In this project I attempt to review the entire Scream trilogy scene by scene in chronological order. Heavy spoilers and gore throughout!
SCENE 29 of
Scream 2Length: 15min 25secs
Primary Characters: Sidney Prescott, Gale Weathers, Debbie Salt aka Mrs Loomis, Mickey and Cotton Weary
Pop Culture References:- Psycho (visual reference)
- Friday the 13th (plot similarity - mother avenging son's death)
- Alan Dershowitz, Johnnie Cochrane and Bob Dole (Mickey's planned trial defense team)
And so we come to the big climax where all is revealed. I do love this scene. It lacks the "oh shit! this is really happening?!" electricity of
the first, but - much like the sequel's opening scene in comparison to the original's - is actually a bit more loopy fun. Let's take a look.
I like the idea of this on campus theatre being almost possessed, what with the lights turning on and the equipment starting up without anybody around. Of course, we all know that's not true and that the killers were simply placing an awful lot on the hope that Sidney would run back to the college campus after her recent run in with Ghostface in the car rather than run away as far as she possibly could from the scene of so many crimes.
Good work, Sidney. Good work.
I don't have anything to say here, I just like the shot.
I actually really like the setup. It works well in the film given the idea of a sequel needing to be "much more elaborate", but I think the way Craven filmed it was particularly great. So many wonderful shots like this one of Sidney almost slinking off into the darkness, but not being able to get away from the big bright light that constantly shines on her. Plus, I like the way they set up all the effects that the stage show has, reminding us of them, so that when Sidney uses them against the killers it feels organic.
I also think placing the big finale on an empty theatre stage - a nice mirror, by the way, to the opening that takes place in front of a packed cinema - fits in to Mickey's "it's all about the execution" idea and making it as grand as possible. I like to imagine Mrs Loomis hearing Mickey's plan for what to do with the big finale and humouring him with this rather outlandish stage bound idea because her son, Billy, would have appreciated it.
Oh hai Derek.
Hallie's Mickey's been running around all over campus because of you!
Talk about a fetish!
"I wouldn't do that if I were you. You really wanna trust your boyfriend?" *click* "Don't you know history repeats itself? Hmmm?"First of all, love that bit. I think it's the "hmmm?" that sells it. Second of all... the mystery of the crazy voice-changer strikes again. I haven't the foggiest idea how these machines work because when Billy/Stu/Sidney used them in the climax of
Scream they sounded nothing like the phone voice, and now here while the voice
does sound like the voice on the phone I also don't know how Mickey manages to turn it off from inside his mask. I guess he uses his tongue?
I imagine at this stage many people watching for the first time were all "who?" They would be stupid people, yeah? Okay, no, I sorta get that Mickey was obviously a second wrung - third? he probably is in the film just as much as Sister Lois and Sister Murphy - character that was shoved into the killer position after the Derek/Hallie combo got the shaft due to screenplay leaks, but only a dimwit couldn't remember who he was. People said the same thing about Roman in
Scream 3 and, to be honest, made more sense. People said the same thing about Charlie in
Scream 4 and that was really dumb. Do people even watch these movies?
And Mickey's fabulous,
FABULOUS hair remains in tact despite running around all night with a hood over it. He must be bordering on Ross Gellar levels of gel use!
"Since Derek here disappeared on my ass, I've been on my own all fuckin' night. Thanks a lot, partner"
"Motherfucker! Sid, he's crazy. You know me better than that."
"Come on Sid, I've gotta have a partner. I could've have possibly done this alone."Mickey is actually quite smart. He's also stupid, but sometimes quite smart. Great way to fuck with Sidney's mind here.
"Hmmm. Boyfriend, killer, boyfriend, killer, boyfriend, killer."I really love the rhythm that the dialogue in this scene has. While the
Scream 2 climax is far less referential and winking as the first, Timothy Olyphant really sells the part. He does crazy well and so despite the character being a weaker killer identity, in the end, it still works because Olyphant plays it precisely perfect.
In retrospect, knowing that Derek isn't one of the killers makes this playful smile of Mickey's so deliciously evil. Like watching a pair of experimental hamsters run around unsure of what's what as he plays wicked mind games with them.
"What do you think, Derek? Is Sidney experiencing some deja vu?"I can't say enough how much I enjoy the revelry that Mickey has in messing with Sidney's mind here. Again, so much credit must go to Olyphant. He obviously didn't have much else to do throughout the movie so he took his role as the killer in this scene and ran with it.
Aw, bye bye Derek. You were bright (maybe), funny (when?), handsome (except played by a douche so unbelievable as a nice guy), had a decent singing voice (hardly) and the kind of guy a girl would like to take home to "mom"...
"... if you had a mom."Zing. Ouch.
