For your chance to win a copy of Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy on DVD and a poster signed by the creative team behind the documentary (who also brings you Scream: The Inside Story), simply email ScreamExaminer@aol.comby no later than 11:59 PM EST on Friday, September 16, 2011. Be sure to include “giveaway” in the subject line. (Two other individuals will receive signed posters.)
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Today, SFE reviews Scream: The Inside Story—a feature length documentary that debuted on the Bio. Channel last spring and found a permanent home on the Scream 5-Film Set, released last week by Miramax/Lionsgate.
Directed by Dan Farrands, written/produced by Thommy Hutson and associate produced by Lito Velasco, Inside Story benefits greatly from its 90-minute running time, which allows for a penetrating look at the original film of a franchise that forever redefined the face of fear. Further bolstering the project is the participation of Scream veterans Wes Craven, Neve Campbell and David Arquette, as well as an assortment of other familiar names and faces, both from in front of and behind the camera.
While Scream’s inception has been extensively chronicled throughout the years, no predecessor has traced its origins as methodically as Inside Story. This film devotes as much time to the development and pre-production stages of Scream as it does to the actual filming and theatrical release, which allows for a much broader view than is customary. For instance, viewers are treated to a brief account of the actual case—the Gainesville murders—that inspired Williamson’s initial idea, as well as a retelling of the phone conversation that Williamson had with a friend which resulted in some of the most memorable dialogue from the film’s opening sequence with Drew Barrymore. (This is a welcome extension to the “inspired by Halloween” motif.)
While the script was fleshed out in a matter of days while Williamson holed himself up in Palm Springs, the road to shooting was a much bumpier affair. Among the setbacks (which hardcore fans will almost certainly recall) were Craven’s initial reluctance to direct the project, Drew Barrymore’s last-minute decision to forego the leading role of Sidney Prescott in preference of playing first victim Casey Becker, and a bitter dispute with the Santa Rosa school board that led to the production being moved elsewhere. More mundane (but still paramount) concerns were finding the killer’s “ghost mask” and wardrobe, as the script was fairly vague in terms of costume.
Inside Story also highlights the initial friction between Craven/Williamson and Bob Weinstein (however briefly) which would come to plague future installments of the franchise. For instance, fans may not know that Craven’s job was in jeopardy early on when Weinstein & Co. were unhappy with the dailies (though they pledged full support after Craven and editor Patrick Lussier cut together the Barrymore footage and rushed it off to New York). Other sources of contention were the Ghost Face mask, which Weinstein didn’t think would sufficiently scare audiences and the location of the shoot. (Weinstein wanted to film in Vancouver, which would have been cheaper, but Craven was adamant that it needed to be filmed domestically to capture Americana.) Weinstein is also responsible for insisting that the film be renamed (its shooting title was Scary Movie)—proving that his instincts are not always off.
An additional focal point of Inside Story is its dissection of the characters and dialogue in seeking to explain why the film caught on with young audiences. This is done quite brilliantly by having the actors (including Matthew Lillard, Jamie Kennedy & Rose McGowan) read descriptions of their characters from the script and then postulate as to why they struck a chord with moviegoers. (Footage from several of the actors’ initial screen tests is also included, which is a nice bit of nostalgia.) Perhaps not coincidentally, more than one person notes that the teens populating Woodsboro were like John Hughes characters damned to hell.
Another aspect of the documentary that fans will find fascinating is the treatment that is given to the filmmakers’ battle with the MPAA, which initially saddled Scream with the dreaded NC-17 rating. While this is common knowledge, Inside Story offers a visual representation: split frames of the R and NC-17 rated scenes that were found to be objectionable—including Tatum’s death and Stu dripping blood after his showdown with Billy. Though included in the much sought after director’s cut of the film, this marks the first time that many fans will see this footage.
As would be expected, Inside Story also devotes ample time to charting the film’s surprising box office success, the resultant revival of the slasher genre, and, however briefly, the sequels that have made Scream one of the most lucrative franchises of recent memory.
As with Still Screaming: The Ultimate Scary Movie Retrospective (also included on the Scream 5-Film Set), Inside Story suffers some noticeable absences. Chief among them are actress Courteney Cox and screenwriter Kevin Williamson, along with Drew Barrymore and Skeet Ulrich. The documentary does make use of archival footage and voice recordings, but these feel somewhat pedestrian when considering that new interviews that make up the bulk of the film. This is certainly no fault of the filmmakers, but it’s a letdown to have others telling the stories that should be shared by the principals themselves.
Scream: The Inside Story is quite obviously an inspired and skillfully crafted love letter of sorts, and fans will appreciate the reverence with which the filmmakers treat their subject matter. The documentary ends on a tantalizing note: a glimpse at the production of Scream 4. Appropriately, this, much like the film franchise itself, results in leaving the viewer thoroughly entertained yet wanting more…
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With special thanks to Rodrigo Kurtz of HelloSidney.com and the Scream: The Inside Story team for generously providing the giveaway DVD and posters.
Be sure to visit SFE often, as we plan to present fun, thought-provoking and sometimes exclusive content in the lead-up to the Blu-ray/DVD release of SCRE4M (out October 4th).
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