Scream (1996)

Director:

Wes Craven

Writer (WGA):

Kevin Williamson (written by)

Release Date:

20 December 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Horror | Mystery

Tagline:

Don't Answer The Phone. Don't Open The Door. Don't Try To Escape.

Plot:

A killer known as Ghostface begins killing off teenagers, and as the body count begins rising, one girl and her friends find themselves contemplating the "Rules" of horror films as they find themselves living in a real-life one.

Plot Keywords:

Death | Mask | Tabloid | Murder | High School

Awards:

7 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Drew Barrymore	...	Casey
Roger Jackson	...	Phone Voice (voice)
Kevin Patrick Walls	...	Steve
David Booth	...	Casey's Father
Carla Hatley	...	Casey's Mother
Neve Campbell	...	Sidney
Skeet Ulrich	...	Billy
Lawrence Hecht	...	Mr. Prescott
Courteney Cox	...	Gale Weathers
W. Earl Brown	...	Kenny
Rose McGowan	...	Tatum
Lois Saunders	...	Mrs. Tate
David Arquette	...	Deputy Dewey
Joseph Whipp	...	Sheriff Burke
Matthew Lillard	...	Stuart
Jamie Kennedy	...	Randy
Lisa Beach	...	TV Reporter #1
Tony Kilbert	...	TV Reporter #2
C.W. Morgan	...	Hank Loomis
Frances Lee McCain	...	Mrs. Riley
Liev Schreiber	...	Cotton Weary
Troy Bishop	...	Expelled Teen #1
Ryan Kennedy	...	Expelled Teen #2
Leonora Scelfo	...	Cheerleader in Bathroom
Nancy Anne Ridder	...	Girl in Bathroom (as Nancy Ann Ridder)
Lisa Canning	...	Reporter with Mask
Bonnie Wood	...	Young Girl in Video Store
Aurora Draper	...	Party Teen #1
Kenny Kwong	...	Party Teen #2
Justin Sullivan	...	Teen on Couch
Kurtis Bedford	...	Bored Teen
Angela Miller	...	Girl on Couch
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Linda Blair	...	Obnoxious Reporter (uncredited)
Wes Craven	...	Fred the Janitor (uncredited)
Matt McDonald	...	Video Customer (uncredited)
Henry Winkler	...	Principal Arthur Himbry (uncredited)

Directed by
Wes Craven

Writing credits (WGA)
Kevin Williamson		(written by)

Produced by
Stuart M. Besser	....	co-executive producer
Dixie J. Capp	....	co-producer
Cathy Konrad	....	producer
Marianne Maddalena	....	executive producer
Nicholas Mastandrea	....	associate producer (as Nicholas C. Mastandrea)
Bob Weinstein	....	executive producer
Harvey Weinstein	....	executive producer
Cary Woods	....	producer

Original Music by
Marco Beltrami

Cinematography by
Mark Irwin		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Patrick Lussier

Casting by
Lisa Beach

Production Design by
Bruce Alan Miller

Art Direction by
David Lubin

Set Decoration by
Michele Poulik

Costume Design by
Cynthia Bergstrom

Makeup Department
Howard Berger	....	special makeup effects supervisor
Kamar Bitar	....	special makeup effects coordinator
Karen Bradley	....	makeup artist
Lynn Marie Curreri	....	hair stylist
Theodore Haines	....	special makeup effects crew (as Theodore J. Haines)
Bill Hunt	....	special makeup effects crew
Garrett Immel	....	special makeup effects crew
Robert Kurtzman	....	special makeup effects supervisor
Melanie Levitt	....	makeup artist
Robert Maverick	....	special makeup effects crew
Gregory Nicotero	....	special makeup effects supervisor (as Greg Nicotero)
Barbara Olvera	....	key hair stylist
Kris Ravetto	....	makeup artist
Christina Raye	....	hair stylist
Carol Schwartz	....	key makeup artist
Christine Stahl	....	special makeup effects crew
Ramon Velazco	....	special makeup effects crew
Shawn Finch	....	additional hair stylist (uncredited)
Louis Kiss	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Daniel K. Arredondo	....	post-production supervisor
Stuart M. Besser	....	unit production manager (as Stuart Besser)
Cary Granat	....	executive in charge of production
Richard Potter	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Daniel K. Arredondo	....	second second assistant director
Heather French	....	dga trainee
Nicholas Mastandrea	....	first assistant director (as Nicholas C. Mastandrea)
Lucille OuYang	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Charlene Barr	....	art department production assistant
Braxton Bragg	....	carpenter
Robert Burg	....	painter
James Burke	....	stand-by greensman
Victoria Carlson	....	stand-by painter
Robert J. Carlyle	....	construction coordinator (as Robert Carlyle)
Debra Echard	....	additional set decorator
Josh Ian Elliott	....	on-set dresser (as Josh Elliot)
David Erickson	....	painter
William A. Fobert	....	construction general foreperson
Wendy Gayner	....	painter
Lori Harrison	....	property buyer
Lori Harrison	....	set dresser
Bernie Honigman	....	painter
John Paul 'J.P.' Jones	....	property master (as John 'J.P.' Jones)
Richard Lambert	....	lead person
Gerald Lehtola	....	art department coordinator
Kenny Montante	....	local lead person (as Ken Montante)
Carrie Nardello	....	painter
Scott Newell	....	carpenter
Teresa Nielsen	....	paint foreperson
Nanci Noblett	....	set designer
Katsuhiko Okada	....	carpenter
Leslie Turnbull	....	painter
John 'Skip' Weaver	....	assistant property master
Art Williams	....	carpenter
Dwight Williams	....	local construction coordinator
Skip Crank	....	props (uncredited)
Phillip Thoman	....	lead greensman (uncredited)
Gary Thomas	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
John K. Adams	....	adr supervisor (as John Adams)
Rick Alexander	....	sound re-recording mixer
Roy Baker	....	foley artist
Paul Benedici	....	foley mixer
Beau Biggart	....	adr mixer
Paul B. Clay	....	sound supervisor (as Paul Clay)
Tom E. Dahl	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Tom Dahl)
James DiStefano	....	cable person
Stan Fiferman	....	foley artist
Sam Gemette	....	sound effects editor
Richard Bryce Goodman	....	sound mixer
Bob Goold	....	dialogue editor
Tom Ketterer	....	sound assistant
Steve Kohler	....	sound recordist
Vanessa Lapato	....	sound assistant
Marla McGuire	....	dialogue editor
Jean-Marie Mitchell	....	sound assistant
Vic Radulich	....	dialogue editor
Sean Rush	....	boom operator
Leslie Shatz	....	sound re-recording mixer
Pat Somerset	....	adr editor (as Patrick Somerset)
Ken Somerville	....	foley mixer
Chris Sparkes	....	pdl
Lee Tinkham	....	adr mixer
Scott A. Tinsley	....	sound effects editor (as Scott Tinsley)
Dinia D. Watkins	....	sound coordinator
John O. Wilde	....	dialogue editor (as John Wilde)

Special Effects by
Mark R. Byers	....	special effects foreman (as Mark Byers)
Frank Ceglia	....	special effects supervisor

Stunts
Noby Arden	....	stunt performer
Christine Anne Baur	....	stunt performer (as Christine Baur)
Clay Boss	....	stunt performer
Anthony Cecere	....	stunt coordinator
Christopher Doyle	....	stunt performer
Dane Farwell	....	stunt performer
Frank Lloyd	....	stunt performer
Kathy Marshall	....	stunt performer
Allen Robinson	....	stunt performer
Lynn Salvatori	....	stunt performer
Lee Waddell	....	stunt performer
Deborah Alexander	....	stunt double (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Joseph J. Allen	....	grip (as Joe Allen)
Kevin Ball	....	second company grip
Jason Boccaleoni	....	lighting technician
Marty Brenneis	....	video playback 24 frame
Jeffrey N. Civa	....	second assistant camera
Egor Davidoff	....	camera loader
Peter Deming	....	additional director of photography
Ron Diggory	....	rigging grip
Dick Dova	....	grip
Bernie Druckman	....	video playback 24 frame
Lisa K. Ferguson	....	camera loader (as Lisa Ferguson)
Norris Fong	....	grip
Kirk R. Gardner	....	Steadicam operator
Paul Hughen	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Doug Hunt	....	video assist operator
Dan Kneece	....	Steadicam operator
Mark A. Lewis	....	rigging lighting technician (as Mark Lewis)
Steven Mann	....	Steadicam assistant (as Steve Mann)
Scott Medcalf	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Nicholas Meeks	....	grip
David Moir	....	still photographer
Marie Pedersen	....	Steadicam assistant (as Marie Pederson)
Scott Andrew Ressler	....	first assistant camera (as Scott Ressler)
Jamie Ronnei	....	grip (as James Ronnei)
Charles J. Schray	....	dolly grip
Mark Shankel	....	grip
Charles M. Smallwood	....	first company grip
Kelsey Smith	....	lighting technician
Richard Spah Jr.	....	grip (as Richard Spah)
Penny Sprague	....	Steadicam assistant
Steven Strong	....	lighting technician
Terry Sullivan	....	lighting technician
Robert D. Tomer	....	camera operator: "a" camera (as Robert Tomer)
Renee Treyball	....	second assistant camera
Gary Katsuya Ushino	....	first assistant camera (as Gary Ushino)
Mark Van Loon	....	Steadicam operator
Jay W. Yowler	....	chief lighting technician
Dario SanMiguel	....	grip (uncredited)
John E. Stephens	....	grip (uncredited)
Gary Katsuya Ushino	....	Steadicam assistant (uncredited)

Casting Department
Barbara Harris	....	adr voice casting
Nancy Hayes	....	extras casting
Nancy Hayes	....	local casting
Sarah Katzman	....	casting assistant
Merv Ladd	....	extras casting
Merv Ladd	....	local casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ricki Fournier	....	costumer
Mathew Hooey	....	costume supervisor
Patricia Kazmierowski	....	costumer
Gary J. Saldutti	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Lynn Dupre	....	apprentice editor
Peter Devaney Flanagan	....	first assistant editor
Paul Kieran	....	assistant editor
Ryan Krayser	....	post-production assistant
Mike Mertens	....	color timer (as Michael Mertens)
Yvonne Valdez	....	second assistant editor
Tina Anderson	....	post-production assistant (uncredited)

Music Department
Pete Anthony	....	orchestrator (as Peter Anthony)
Marco Beltrami	....	conductor
William Boston	....	orchestrator (as William A. Boston)
Tim Boyle	....	score mixer
Julian Bratolyubov	....	music preparation
Ed Gerrard	....	music consultant
Jeff Rabhan	....	music supervisor (as Jeffrey Rabhan)
Rose Thomson	....	background vocals
Ken Watson	....	orchestra contractor
E. Gedney Webb	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Pete Brocco	....	driver
Bruce Callahan	....	driver
Kevin Carstenson	....	driver
Jeff Coffman	....	driver
Ben Davis	....	driver
Steve Earle	....	driver
Don Feeney	....	driver
Mike Ford	....	driver
Scotty Goudreau	....	driver
David Joseph	....	driver
Rose Malley	....	driver
John Martin	....	driver
John Mattson	....	driver
Glenn Midcap	....	driver
Brian Joseph Moore	....	driver (as Brian Moore)
John Peters	....	driver
Dan Porteous	....	driver
Carsten Rabehl	....	driver
Derek Raser	....	transportation coordinator
Susan Rice	....	driver
Mike Sawyer	....	driver
Ken Skinner	....	driver
Rick Suggett	....	driver
Geoff Teagardin	....	driver
J.T. Thayer	....	transportation captain
Earl Thielen	....	driver
Tracy Thielen	....	driver
Henry Travers	....	driver
Chuck Visconte	....	driver
Jill Wattles	....	driver
Gene Hubert	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Steve Alterman	....	adr loop group
Casey Bishop	....	adr loop group
Paul Boettiger	....	production assistant
Tara Boger	....	adr loop group
Alice Brooks	....	adr loop group (as Alice Livingston)
Robert Cable	....	accounting assistant
James Capp	....	production assistant
Jessica Closson	....	production assistant
David Crockett	....	production accountant
David Denison	....	production assistant
Andrew Durham	....	assistant production office coordinator
John Embry	....	production assistant (as John D. Embry)
Lauren Feige	....	production assistant
Greg Finley	....	adr loop group
Laura Galt	....	adr loop group
Ivan Genit II	....	assistant production accountant
Ivan Genit II	....	payroll accountant
Michael D. Gillis	....	location assistant
Thomas M. Harrigan	....	assistant location manager (as Thomas Harrigan)
Doris Hess	....	adr loop group
Eric Klosterman	....	location manager
Mary Ellen Leonard	....	craft service
Ivy K. Lukas	....	production assistant
Kristen March	....	assistant: Mr. Woods
Chad Maxwell	....	production assistant
Lisa McCampbell	....	assistant: Ms. Maddalena
David McCharen	....	adr loop group
Jeremy Miller	....	adr loop group
Mo Milligan	....	assistant: Ms. Konrad
Julie Plec	....	assistant: Mr. Craven
Claire Raskind	....	unit publicist
Noreen Reardon	....	adr loop group
Lizzie Schwartz	....	assistant: Mr. Woods
Sam Shank	....	production assistant
Justin Shenkarow	....	adr loop group
Michelle Stevens	....	accounting production assistant
David Thornsberry	....	additional location manager
Christian Evol Wadman	....	production assistant
Annie Welles	....	script supervisor
Dean Wright	....	production office coordinator
Katherine Zilavy	....	production secretary
Brian Dettor	....	office production assistant (uncredited)
Theresa Donahoe	....	stand-in: Neve Campbell (uncredited)
James Marlowe	....	location scout (uncredited)
Stephanie Siemiller	....	photo double (uncredited)

Thanks
Sheree Green	....	special thanks
Frank Okun	....	special thanks
Les Perry	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Dimension Films (presents)
• Woods Entertainment

Distributors

• Dimension Films (1996) (USA) (theatrical)
• Becker Home Video (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Laurenfilm (1997) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Scanbox Entertainment (1997) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (1997) (UK) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (1997) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Filmes Castello Lopes (1997) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Les Films Number One (1997) (France) (theatrical)
• Kinepolis Film Distribution (KFD) (1997) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Asmik Ace Entertainment (1997) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Lider Films (1997) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Cecchi Gori Group (1997) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Kinowelt Filmverleih (1997) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Alliance (199?) (Canada) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (199?) (Luxembourg) (theatrical)
• Dimension Home Video (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• E1 Entertainment Benelux (2010) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Fox Network (1999) (USA) (TV)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Lionsgate Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• MAWA Film & Medien (1998) (Germany) (DVD)
• RCV Home Entertainment (1998) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• RCV Home Entertainment (1999) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• RTL (????) (Germany) (TV)
• RTL2 (2006) (Germany) (TV) (as "Scream - Schrei!")
• Vídeo Arte (199?) (Brazil) (VHS)

Special Effects

• K.N.B. Effects Group

Other Companies

• Alexander, Halloran, Nau & Rose  legal services
• Anvil Post Production  foley recording
• Buena Vista Sound  re-recording facilities
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Clay Digital Sound  sound editing
• Compass International Pictures  Halloween footage courtesy of
• Consolidated Film Industries (CFI)  titles and opticals
• Creative Casting  casting
• Dennis Reiff and Associates  insurance
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Film Finances  special thanks
• Fun World Division of Easter Unlimited Inc.  Ghost Mask courtesy of
• Great Northern Brokerage Services  insurance
• Hayes & Van Horn Casting  local extras casting
• Inter Video  24 frame video services
• K!SSPROOF Entertainment  cast appearance booking
• Lightworks  edited on
• MCA/Universal Pictures  Frankenstein footage courtesy of
• Movie Movers  cast trailers
• Movie Movers  star trailers
• RD Negative Cutting  negative cutting
• Sonoma County Film Commission, The  special thanks
• The City of Healdsburg  special thanks
• The Santa Rosa City School Governing Board  no thanks whatsoever
• The Santa Rosa Doubletree Hotel  special thanks
• The Sonoma Community Center  special thanks
• Tomkats Catering  catering

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for strong graphic horror violence and gore, and for language

Runtime:

111 min | Germany:103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:16 (director's cut) | Australia:MA | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:R (Manitoba/Ontario) | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | France:-16 | Germany:16 (cut) (video version) (1997-2011) | Germany:18 (original rating) (1996-2011) | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:18 | Israel:16 | Italy:VM14 | Japan:PG-12 (director's cut) | Mexico:B | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 (original rating) | Norway:18 (director's cut) | Portugal:M/16 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | Greece:K-17 | Brazil:14 | South Korea:(Banned) (original rating) | South Korea:18 (re-rating) | Iceland:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Singapore:PG (cut) | Philippines:R-18 | Sweden:18 (director's cut) | Austria:16 | USA:NC-17 (original rating) | France:-12 (re-rating) | Netherlands:12 (tv rating) | USA:TV-MA (tv rating) | Canada:18+ (TV rating) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Germany:16 (re-rating) (uncut) (2011) | South Korea:15 (re-rating) (2011) | Brazil:16 (re-rating) (2010) | Romania:I.C.-14

Filming Locations:

Bradley Video, Santa Rosa, California, USA

Company:

Dimension Films

Trivia:

At the breakfast table, Tatum can be seen pouring milk from a Lucerne milk carton. Lucerne is a local dairy company located in Sonoma County, CA, where the movie was filmed.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Gale is driving the news van, she brakes suddenly while in reverse, causing the cameraman's body to fall onto the windshield. Since she was going backward, inertia would have cause the body to continue going backward, falling instead from the back of the vehicle.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Casey:Hello?
Phone Voice:Hello.
Casey:Yes?
Phone Voice:Who is this?
Casey:Who are you trying to reach?
Phone Voice:What number is this?
Casey:Well, what number are you trying to reach?
Phone Voice:I don't know.
Casey:I think you have the wrong number.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Entrei em Pânico ao Saber o que Vocês Fizeram na Sexta-feira 13 do Verão Passado (2001)

Soundtrack:

Artificial World (Interdimensional Mix)

Iconic, unique, fresh, a definitive new horror

Scream With the countless number of teen slasher movies doing the rounds, it is too easy to watch scream and see simply another school serial killer movie that has just rolled off the factory production line. However, it was Wes Craven's 'Scream' that started the whole revival of the horror genre and re-invented the teen horror. Through no fault of its own, but rather a succession of bland rip-offs, not to mention a very successful spoof (Scary Movie), Scream's original impact has been severely dulled. Were Scream released today it would no doubt be moderately successful but would be instantly forgettable. But back in 1996 the teen horror market was wide open. The teenagers of the 90s were bored of traditional horror movies featuring haunted houses, vampires or deformed monsters. They had seen them all. So Wes Craven, having reinvigorated the horror genre once before with 'Nightmare on Elm Street', set out to do it again. This time, along with Kevin Williamson, who would go on to be creator of Dawson's Creek, created a new kind of horror – one that you could laugh at as well as scream at.

What made Scream so successful is that it was never patronising, and displayed a strong sense of ironic self-awareness. It took every horror cliché in the book and turned them upside down. For the kids that had seen too many movies, there was now a movie for them. The characters did not follow the clichés, but in fact talked about them, and talked about what would happen if they were in a movie. This sense of irony may seem tired now, but when Scream came out it was new and exciting. There was rarely a need to scream 'don't go upstairs' or suchlike in Scream, because the characters themselves were saying that! The idea of the killer being amongst the students adds a fresh dimension to the film, as fear gives way to paranoia at not being able to trust anyone. The subversions of the accepted horror clichés, in particular in the opening ten minutes (I'm not going to give anything away for those who have not seen it) also contribute to making Scream a truly shocking movie. It was this sense of innovation that made Scream such a breath of fresh air for the horror genre, and it is only a shame that Craven's genius has been ripped off so many times that his work has dated far too quickly. Craven and Williamson have also created a new horror star – but it was not a particular character but just a costume with an iconic mask. The Scream mask has become just as symbolic, perhaps even more so, than that of Michael Myers or Jason Vorhees.

For any serious horror movie fans, Scream is essential viewing, if only to witness the film that started it all. The 'movie within a movie' idea was terrific, and would be taken even further in the sequel. The frequent references to classic horror movies, and reversals of accepted horror clichés, especially in the opening ten minutes) are also fun to watch out for. There is even a wonderful moment where one boy climbs in the bedroom window of his girlfriend – a scene that would be taken and used as one of the foundation for Williamson's successful teen series Dawson's Creek.

The iconic mask, the one-liners, and the unique self-awareness when it comes to horror clichés make Scream a true original – accept no imitations.