Monday, May 30, 2011

Scream to Scream, Scene by Scene: SCENE 22 of Scream 2 (1:06:11-1:09:15)

In this project I attempt to review the entire Scream trilogy scene by scene in chronological order. Heavy spoilers and gore throughout!



SCENE 22 of Scream 2
Length: 3min 4secs
Primary Characters: Sidney Prescott, Cotton Weary, Officer Andrews and Officer Richards
Pop Culture References:
  • Diane Sawyer (Cotton spoke to her)


I have wondered during the process of doing this project whether Williamson and/or Craven were trying to say something with the repeated use of latin texts. Setting your movie on a college campus filled with fraternities and sororities doesn't help, but just shots like this or the "Cassandra" aria from a couple of scenes ago... what are they pointing out. That Sidney's tale is like some fabled tragedy that could be told for centuries before and after? Hmmm... if anyone has anything to say about it, please do so in the comments!


So dated! Look at those computer monitors! Yowza. I love how when "Library Guy" (an uncredited Corey Mendell Parker) tells her she has an instant message to "hit Alt + M" it sounds like she's pressing about five different keys on the keyboard.


I guess that's one of those "that's her" looks Sidney mentioned earlier.


I know this bit is meant to be all "ooh scary", but I can't help by laugh at the hilarious computer graphics. I haven't the foggiest idea what Sidney is doing on that computer. That program looks like a technicolour cousin to MS DOS.


I like that the IM says "[cancel]".

Also, the way one of Sidney's guard's says "get away from the computer." Where do they move her to?


An empty doorway, of course!


All the better for someone to sneak up behind her I guess. See how they've decided to make Cotton the film's red herring. He likes to pop up behind people, you see! Just like Randy and Cici. JUST LIKE RANDY AND CICI!


Yet again there are some really good compositions going on here.


I just really liked this shot.


Not only does he snuck up behind young ingenues and intimidate them with thinly veils threats, he also wears chunky black shoes. Who else wears chunky black shoes? GHOSTFACE, that's who! I can't recall who I thought the killer was in Scream 2, but they really do try and make a good argument for Cotton, don't they?


"Sid, I'm not Billy Loomis - you killed him, he's he's dead. Remember?"

Yes, Cotton, I am sure she remembers killing the boyfriend who killed her mother and her friends and who has inspired a new killer to kill her new friends. Yes. I don't like this line, it just sounds so silly. What do you think?

Scream:
Intro, Scene 1 Scene 2, Scene 3, Scene 4, Scene 5, Scene 6, Scene 7, Scene 8, Scene 9, Scene 10, Scene 11, Scene 12, Scene 13, Scene 14, Scene 15, Scene 16, Scene 17, Scene 18, Scene 19, Scene 20, Scene 21, Scene 22, Scene 23, Scene 24, Scene 25, Scene 26, Scene 27, Scene 28, Scene 29, Scene 30, Scene 31 Scene 32, Scene 33, End Credits

Scream 2
Scene 1, Scene 2, Scene 3, Scene 4, Scene 5, Scene 6, Scene 7, Scene 8, Scene 9, Scene 10, Scene 11, Scene 12, Scene 13, Scene 14. Scene 15, Scene 16, Scene 17, Scene 18, Scene 19, Scene 20, Scene 21

5 comments:

Row-bin said...

I always thought it was so odd that she had to be told how to work the computer and receive the message, but in the first movie she had her own computer and was able to type-dial 911 no problem.

Brandon said...

I have always thought that Craven and Williamson had set up Sidney's journey as a Greek tragedy and I think the atmosphere mirrors that. As Gus says, she had to confront her fate, but I like how it's never heavy handed and that the idea isn't force fed to us.

But Cottons line I always thought was directed to the guards and not Sidney, saying "you killed him, he's dead" more as a general statement which makes it sound better in context.

MD said...

I think you might be onto something with your reference to tragedy. It could be entirely unintentional, but Craven might be connecting the idea of horror audiences knowing what would happen with the tragedy audiences already knowing the plot? The series was always trying to comment on convention, so I guess that could be an extension?

Or I could just be trying to pull something out of nothing! Still interesting to speculate about, although I do help someone else has a better theory.

This is my first time commenting, by the way. So I'll take this opportunity to tell you how much I love these movies and this series. I get excited every time I see a new post.

Tony said...

What do I think? I'm disappointed you don't share the same love for this scene as I do ;)

I don't know why, but I love this scene... hell, Cotton kicks ass in every scene he's in for Scream 2.

Sidney - We've had enough exposure, why would you want any more?

Cotton - Why? I don't know, maybe cause I FUCKING deserve a little exposure?

So good, ahha.

Glenn Dunks said...

MD, true. We think Scream takes it cues from stuff like Halloween, when really it's just re-using all the old stuff? Interesting thought.

Row-bin, I dunno... those computers look confusing to me! the type dial 911 thing was always weird though. They had that in Woodsboro?

Tony, I like the scene, but it's not amongst my favourite.