Welcome to Monster Madness

Welcome to the SPOOOOKIEST time of the year: October! Each week, we’re watching a horror movie and peeling back the layers of what makes it great—keeping spoilers light and chills heavy.

Today, we’re heading to Woodsboro, California, to stroll the blood-soaked hallways of Woodsboro High for Wes Craven’s self-aware gem: Scream (1996).

The Tips Are Frosted and the Phones Are Corded

Ah, the mid-’90s. Frosted tips. Corded phones. Teenagers obsessed with drinking, sex, and—most importantly—staying alive.

Our heroine Sidney Prescott is just trying to survive high school… and the trauma of her mother’s brutal murder one year prior. But as the anniversary approaches, a new string of killings begins—this time at the hands of a mask-wearing, knife-wielding maniac.

What follows is a gleeful whodunit, full of over-the-top deaths, red herrings, and meta commentary sharp enough to cut glass.

Camp for Camp’s Sake

Scream works because it knows exactly what it is. It’s a horror film about horror films—mocking the tropes while reveling in them.

Sidney, her boyfriend Billy, her wild friends Stu and Tatum, movie-obsessed Randy, tabloid reporter Gale, and lovable deputy Dewey all play exaggerated versions of slasher archetypes. Randy even acts like the movie’s internal narrator, explaining the “rules” of horror as the story unfolds.

The result is pure fun: a cocktail of mystery, comedy, and slasher chaos. You’ll jump, you’ll laugh, and then you’ll laugh again for jumping.

What’s Your Favorite Scary Movie?

The casting here is pitch-perfect. Neve Campbell anchors the film as Sidney, both vulnerable and resilient. Skeet Ulrich, Matthew Lillard, Rose McGowan, Jamie Kennedy, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette all bring just the right amount of camp energy.

And let’s not forget the legendary voice of Ghostface, performed by Roger L. Jackson. He’s been the consistent thread through decades of sequels, games, and TV adaptations. His voice alone is nightmare fuel—equal parts taunting and terrifying.

Rewriting the Rules

Wes Craven and screenwriter Kevin Williamson didn’t just parody horror—they reprogrammed it.

After years of tired sequels and generic killers, Scream injected life (and blood) back into the genre. It broke the fourth wall, mocked the clichés, and still managed to be a genuinely scary slasher in its own right.

Craven’s fingerprints from A Nightmare on Elm Street are all over this—especially the balance of horror and humor. He knew that audiences could laugh and scream at the same time.

The Legacy of Ghostface

Scream didn’t explode right away—it crept. Initial box office returns were modest, but word of mouth turned it into a cultural phenomenon, eventually grossing over $100 million.

Now, Ghostface is everywhere: from Mortal Kombat to Fortnite, from Halloween costumes to Scary Movie parodies. There’s even a new sequel planned for 2026.

The franchise has had highs and lows, sure—but few horror icons have had this much staying power or crossover appeal.

Final Word

Scream is one of my favorite scary movies, period. It’s smart without being smug, funny without losing tension, and somehow still feels fresh nearly 30 years later.

When that new sequel hits theaters, I’ll break my non-theater streak and grab my popcorn. Because for me, Scream isn’t just a movie—it’s the reason horror came back from the dead.