Researched synthesis of critical sources about the movie 'Scream'

Term Paper , 2004 , 8 Pages , Grade: 1,0

American Studies - Literature

In this research paper, I am going to analyze several critical sources that all deal with the movie Scream, directed by Wes Craven. This paper will show why Scream was a huge success and why it was totally different from any older slasher-movie. Even though this movie is scary and horrific, it is also a parody on older slasher-movies, it is extremely self-referential, and its characters are extremely knowledgeable about the horror-genre, which makes this movie funny and ironic and lets the audience experience a completely new kind of slasher-film. In the following, I will now summarize the critical articles that deal with Scream, after which I will discuss the relationships between these articles.
The first source I analyzed was a chapter about the movie Scream in John Kenneth Muir’s book Wes Craven – The Art of Horror. Muir starts this chapter with a quote from the Los Angeles Times, saying that Scream risks going way over the top, deliberately generating considerable laughter in the process, and that it ends up as terrific entertainment that also explores the relationship between movies and their audiences (from Kevin Thomas in The Los Angeles Times). Muir states that Scream is undeniably a horror masterpiece and that Craven achieved something extraordinary in a genre that is known neither for its intelligence nor for its wit. He thinks that Scream is exceptional because it is so intelligent, so witty, and most importantly scary. In Muir’s opinion, Scream is the ultimate tale of America’s VCR generation, which is extremely cynical and knows everything about the latest technologies (cell-phones, pagers, etc.). But it is also very referential, because the characters refer to movies or shows all the time, e.g. when two cheerleaders make up the theory that Sidney is the Woodsboro murderer – based on psychological arguments from “The Ricky Lake Show.” Muir thinks that because of the intense exposure to television and movies,
today’s teens are not only callous and cynical, they are also unbelievably smart as part of a defence mechanism to understand the modern world with all its technology.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• The first source I analyzed was a chapter about the movie Scream in John Kenneth Muir's book Wes Craven – The Art of Horror.
• The next article I analyzed for this paper is a movie review written by Dr. Harvey O'Brien.
• The next source on this topic I am going to summarize is a movie review by Kim Newman, published in Sight and Sound.
• The final source for this paper is a harsh critique of the movie Scream, written by Philipp Wallutat and published on a German site in the internet.
• After summarizing these four sources, I am now going to compare the most important point of each source with the ones in the other sources and contrast the two negative critiques of O'Brien and Wallutat and the two positive reviews of Newman and Muir.
• Conclusion
• Bibliography

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte

This research paper analyzes several critical sources that deal with the movie Scream, directed by Wes Craven. The paper aims to explore why Scream was a huge success and how it differed from older slasher movies. It examines the film's self-referential nature, its parody of the horror genre, and the characters' knowledge of horror tropes, which contribute to the film's humor and irony.

• Scream's success and its departure from traditional slasher films
• The film's self-referential nature and its parody of horror conventions
• The characters' knowledge of horror tropes and their impact on the film's humor and irony
• The role of television and media in shaping the characters' perceptions and actions
• The film's ability to both entertain and scare the audience

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel

• The first source analyzed is a chapter from John Kenneth Muir's book Wes Craven – The Art of Horror. Muir argues that Scream is a horror masterpiece that is intelligent, witty, and scary. He sees the film as a reflection of the "VCR generation," which is cynical, knowledgeable about technology, and heavily influenced by media. Muir highlights the film's self-awareness, its references to other movies, and its use of television as a recurring motif. He also discusses how Scream subverts horror clichés while still managing to be frightening.
• The second source is a movie review by Dr. Harvey O'Brien, who finds Scream to be a clever parody but ultimately inane. He believes that the film's story is a variation of the common horror formula and that it lacks genuine horror despite its gory scenes. O'Brien criticizes the film's length and its reliance on in-jokes, arguing that they become ineffective over time.
• The third source is a movie review by Kim Newman, who sees Scream as a post-modern slasher film that goes beyond parody. She praises the film's witty parody, its ironic moments, and its ability to be genuinely scary. Newman also highlights the film's strong cast and its exploration of the relationship between movies and reality.
• The final source is a critique by Philipp Wallutat, who argues that Scream, while initially funny and scary, ultimately fails to create a lasting alternative to the old slasher film. He criticizes the film's excessive parody, which he believes alienates the clichés of the genre and makes it impossible to create tension. Wallutat sees Scream as a nostalgic rehash of the slasher genre rather than an innovative work.

Schlüsselwörter

The keywords and focus themes of the text include Scream, Wes Craven, slasher film, horror genre, parody, self-reference, irony, humor, media influence, television, post-modernism, and cinematic clichés. The text explores the film's success, its unique approach to the horror genre, and its impact on the slasher film tradition.

• Course: Films and Literature
• Grade: 1,0
• Author: Florian Schumacher (Author)
• Publication Year: 2004
• Pages: 8
• Catalog Number: V113197
• ISBN (eBook): 9783640135714
• Language: English
• Tags: Researched, Scream, Films, Literature