Scream to Scream, Scene by Scene: SCENE 29 of Scream 2 (1:29:53-1:45:18)

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 2
Length: 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.

Scream to Scream, Scene by Scene: SCENE 28 of Scream 2 (1:29:09-1:29:52)

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



SCENE 28 of Scream 2
Length: 0min 43secs
Primary Characters: Gale Weathers, Cotton Weary and Debbie Salt
Pop Culture References:

• None
  

A tiny scene this one, but pivotal for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it acts as a bridge between scenes and gives Gale a reason to be at the big climax. Secondly, and more importantly, it adds further dimension to the Gale/Cotton relationship and gives Cotton's heroic reveal an added dimension.


Yeah, I'd probably react that way if giant booming music suddenly appeared as I walked right into a prime suspect in the serial killings to which I was very nearly a victim of.


Love the bait and switch here. The sight of Cotton with blood all over his hands surely implies - as Gale suspects - that he is a killer, and this suspicion results in her running right into the open arms of the actual killer, someone she didn't suspect for a single moment. It works though because even if Cotton was the killer it would have made sense as a viable outcome (and still makes more sense than, say, Mickey), and yet still one that could have shocked. By including this bit here his hero turn in the climax proves to be the real Cotton Weary twist. If that makes sense. Does that make sense? It probably doesn't make sense. Basically what I mean "omg fake twist!! ooh!"


Yes, Gale's trust issues result in her running right into the real killer's web, but if you were her and saw Cotton with someone's blood all over them you'd probably suspect him to be a homicidal maniac, too!


Not a good look. Also, I love thinking that Naomi Watts and Liev Shreiber have DVD nights where they watch their old pre-fame horror movies like this and Children of the Corn 4: The Gathering. Liev clearly has the upper hand in that fight.


Run Gale, run! I've said it time and time again, but I love how so much of Scream 2 follows the blueprint of the original Scream to the letter and yet it never once feels like it's being repetitious or stale. Sometimes it's obvious like the replication of the "opening scene" and all that, but other times it's less obvious like this bit. This part actually reminds me of when Sidney turns around to see Stu and asks for help, only to discover that oops he's a killer!


"Gale, I was right in the middle of a story."


"I've got your god damn story!"


"The killer is Cotton FUCKING Weary!"


"Cotton Weary?!?"
Firstly, I love Courteney's line reading of "Cotton FUCKING Weary!"

Secondly, I love how completely obvious it is from Debbie Salt's reaction that she's actually the killer. Of course, I wouldn't have noticed this the first time, but her "gee!" tone of sarcasm is really obvious. To be honest, even her mere presence in the proceedings this late in the game was a big giveaway I say, since these sort of secondary characters either die or disappear by this stage unless, as is the case here, they turn out to be the mystery villain. Meanwhile, say hello to Laurie Metcalfe's crazy bug eyes! They'll be with us in full force during the next scene.

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, Scene 22, Scene 23, Scene 24, Scene 25, Scene 26, Scene 27

Scream to Scream, Scene by Scene: SCENE 5 of Scream 2 (0:17:16-0:22:13)

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



SCENE 5 of Scream 2
Length: 4mins 57secs
Primary Characters: Gale Weathers, Joel the Cameraman (Duane Martin), Debbie Salt (Laurie Metcalf), Chief Hartley (Lewis Arquette), Sidney Prescott, Randy Meeks, Derek, Mickey, Hallie, Sorority Sister Lois (Rebecca Gayheart), Sorority Sister Murphy (Portia de Rossi), Portia de Rossi's Eyebrows (Themselves)
Pop Culture References:

• Kevin Bacon ("Six degrees of Kevin Bacon" is mentioned)
  

Wow! Awesome crane shot! Wow! So cinematic!

Okay, seriously, let's get to that recently released Canadian trailer for Scream 4 before we get carried away with this scene. I haven't blogged about it yet because a) I've had minimal time and b) it keeps getting taken down, but "Steve" left a link in the comments of an entry so now we have one! yeehaw!


We won't talk about it too much, but needless to say I am excited. Reveals more of the characters (both in terms of number and in terms of their actual character traits and so forth) than the last teaser, which I like. My favourite bit is the "do you like scary movies?" gag that Emma Roberts and Hayden Panattiere share in the bedroom. It reminds me of this bit between Sidney and Randy where it really felt like they were a group of friends who had existed before scene 1.

Some of the scares look very good, such as the Adam Brody one at the end and Sidney's rooftop chase looks intriguing. Could she be getting chased by two Ghostface-clad killers at the same time? It's certainly something the franchise has never done before. Or, not done obviously so with two physical Ghostface beings in the same shot. Should be interesting to see. I like that they include a replication of a shot from the opening scene of Scream 2 and, hello, Kirby's (Panattiere) reciting of remakes of "groundbreaking" horror movies. Well, apart from the use of the word "groundbreaking", which just sounds silly. Nevertheless, we'll go with it, okay?

So, in the end, I like the trailer and it just made me even more excited. A new HD version has been released to the Apple website and it's the US version. There are a couple of shots that are different, but other than that it's all the same. Less than four months to go, you guys! Can we wait? No we can't, but we'll have to. Back to "Scream to Scream", okay?


Oh hai Gale! So glad to have you back and looking as bitchy as ever. She looks so feline-like; can you imagine 1997 era Courteney Cox as Catwoman? Now that would be a re-interpretation that I'd be on board for (ahem Mr Nolan!) Of the three hairstyles Gale had throughout the trilogy, this one is by far the best. As Dewey would say, "nice streaks!"


Love the look on Gale's face when her new cameraman, Joel, tells her he "almost won an award" for shooting the local bingo championships. The character of Derek is an interesting one though since he's the only black character in the entire trilogy who does not die (albeit, from a very small number of black characters - what's that about? A point so chin-stroke worthy that they put Deon Richmond on the poster for Scream 3 despite being in all of 3 minutes of the film!) We'll discuss this more later on.


Look at "Debbie Salt" hanging around there in the background. Whosoever idea it was (that'd be Lisa Beach) to cast Laurie freakin' Metcalf in a slasher horror movie deserves a medal. Yet again, one of this series' biggest assets is its ability to cast actors that we all know in unexpected parts. Not just mere cameos, but actual parts. I mean, Roseanne's sister Jackie as the killer in Scream 2 just sounds ridiculous and yet utterly amazing.


"Excuse me, Ms Weathers, could I have a minute? Just one second. I know you must get this all the time, but I just wanna say I am such a big fan of your work. I just finished your book, I couldn't put it down. Insightful, probing, I just really, really loved your book."


"Thank you, thanks."


"Sure. I'm a writer myself, I just write for the local paper. I'm Debbie Salt. I took your seminar in Chicago last year, I was the one in the front row asking all the questions."


"Right, I thought you looked familiar."


"Aw, thank you. Can't wait to see the movie! You know, you must be getting a lot of flak on that, right? What with all the violence in cinema issues. What is your position going to be?"
"No comment."


"Mr Weathers, it would be such an honour for me if I could just get a quote from you for my story."


"Okay. Begin quote."
"Great!"
"Your flattering remarks are both obvious and desperate. End quote."


(from the background) "Ouch!"
This entire bit is gold, from Gale's so-couldn't-care-less almost monotone replies of "thank you" and "Right, I thought you looked familiar", but my favourite bit is the "ouch!" from the press gallery after Gale's big line at the end. It's so sassy talk show host, I love it! Plus, knowing in retrospect that "Debbie Salt" (aka Mrs Loomis, Billy's mother) is the mastermind behind the killings makes you realise how much she must be full of rage at this moment and plotting her revenge.


That would be David Arquette's father - and Courteney Cox's future father-in-law - Lewis Arquette. It really was a family affair on set!


You remember how I said Scream 2 followed a very set structure, almost identical to the original, for the first half an hour or so? Well I guess this is Scream 2's version of the fountain scene where we get to see all of Sidney's crew in one place and suss out the likely suspects. No jokes about gutting, livers in mailboxes and Sharon Stone, unfortunately.


"Sidney, look, it's Gale Weathers. Star of the Gale Weathers press conference, based on the book by Gale Weathers, soon to be a major motion picture starring... Gale Weathers."
"Be kind, she saved our lives."

I like that Randy makes a joke about Gale having calf implants. Who has calf implants? Gale Weathers, that's who!


We already discussed the history of Sarah Michelle Gellar's Cici character and how she was originally meant to be in this scene with Rebecca Gayheart, Portia de Rossi and Portia de Rossi's eyebrows. Every time I remember this scene I remember it with Gellar purely of the image found on this page since it was, for some reason, widely used and circulated. It always confuses me because Cici is "Omega Beta Zeta" in her death scene and Gayheart/de Rossi/de Rossi's Eyebrows are not OBZ. Thinking its all one giant plot hole I then remember all the kerfuffle about her character reshuffle and then I go calm again. Although, if you look carefully in the background you can see Cici standing there in her purple top and blonde hair right where she would be saying "Starfuckers" per the original script.


But, really folks, are you read for the big entrance of Portia de Rossi's eyebrows??


"This must be flat out hell for you?!"
Amazing!


"It's really weird, isn't it? To think this fuss is all because of you! I mean, not directly, but in some 'six degrees of Kevin Bacon' way!"
EVEN MORE AMAZING OMG!!!!


Hah. That look of a stunned mullet on the faces of Derek and Mickey always continues my chuckle from Portia de Rossi's supreme comedic prowess.


*explodes*
I'm sorry, I have to give myself a minute to pull myself up off the floor from the pits of laughter that Portia de Rossi's cocked eyebrow sends me into. I fuckin' love it!

Of course, how can I get that snobby-looking uptight sorority girl to the right of frame. She's not credited so I don't know who the actress is, but my god would you look at her face. You just know she grew up to be Julie Cooper-Nichol.


"Who's that?" Derek asks... why it's Dewey, of course! Yay! We all love Deputy Dewey, don't we? DON'T WE?

Cut to a new scene and serious time. Ooh...

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