Movies News Talk
One of the most iconic horror series, Wes Craven's Scream is well-known for its meta-commentaries on horror films and for killing off well-known actors in opening scenes viewers typically would expect to survive. Deviating from the conventional story lines and themes of classic horror movies, the franchise has regularly transformed slasher films. The two most recent films center on the sisters, Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega) and Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera), while the first four movies in the chronological sequence chronicle Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell). Still, the show stays appealing with both fresh and returning characters, which makes it among the best slasher movies ever produced.
The Scream series is notable for its original attitude to the horror subgenre. Scream 2 marks one of the most important changes in the series since fresh criteria for the next ones are developed here.
Just as lethal and twisted as its predecessor, Scream 2 leaves viewers with a chaotic ending that calls careful examination. Two innovative rules the movie presented fundamentally altered the course of the Scream series.
Killing Off Main Survivors in Sequels
The first big guideline set in Scream 2 was the readiness to wipe off key sequel survivors. The shocking murder of Randy (Jamie Kennedy) destroyed the false hope that viewers at the end of the first film would have for the returning survivors in Scream 2 living once again. This audacious action confirmed that any character—regardless of their importance—could be a victim, so accentuating the horror and unpredictability of the series.
Scream 2 pushed the envelope of horror and left viewers with a fresh kind of terror by eliminating Randy, so subverting the conventional slasher movie formula of letting beloved characters survive. This change in the franchise not only raised the degree of horror but also produced a new dynamic whereby viewers could not be content about the safety of their favorite characters.
adding Ghostface's side characters
Scream 2's second main directive was that the killers would be fresh side characters. Set a standard for the rest of the series, this startling disclosure at the end of the movie exposes Mrs. Loomis and Mickey as the offenders. Constantly challenging their motives and fearing their potential as Ghostface, the audience could no longer believe any side character.
This action was a clever remark on the repetitious character of many horror movies, which sometimes feature the same killer in every one of them. The series injected a fresh layer of suspense and unpredictability by adding new side characters who might possibly become Ghostface, so continually keeping the audience on edge. This rule guaranteed that the identity of the offender would surprise viewers even though they could have expected at least one side character to be the killer.
Side Character Development in the Scream Franchise
The Scream Franchise developed on the rule of side characters becoming killers by adding the idea of some side characters surviving and turning into main characters in next sequels, only to be killed off later. The franchise gained still another level of complexity from this trend, which was typified by Cotton Weary (Liev Schreiber), a side character in the first movie who evolved into a main character in Scream 2 and was then killed off in Scream 3.
This rule offered a commentary on the cliché of side characters endowed with a special ability to outlive slasher villains. Scream, instead, underlined that even those who seem to take front stage in the plot are not safe in any sense. This strategy guaranteed that the franchise kept its horrific aspect by being ready to eliminate anyone, regardless of their supposed value.
The introduction of these two guidelines by Scream 2 had a significant effect on the Scream series and distinguishes it among other horror films. The franchise developed a distinctive and erratic story that constantly kept viewers intrigued and terrified by regularly following these guidelines. Challenging standards and stretching the bounds of what a slasher film could be, the series evolved into a meta-commentary on the horror genre itself.
With the confirmed development of Scream 7, it remains to be seen whether the franchise will follow its original course or veers off, so perhaps violating the guidelines set in Scream 2. Though its future is unknown, one thing is certain: the influence of Scream 2 will last for years to come.