What's your favourite scary movie?

What’s your favourite scary movie?

 This may be the question of a masked psychopath in Wes Craven’s Scream (1996) but this month it takes on particular relevance as we enter upon horror season. Those of us participating in 31 Days of Horror (watching a scary film for every day of October) will know the scope of the genre. From Universal’s Dracula (1931) to Interview with the Vampire (1994) by way of The Lost Boys (1987) vampires have been in vogue over the course of the last century. Zombies run amok in Night of the Living Dead (1968), The Evil Dead (1981) and 28 Days Later (2002). Poltergeists terrorise in House on Haunted Hill (1959). Torture porn hack and slash prevails in Hostel (2005). Demonic possession is forefront in The Exorcist (1973). Truly terrifying direction takes precedence in The Room (2002). Whilst these may seem disparate on the surface they are all a part of the scary movie genre and as perilous as it may seem to navigate between the subgenres, it is just as dangerous for the characters of these films. Thanks to the new wave of horror and the rise in meta self-aware fare of this postmodern era, these characters are just as savvy as the viewer now.
There are certain RULES that one must abide by in order to successfully survive a horror movie. For instance, number one: you can never have sex. Sex equals death, okay? Number two: you can never drink or do drugs. The sin factor! It's a sin. It's an extension of number one. And number three: never, ever, ever under any circumstances say, ‘I'll be right back’. Because you won't be back. (Scream, 1996)

Scream undoubtedly changed the face of horror and is a cut above the slasher genre; the Master of Horror Craven gives it satirical bite that is often lacking in the legion of wannabes that have since spawned following the film’s success. The fact it’s the brainchild of the screenwriter of Dawson’s Creek is a scary concept on its own, but it’s a horror film with a new breed of killer; a cine-literate indestructible nerd. As Billy wields the knife towards Sidney he berates, ‘No Sid, don’t you blame the movies. Movies don’t create psychos. Movies make psychos more creative!’. As the opening to the film kills off the film’s biggest star Drew Barrymore, the first in the series boasts knowledge is power and the key to survival. Ghostface quizzes her on her horror film knowledge (ironically on Craven’s own staple of the genre A Nightmare on Elm Street, 1984, announcing the sequels ‘sucked’) and as she takes a stab (no pun intended) to no avail he disembowels her boyfriend and later her. It’s the self-referential nature of Scream that even the viewer as well as the characters have to be aware of in order to enjoy the in-jokes and homage/pastiche that the film offers up.
There are certain rules that one must abide by in order to create a successful sequel. Number one: the body count is always bigger. Number two: the death scenes are always much more elaborate – more blood, more gore – carnage candy. And number three: never, ever, under any circumstances, assume the killer is dead. (Scream 2, 1997)
The Scream franchise is steeped in horror movie lore, treading a fine line between reference and theft. Each character is so well versed in popular culture it’s like the genre’s answer to a Quentin Tarantino film. Randy dispenses the horror movie rules in the first film watching Halloween, yelling for Jamie Lee Curtis to duck as Michael Myers stalks her. In the sequel Cici flips through channels and lands on silent German Expressionist classic Nosferatu (1922). Issuing the above quote Randy’s post-mortem video blog warns of the dangers facing the characters in a sequel, a twist of being resurrected when thought dead usually afforded to the villain. Scream 3 tackles broad Hollywood humour as it further satirises the genre with bigger name stars such as Carrie Fisher spoofing herself. Each sequel incorporates intertextuality with the movie-within-a-movie template of the ‘Stab’ films which mimic the previous film’s events. After lying dormant for a decade Scre4m (2011) surfaced like the 1996 original on speed with the formula upping the ante. The intro has so many fake-out gags it blurs the line between movies and real life. Hayden Panettiere plays an extended version of Barrymore’s killer quiz reeling off every horror remake of the previous twenty years and supplying the viewer with a to-watch list to last out the season. So, to make sure you survive 31 Days of Horror this year you better brush up on your scary movies!