

p

[@Lamia-666]

Everytime you said scooby-doo I was chuckling just thinking about Matthew LIllard playing Shaggy in the future 😂

[@ALake98]

I’ve been very pro Ghostface in the snow. Imagine a film set in at a ski lodge, there could be a sequence where he chases someone downhill on skis

[@SamanthaCZimmerman]

that would be radical

[@comradecam9530]

Christmas Scream. :) ..........It also gives it a whole different vibe and aesthetic.

[@dream_walker9726]

a scream film during christmas would go so hard actually@@comradecam9530

[@ThePhantomSafetyPin]

Snowface. :)

[@vaszgul736]

'Callbacks in franchises to earlier films is less clever and more like jingling keys in my face to make me clap my hands and giggle, which is genuinely insulting' Thank you for putting it into words

[@notaraven]

I think the reason scream is directly talking about the topic of violence in media is because it's meant to be a satire of the genre. Like watchmen with superheros, scream is looking at an industry that delights in death counts, in grotesque kills, in making the monster the hero and directly saying that it's wrong. You can see that near the end when the newscast floods in to report on the crimes. I am an avid horror fan so i don't agree with this assessment, but this critique is one that challenges the bedrock of horror. If you are going to harshly criticize the horror/slasher movie genre there is no way not to throw out that question.

[@SamanthaCZimmerman]

it's very haneke-esque in that way, a number of haneke's 90s works are doing the same thing. creating a spectacle of violence to tell the audience how horrible they are for looking at it. a really compelling bit of commentary that i nonetheless disagree with every time i see it lol

[@therevenancy]

Agreed. I don't think it necessitated the five minute ramble saying not to engage the topic, while engaging with the topic. It came off less as educational and more like a lecture.

[@notaraven]

@@SamanthaCZimmerman I can kind of see that message in Cabin in the Woods. The idea that horror movies are just modern day ritual sacrifices to satiate our bloodlust. I find myself agreeing with that movie more then Scream but maybe it's because of the shadowy corporate system exploiting it.

[@motherplayer]

@@notaraven Agreed. There is a sense of truth to it with the tropes, but it's played just tongue-in-cheek enough to not feel like it's completely trying to wag a finger. At least that's how I feel.

[@cranberryrosebud]

@@therevenancy I honestly found it jarring when he started talking about conservative grifters, like he'd just seen a tweet recently by one of those people that ground his gears, and he felt desperate to address it in a video. Not to say that the video as a whole isn't educational or entertaining, I find it both, for the most part.

[@damianoakes2592]

I'll stick up for the Scream TV series, at least with the first two seasons. It does a great job bringing the Scream formula to TV, while also commenting on how the narrative demands of the medium are different, referencing shows such as Friday Night Lights and Twin Peaks as points of inspiration. It also has a great cast, including its main heroine played by Willa Fitzgerald (who recently knocked it out of the park with her performance as young Madeline on Mike Flanagan's The Fall of the House of Usher), backed up by Bex Taylor-Klaus (the excellent Golden Age throwback slasher Hell Fest) and Tracy Middendorf (Julie from New Nightmare), along with John Karna and Carlson Young, whose characters could have easily been rote copies of Randy and Twin Peaks' Audrey Horne, respectively, but really stand as worthwhile characters in their own right. I would pretty strongly recommend those first two seasons to any fan of the franchise who's wanting more. Season 3, on the other hand, I have not seen, but it has nothing to do with the rest of the series, and is terrible by all accounts I've heard, with the exception of Keke Palmer's performance.

[@ROCKBETHENAME]

The third season wasn’t bad it did have a primary black cast & took place in the hood but the story was different & unique imo & the kills were OD

[@dekuscrub4330]

Season 3 loses the meta commentary but has a good central plot and actual Ghostface voiced by Roger L Jackson which is better than the guy in s1&2.

[@pictureperfect3211]

It also does the sequel killer/motivation MUCH BETTER than the later sequels does. In a way that I almost didn’t expect. It was a great first two seasons (it could’ve had tighter storytelling elements…I think the “opening murder” should’ve been the entire first episode and more intense) but it was great.

[@1bwash]

I think Netflix should do a limited series that's basically is just the Stab movies.

[@zanny3085]

3 uses the real ghostface mask, and has a great cast and plot. It was never going to do well after what it took to get released but I actually think it's better and feels more familiar than season 1 and 2.

[@allanmcpherson9584]

My biggest gripe with Scream 5 is related to Dewey's death but not the his actual death. His presentation as a washed out drunk Eyore sad sack immediately told me he was going to die. It was a lazy way to signal he was done for but telling the audience it was OK because he had fallen so far that death was better. It's a shitty way to depict addiction and depression and really spoiled the movie for me.

[@therandominfochannel6619]

Yeah unfortunately he suffered the same fate as many male leads in popular franchises have lately. Like Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Indiana Jones, James Bond, and more, he had to be brought to his lowest point (again) and mercy killed to make way for the women, because they apparently don't share the spotlight. Dewey should have still been happily married to Gale, and if he was going to die, it should have been a heroic death sacrificing himself that was unavoidable and made sense instead of the contrived mess we got.

[@ThePhantomSafetyPin]

@@therandominfochannel6619 I think that was the point, but in the end Dewey did MORE to save the female characters than anyone else in the film. It literally WAS a heroic death.

[@therandominfochannel6619]

@@ThePhantomSafetyPin note that I said a heroic death that made sense and was unavoidable. Someone who has survived as much as Dewey doesn't look at their phone when standing righg over a potentially living and dangerous person. It was still technically heroic, sure, but it was not executed in a logical way. It would have been nice if before dying he managed to take out one of the killers, mixing up the tired formula that says all the killers must always make it to the end of the movie before they die. Maybe the phone rings, but Dewey goes ahead and shoots the killer in the head, THEN answers the phone and says he got them. Then right as he says that the other killer stabs him from behind. I know Richie was there already out of costume in the movie, they could have just written the scene differently. Not saying my idea is a perfect solution of course, but I think it's bettwr than what we got at least. There are so many ways they could have written a heroic death and they chose the laziest, most predictable way possible.

[@glow4200]

I do agree with you. I just want to bring up the line "its an honor" I thought was an amazing addition. Dewey had survived for so long, and Amber telling him that, because SHES the one who managed to finally end him once and for all, was a nice touch imo​@therandominfochannel6619

[@putmeincoachpls]

I will confirm that not being able to recognize the house from the 1st movie in the 5th worked on me. Didnt realize it was that house until the intended aha! moment

[@ericgaskins571]

I didn't even think about it either, I re-watched it since and I can't not see it

[@INTJ91]

Honestly I recognised it immediately from the trailer haha

[@thechickapedia1175]

@@INTJ91same lol

[@ThePhantomSafetyPin]

Halfway through I went, "have I seen this before?" and then it clicked and I went "Hey is this the house from..." the long zoomout happened and I went, "Oh yeah it IS!"

[@giopotes8]

I don't think the franchise is affirming the statement "movies make psychos more creative", we should also check out how the dialogue was told and the character who said it. I think it's what SCREAM is also trying to subvert, especially in its succeeding installments where (as you pointed out) we root for the survivors because I 100% agree this is the 1st horror film where the killer takes a backseat to the popularity of the three main protagonists every film. Looking at the films again from your analysis, I can say SCREAM helps us be creative in surviving horror.

[@ThePhantomSafetyPin]

As my English professor told me over and over, "To misinterpret tone is to misinterpret meaning." Praise here completely misinterprets the tone of that scene, which is still darkly satirical and paints Billy's statement in a bad light (because it is), and thus misinterprets the meaning.

[@josephbell9027]

"Matthew Lillard probably gives the performance of his career in this." Shaggy: Are You Challenging Me?

[@matango6133]

I love the praise you gave the bodega scene in 6. I didn't know people were complaining about GF using a shotgun and I agree that it really brought an appropriate amount of terror to firearms in a way that we've been desensitized to. What I also love about that scene though: it's the most "NYC" part of the movie. Not because it's a bodega but because GF is dropping the stealthy style he usually goes with to just hack people up in public, right in front of a dozen witnesses that are able to run off and tell the story. It's kind of a new layer of chaotic brutality that we haven't seen from the character before. It also gave me some relief because I was worried the movie was going to revolve around clearing Sam's name as the NY ghostface. I really didn't want the film to go that direction with things and the bodega scene scrapped the idea pretty quickly.

[@GodkuRockwell1294]

I dont wanna get political, but for your point about, "Movies dont create pychos. They make them more creative." It isn't the guns. that's the issue. It's the person behind the gun. If i used a rock to hit you in the head with its a weapon. But if i dont pick up the rock, it's just an object. It also goes hand in hand with guns and knives as well. If you don't use the gun to kill anyone and just have it for display or self-defense reasons, then it's perfectly fine. So all I have to say is that guns aren't the issue. it's the person behind it.

[@tengutheterrible8491]

I'm so curious what the actors didn't like about hearing the voice actor in real time over the phone for that one movie.

[@sonicthehedgehogofficial]

Just a small gripe. It would have been great to get at least a small snippet of the voice actor for the killer after hyping him up so much

[@soda8665]

i love sam as a character so much, i just wish her mental illness and connection to billy wasn't the reason why she's so violent. it feeds into the narrative that people with "scary" mental illnesses are inherently dangerous when the reality is that they are more often than not victims of violence from others. of course, she isn't going around stabbing people because of her hallucinations, she's defending herself from the ghostface killer(s). but her attacks on richie and the cop are excessive and always seem to tie into her connection with billy, which reinforces the harmful idea that people will mental illness are evil, inhumane, etc.

[@soda8665]

​@@taylornusteling8692 to be fair, this trope isn't exclusive to scream and has its roots deep in the horror genre. it just baffles me that a popular franchise, which is arguably more creative than its contemporaries, is still relying on lazy writing in 2023

[@PopCultureNihilist]

Culturally, people do this weird thing where they project their own narcissism and insecurities onto fiction. Like, I’ve got mental illness, but this movie isn’t about ME. I am not Sam. She is a character with issues that relate specifically to her character. Plus, if we say media doesn’t influence people, nobody is going to take that logic and apply it to the real world, right?

[@bloodmooncomics2249]

I really thought Scream 3 was going to end up with Dewey being a third killer and we find out Dewey has been the third killer in each other movie (of the original trilogy). The first and second movie could easily had Dewey with the others and it could work when you look back (a cop helping the killers with info, explains why Gale survived, because Dewey liked her, how the killers worked together and knew what to do since the only reason they failed was due to them explaining themselves because they got cocky. Dewey would know to keep quiet because he knew it would lead to him getting caught). Dewey being a third killer would also be a slight joke with the idea of a trilogy showing a secret third killer in the third movie. It totally would have been a twist since Dewey is played as a nice person.

[@Lilianamarie999]

And why he always has to survive. That would've been deeply upsetting in the best way.

[@SerpenThrope]

I've also always thought this.

[@bbrbbr-on2gd]

So Scary Movie?

[@frankthepug9242]

...I'm pretty sure you've seen Scary Movie too many times

[@DavidKen878]

That literally makes no sense.

[@PattyPooh1113]

ur talking about everything but the scream franchise!!

[@dunnowy123]

Scream 4 is underrated imo. It comments on horror remakes, internet fame, true crime, the kills are great, the new characters are fun, the legacy characters are welcome to see, and the motivations for Ghostface make sense. Even visually, I love the cloudy, slightly dream like look of the film, the deliberate ultraviolence that is clearly meant to reflect 2000s era torture porn etc. It's a really fun, thoughtful, respectable sequel to a classic, and probably my second favorite of the franchise.

[@ThePhantomSafetyPin]

I think it's actually overrated. If anything Scream 3 is underrated. 4 is very good and does what you said, yes, but Scream 3 does just as much if not more IMHO. The problem is Scream 3 got super screwed by the execs, more than Scream 4 did.

[@Salty5621]

So with the theatre shrine, Gale was tipped off to it by the killers. They explain at the end. They lead her to it essentially and don't lead Kirby to make her more suspicious

[@nad613]

'How did he afford to rent this warehouse on a detective salary' I love how you point out how bad this is at showing a realistic NYC

[@SOBEKCrocodileGod]

Ahh, the anatomy of my favorite horror franchise. I’ve been looking forward to this I will say I disagree about some of your thoughts on the media commentary in the movies. I think the second movie in particular handled it greatly.

[@umamicashflow1809]

Yes, he needlessly digresses to equate conservatives with fascists. Yawn. There is obviously not a direct causal link between violent media and real world violence. But to suggest there is absolutely never any continuity? I tend to think he would be more partial to the argument if the claim was, say, onscreen misogyny fosters real world misogyny. Scream thoughtfully acknowledges the continuity and provokes us to consider its extent, though it's clear it actually has little sympathy for "the movies made me do it." While the censorship efforts this continuity has inspired are certainly objectionable, his take here was terrible.

[@ThePhantomSafetyPin]

I agree with that, I think he missed the mark a bit and needs to look a little deeper here.

[@michaeldiamond2755]

The fact that Sidney wasn’t there for that memorabilia scene is 6 is such a missed opportunity!! She’s literally the only character that would be deeply affected by seeing all of that stuff from previous movies.

[@Lawlllz]

I lowkey love the idea of a scream film being set at a horror or stab convention.

[@ThePhantomSafetyPin]

I need to see Ghostface surrounded by Ghostface cosplayers at a con, 100%. The Stab premiere scene but more realistic for 2024.

[@RedSpade37]

Praise be to In Praise of Shadows!

[@SultrySavageHobo]

I've been waiting for him for so long you don't understanding it this shadow hard at

[@SultrySavageHobo]

I've been waiting for him for so long you don't understanding it this shadow hard af rip Wes

[@brokensanity5252]

Lol I was literally gonna comment that😂

[@sneezediamonds]

Happy Halloween!!! 🖤🧡🖤🧡🔪🎃🎃🦇

[@Geo_Babe]

AMEN

[@derealization_]

I can actually add to your point about the absolutely massive amount of merchandise. I work at a Hot Topic and we have a whole display just for Scream and Ghostface merch. Mind you, our store is pretty small and packed with stuff, and for a specific license to get it's own dedicated display it has to be a big seller. We sell so much Ghostface stuff. Shirts, snow globes, mini backpacks, earrings, etc, etc. Kids will buy stuff simply due to brand recognition, having never seen a single one of the films. To put it into perspective, our general horror movie display that has stuff from Friday the 13th, American Psycho, Child's Play, Texas Chainsaw, The Exorcist, and more, is smaller than the display with only Ghostface merch. For example, we have 6+ different shirt designs, 3 different mini backpack designs, 2 different clutch bags, and multiple different earring sets, figurines, and other misc things.

[@ltamha]

Wow, never thought I'd want to visit a Hot Topic from the reputation it has (no shade, I'm in the UK and have never been in one so can't speak about that personally), but it sounds like a really cool set of merch being sold by you guys :). I'd be shaking the kids though like "watch the blooming movies, they're awesome!"

[@glow4200]

So I'm totally a year late but i just needed to shout a huge thank you to you!!! I just started my 12yr old on scream, and shes obsessed, so I have some new christmas ideas 😍😍

[@koketsok1513]

12:43 the real horror in this world continues to be artists consistently getting shafted for their labour,I kept waiting to hear that the original designer was contacted,had their work licensed or being hired to design something for the film.The real horror is this economic system.

[@SpedeVesku]

Scream is a franchise where there really should be a long break between each instalment, to give the horror genre time to go through new trends and cycles to satirize. The two best sequels, 4 and 5, came after a long break, while the two weaker (if not outright bad) movies, 3 and 6, were rushed out.

[@NeuroticNav]

I enjoyed 3, and I loved the 6th.😅

[@ln1tohero698]

I think there is a way to honor previous films and there is a tacky way to mention previous films. One is about respecting a franchise, and the other is milking an audience for nostagia dollars. What comes to mind is the DiCaprio gif where he whistles and points at the tv screen as if to say "i remember that thing".

[@jeremoople]

I haven't watched 5 or 6 yet, but I found 4 to be drastically worse than 1-3.

[@SOBEKCrocodileGod]

Honestly I think Scream 6 is the best one since Scream 2

[@Grayfox176]

​@@SOBEKCrocodileGodyeah, I think that 2 was the best in the series and that 6 is comparable to 1, so this is clearly a "Your Mileage May Vary" kind of thing.

[@priscillaposey3898]

So Mikey wanted to be an infamous serial killer with a big trial with huge media coverage. He was going to blame the movies as his motive

[@naomisdiary9835]

that blown out glam shot hazy style of the scream 4 movie actually can be found in some of the horror movies of the late 2000s early 2010s it is parodying, like final destination 4 and saw 3d, which is why i think it looks like that

[@ThePhantomSafetyPin]

The best part of Scream 4 is that it's a bad cheesy 2010's horror film on purpose down to being as rote as one. It's brilliant.

[@naomisdiary9835]

@@ThePhantomSafetyPin and the fact that they made a GOOD MOVIE by replicating bad ones is a serve and a half

[@sagecorduroy]

i love the video! Robert Rodriguez didn’t actually direct the Stab footage though, but he did have this to say on the topic in 2020: “Wes is a friend of mine. The great Wes Craven. Such a sweetheart. He did all of that. He asked if he could use my name in there, which I thought was such a great honor. But I didn’t film that. But I got credited for it. I was at the premiere and people were turning to me to go, 'Wow that was amazing!' And I was like, 'Yeah, thanks, but actually, I didn’t shoot it. Wes did.' So Wes did that too, and he kind of did it in a cool exploitation kind of style. He was just a master. So I was very associated with that, but I actually did not shoot it. That's all Wes. I wish I could shoot that. He shot it much better than I would."

[@emily-crawford-soprano9181]

@30:59 i always took the argument Billy makes as an excuse for shitty things he would do anyway. Like an abusive parent who says “look what you made me do”. That being said, your points are well taken especially when you start talking about the opening scene of Scream 2

[@4D4plus4is4D8]

The narrative of how Drew Barrymore ended up in Scream has changed over the years. When the movie first came out, she was on a talk show and the story she told then was that she signed up for Scream because she needed the work, and she was intended to play Sidney (Again, this is Drew herself telling this story) but in between signing up and filming actually starting, she started getting more credible work. So she went to Wes Craven and begged to be released, but he said he couldn't do it because she was basically the whole reason the movie got greenlit. So she said that she came up with a plan - let me play the first girl who gets killed before the intro. She argued that it would surprise the audience, and she said "You can still use my face on the posters, and I'll promote it as if I was the star, which is what you really need me for anyway." And he supposedly agreed. The story has changed over the years, but that's how it started.

[@moz4784]

Honey wake up it’s a new in praise of shadows video

[@Geo_Babe]

Gosh I truly feel this!!! 🎉🎉❤

[@workingclassbrat1989]

you're my favorite video essayist because of how often i don't agree with you but i 100% see how you get to your points because of how well you support your arguments. glad i'm not the only one who wasn't too happy with Scream 6 because i feel like the "fandom" is waaaay too blind in its love of it. i'm so disappointed in how melissa barrera was fired for being pro-palestine and jenna ortega most likely got out of her contract for that reason too. i know you don't do shorter "commentary" videos but i would love to hear your perspectives on it since you consistently do such a great job of threading the needle between art and its politics. excellent video as always!

[@oliverolson6578]

Yeah, always does great threading that particular needle 🤦

[@ThePhantomSafetyPin]

@@oliverolson6578 Too bad he picked up totally the wrong needle and tried to thread it here...

[@Level_1_Frog]

I'd never heard about the New York alleyway thing before! That's so interesting- I always thought that New York was like a maze of streets and interconnected alleys since I see it so often in films and shows.

[@harpoon_eggs]

watching half in the background, how did this go so politically of the rails so quickly

[@ThePhantomSafetyPin]

IDK man Scream's only political statements are "Hey, violence doesn't happen because films, it happens because bad people do bad things for bad reasons", "Hollywood has a long history of exploitation and that's horrific, we need to do better" (3), and "People will do anything to be famous even play the victim card when it's not theirs to claim" (4).

[@jackcharlotte25]

The Jay & Silent Bob cameo in Scream 3 is kinda worse when you consider the fact that, in Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back, the duo interrupt the filming of a fictional Scream sequel, complete with cameos by Neve Campbell and Wes Craven playing themselves. The joke in Scream 3 would have worked so much better if it was just meant to be Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes, in-between takes of a movie next to the Stab 3 lot.

[@ericgaskins571]

How weird would it have been if the killed them in the movie. People would have flipped out

[@Month-Day-Year]

I really love the topics and films you choose for your video essays and really enjoy watching your content. I find myself happily surprised when I receive a notification from KZbin to then see it’s for your channel and that *ding* makes my heart skip a little from sheer excitement and curiosity and the moment where I think to myself “wonder what this one will be about today? 😮😊”…. But I find myself getting turned off and tuning out at points the tone shifts from a very well thought out critique and general objective observations to then segway into your opinion on people’s intent, with a sense of 100% certainty that gives me the impression that you believe there are no other alternatives or possibilities, entirely disregarding any sort of nuance, asserting that the opinion you hold on any given persons ideological leanings, political beliefs. You often assert, with what I excuse as just an inexperienced and short sighted interpretation of someone else’s reasoning and purpose for including/using/portraying/depicting certain themes and topics, the morals and ethics of your subject. As well as devoting entire portions of your videos to, I hate using this terminology but it’s the only description that fits, virtuous superiority via “virtue signaling” to the audience in a way that gives off a smug and pretentious tone of having to proclaim how moralistic and how you’re a much better, and how “good” of a person you are instead of the subject you’re discussing. Frequently taking multiple minutes labeling them with ism’s or ist’s to affirm to us, your audience, that you, in fact, don’t agree with these things and feel obligated to denounce what, in your objective…. opinion…. (Purposeful oxymoron there) you feel is without any room for debate or refutation (about to use terminology I really don’t like using but feel it’s the simplest and best fitting) the practice of wrong think. Other than finding it distasteful and immature your use of framing everything through a political lens, I really love your videos and please keep up the good work.

[@frogurtcremebrulee5252]

Thank god someone finally pointed out the issues with Jason Blum and Blumhouse as a whole. Great video, keep it up man❤

[@Spookybluelights]

I hear people include Jordan Peele in conversations about "Elevated" horror all the time, he's the one who kicked it off for the mainstream. I hate the term in general, horror has always done the things that "elevated" horror does.

[@joseph7988]

Exactly, Jordan Peele is just the overrated flavor of the month.

[@Hiiiiiiiiieeee]

I totally agree about the lack of Sydney in the latest sequel. She doesn’t have to be the main star of the show, but having her be in the world still adds so much depth to the history. I really hope the studio executives wake up and pay her what she believes she’s worth for the next one. Even if it’s to kill her off for good or something crazy like that, it would be iconic.

[@sketchtheparadigmyork1217]

She didn’t join because her paycheck was small And obviously it went to Jenna Ortega and Melissa. Now that both of them are gone I find it more likely they get Neve back for an intended big bang.

[@ThePhantomSafetyPin]

She left because she was shafted, and came back because she was not shafted. She's coming back because she's being paid what she's worth.

[@frost_bite42]

Would love a, anatomy of a franchise on the evil dead. I think it would be a good video. Showcasing its effect on both horror and comedy.

[@birchwwolf]

i'm STILL trying to find a sweater like the one Matthew Lillard wears to the party.

[@displacerkatsidhe]

Sooo there are actual interviews of the screen writers talking about the whole "media makes psychopaths more creative" was in fact a parody of the conservative movement at the time as that was their big chirping point at the time. As for the second movie, people finding the number of a person a movie is about and constantly calling them, is a documented behavior. Remember the song "867-5309"? That number is not allowed to go out into circulation anymore. Because people, thousands of people kept calling these poor people all hours of night and day.

[@agraciotti]

A big Scream 3 defender here. I think it aged wondefully, and on a series rewatch, it became my second favorite after the first. Great video!

[@tskmaster3837]

30:33 Oh God... "Movies don't create PSYCHOS, movies make PSYCHOS more creative." There's this movie from 1960 that's called PSYCHO and if look at what Billy LOOMIS says... LOOMIS being a character from PSYCHO... it's more a commentary at how slasher movies have to keep upping the baseline for movie PSYCHOS; You can't do what Hitchcock did and expect to get away with it. Two kills... one being Janet Leigh and the other being Loomis... will not cut it when you have people doing kill counts and handing awards to best kill 30 years after Scream.

[@expendableindigo9639]

Spoilers :(

[@crater044]

Yea that section of the video was fucking weird. Dude took one line from the film and proceeded to stand on a soap box and make a slight political rant out of it (while also being completely tone deaf about it but whatever). Odd part.

[@Nexol13]

@@crater044That rant turned me off to the entire rest of the video. Had he made one passing reference to conservative media outlets having a history of blaming media for this kind of violence, I’d understand, but going on a minutes-long tangent about it how conservatives are evil for trying to control the media lost me. Hell, I’m not even conservative and it came off as distasteful.

[@benderbendingrodriguez420]

This dude always puts weird political parts in his video for no reason & they're always all biased and not from a neutral standpoint. Can't watch his Hills Have Eyes video anymore cause half the video is one big political rant

[@ThePhantomSafetyPin]

@@Nexol13 I'm as Liberal as they come and I am lowkey sick of other liberals who make videos ALWAYS needing to find SOME way to connect it to "conservative ideas bad" even when those bogeymen don't exist, or are there to be mocked. You can discuss political stuff in films without shitting on the other side and ranting about them being bad for 10+ minutes.

[@47Cartoonguy]

I use to think the voice changing device Ghostface used in Scream 3 was a bit cheap and ridiculous but now at the age of Ai voice work maybe it was (sadly) ahead of it's time

[@orwellianson]

Always, always a great day whenever you upload a new episode, Zane. Much love! Happy Halloween! 🎃🖤🦇🔪👻

[@ajestoncommand1122]

"Watching television shows doesn't create psycho killers. Canceling TV shows does!"

[@mizzlaura]

The OG script for Scream 3 had Matthew mentoring two high schoolers as new ghostfaces to help him get revenge on Sidney, they had a script prepared but 3 weeks before shooting was supposed to start Columbine happened and schools wanted movies to stop depicting kids as killers in school and they believed movies like this were the reason massacres like this happened, Matthew Lillard even said the script was a great script and he was disappointed it had gotten scrapped but he understood why it did

[@ThePhantomSafetyPin]

Funnily enough that's sort of what happened with Scream VI - someone mentoring two kids to become killers as revenge on someone for losing a family member. But apparently VI is "the worst film" and "the motive makes no sense".

[@ChildOfChaos07]

I also feel like the Maureen subplot involving Milton in Scream 3 was an allegory about Weinstein.

[@lizgeorge5864]

You should look into the real life scream killing that happened after the first movie came out two boys were “inspired” to recreate the movie

[@matango6133]

You kind of got me thinking about "direct sequels to sequels" in horror franchises. More notable one I could think is Halloween 5. It is definitely a follow up to 4.

[@SuperBatSpider]

I could see the knife in Jason’s eye being the in universe reason Billy chose it

[@VANIT_E]

1:56:05 I did know the identity of one of the killers in Scream 6, relatively easily. The VERY FIRST give-away for me was that the killer had access to past killer's Ghostface masks... Masks that SHOULD be in an evidence locker somewhere. When I saw that, I immediately said "oh okay, it's the cop."

[@DMTInfinity]

No, the final message absolutely works. Horror movies CAN make killers more creative. And by proxy, it also makes non-killers more creative. That's Art. It's a very powerful thing. Plus it's a great line to scare the audience with too.

[@thrashnakthebarbarian9876]

I think you missed the point of scream one’s message on horror movies being a satire on the satanic panic, and your guns are the problem connection felt a little wide, but an otherwise well written and put together video

[@dayalx]

A Sam Raimi style scream would be super interesting

[@frogurtcremebrulee5252]

Don’t say that I’m sad now cause we’ll probably never get it 😢

[@drnickfury]

Every new Shadows vid is a treat. Thanks for making October feel special.

[@ericnunya]

Super gratifying to see my patreon name in the credits of such an awesome and fun video, great work!

[@akeelyaqub2538]

The idea of two different ghostfaces rising at the same time but completely seperate of each other would be a huge opportunity to parody the endless sequel trope in modern movies. They could play with the idea that ghostface pops up so often that it literally happens several times at once with them being completely independent of each other.

[@ThePhantomSafetyPin]

I've always been a big proponent of the idea of there being two Ghostfaces not working together who end up in a sort of rivalry with each other.

[@Geo_Babe]

We are all so BLESSED when In Praise of Shadows drops another masterpiece video ❤🎉 thank you

[@jameslarkin3859]

You considering 4 the best opening should disregard everything else you said.

[@adrianphillips2136]

Gimmickry at its "finest"

[@ThePhantomSafetyPin]

4's not even the best film in the series, it's overrated on purpose.

[@zachnoland155]

Interesting that you pointed out no one makes direct sequels to the 2nd or 3rd movie in a franchise over footage from terminator, the major exception to that rule

[@shouldacouldawoulda5]

I just wanna thank you for your work & say how inspiring your videos are. Thank you for hours of edutainment 💜

[@Algrenion]

To my shame; i have never watched a Scream movie. I never really felt compelled to, despite my love of horror and all its subgenres, despite knowing how utterly iconic the franchise is... So I think it really speaks to your ability to write on and review films, that I was able to sit through the entirity of this essay - even taking spoilers away with me - and find myself downloading the first Scream. Fascinating deep dive, as always. Happy Halloween! :)

[@kostaskaraganis]

i disagree with a lot, but i have to say it: GREAT VIDEO.... Excellent work

[@idler_wheel]

I can’t always sit through horror films, but I really enjoy the plots and analysis. I appreciate the time and care that you give to your content. It allows me to explore the themes and conversations surrounding these films without sacrificing my sleep lol. Thank you for your work!

[@TheRiskyforever]

did the first scream not agree with you? Horror movies don’t make killers, it’s very clear that billy was already going to be a killer. He’s used a mask because of halloween but that’s basically it

[@Dee97]

Seeing as how Rose McGowan has spoken out so strongly against Harvey...I can't help but feel like that little side plot in 3 was added because someone knew her experiences. A little, we see you Harvey...

[@jwnj9716]

The original is a classic. Scream 3 is my favourite sequel. It was a nice way to end the franchise. We found out who was responsible for all this. He's gone, the end. I don't mind part 4. I don't care for 5. Part 6 did nothing for me as well. Predator 2 did so much more with the city setting. Has anyone seen There's Nothing Out There?

[@laserwolf65]

Congress never regulated the comic book market. They had some hearings, and the industry itself created the comic code.

[@ChildOfChaos07]

Also, I love Scream 3. I know it's not as strong as the previous films but I genuinely enjoy this film.

[@fedoratheexplorar2143]

I'm really glad you liked the motivation in 5 as much as I do, I think the commentary on the toxic reaction to the Last Jedi and how the fans really take the series for themselves and make it their own.

[@NicolasCurcioWriter]

THIS VIDEO IS A HALLOWEEN MIRACLE

[@maskoolio5824]

"Horror icon samara weaving"? Is that sarcasm or has she secretly been in a bunch of iconic horror movies I dont know about?

[@dylanthehopelessrema]

Love the new intro card 👌🏻

[@explorer8125]

I like how meta self aware it is. Like with Scream 2 script leaks and no one knowing what they are gonna shoot that day, and then acting that out in the movie… a lot like the Melissa situation. Where people were trying to turn on her making her the bad guy when she wasn’t… in the movie and in real life… all they need is a mention that Tory spelling in stab didn’t get paid enough to return, that’d match Neve’s situation

[@Geebees93]

Are you telling me SCREAM was an actual horror franchise and is entirely separate from Scary Movie? Christ...

[@staceyoddity4580]

Jay and Silent Bob had a running relationship with Wes Craven. It’s an Easter egg as is the inclusion of their creators movies in the Scream universe ♥️

[@mizzlaura]

The studio did want Wes to direct Scream and Bob admitted he almost cried at the thought of having to consider other directors because he really wanted Wes Craven on board

[@devydev8481]

The way the title changed from scary movie to scream is a hilarious full circle moment

[@rachael5025]

yes, alleyways, the thing new york is famous for not having, the thing people not in new york definitely know about

[@TaradiseCity]

Re: Mickey’s motivation - wasn’t he already an active serial killer? Mrs Loomis just paid his tuition and he was eventually motivated by big trials like OJ and was using the Windsor spree to get famous

[@mizzlaura]

Roger Jackson was on the set of Scream and talked with Drew and Neve on the phone directly, the phones were real and Drew even accidentally called the cops during a scene and they showed up to make sure everything was OK, it wasn't just Scream 2 they did this on

[@collinmichaelkahn3918]

I haven’t even started this yet but I just want to say in advance: I love you and I would marry you in a millisecond for giving the Scream franchise your masterful anatomical approach!! IPOS for the win. Always. You rock dude/ya’ll. ❤️

[@weslleyfj]

I was so thrilled in 6 when Ghostface kept breathing after killing the professor and saw him take off the mask. Thought we'd finally have something original. The moment they killed him I knew the movie was not gonna be good. Hope we don't die for a ghostface focused scream.

[@dfolz1101]

Forgot how completely ridiculous Dewey's death scene was. Between that and the new Halloween series everyone seems to be within stabbing distance whenever they shoot.

[@yddetstrebor8336]

The foxy shazam outro both surprised and delighted me. Good shit sir as always

[@kingkaiiius]

I’ve been waiting for this one ❤

[@DMTInfinity]

*. . . . Scream 1 . . . . Amazing on first watch . . . . Phenomenal upon re-watch . . . .*

[@theknightofroses]

As a huge fan of the scream series, this was a great video to see! I quite enjoyed the latest entry, but I never considered some of the critiques you bring up! I do hope the new director breathes some new life into the series and also lets Sam go down a more violent path like her father.

[@kennysawyer2779]

Another excellent entry in one of the best series on KZbin. Scream is one of my favorite franchises and I agree that there has yet to be any bad films. However, I've really struggled with Radio Silence's work on the series. They are so close to being great sometimes and I just want to love them, but there are too many things that I take issue with, mostly from a writing standpoint. You mentioned what is probably my biggest issue with their entries, and that's the lack of stakes due to characters consistently shrugging off what should be fatal or near-fatal wounds. It really detracts from the film when it becomes clear no main character is in any mortal danger. This reached its peak in 6 when Chad is double teamed and stabbed a ridiculous number of times only to be totally fine afterwards. I've never felt more cheated watching a Scream flick. The double Ghostface attack was brutal and unexpected and seemingly signaled to me that things were getting real, but once Chad is revealed to be miraculously alive, it really left a bad taste in my mouth. I mean we'd already gotten a Chad fakeout death in the previous film, did we really need to do that again? They are far too precious with these characters. I might be more forgiving if it happened once, but it happens over and over throughout the two films. That's just one of my criticisms, I have some others and some more minor nitpicks, but overall I still really did enjoy 5&6. I was just ultimately disappointed because I really believe there were some great moments and ideas in both films, but they fail to really deliver on some of the more interesting stuff and instead retread old ground repeatedly.

[@MsBonkers2011]

I don’t necessarily think Mickey is a redo or billy/Stu. It is alluded to that mickey was potentially already a serial killer that Nancy happened upon and redirected. He didn’t want to get away with it like billy and Stu did. He wanted to go on trial and get famous and then use movies as a scapegoat. Lastly, god I hate that Sam is Billy’s daughter so much. I hate the visions, the bad de-aging, and all. I honestly would have preferred if Sidney or Dewey and Gale had a child that was in this. Sam just doesn’t make sense. Billy was committed to seeing his plan through, and cheating on Sidney just doesn’t seem like a risk he would take while the happens of scream 1 are taking place.

[@scottyboyrulez]

If you listen to the dialogue it is stated that Mindy DID go to the hospital. She was just let go for some reason.