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Category Archives: Wes Craven films

SCRE4M

May 29

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SCRE4M-United States-2011

Courteney Cox as Gail Weathers-Riley

Adam Brody as Deputy Hoss

Emma Roberts as Jill Roberts

Hayden Panettiere as Kirby Reed

Marley Shelton as Deputy Judy Hicks

Directed by Wes Craven

Written by Kevin Williamson

New Decade, new Rules, same old re-hashed, re-booted, regurgitated garbage. You know, I was all ready to actually like Scream 4. The beginning was promising with the whole movie within a movie before the actual movie even starts shtick. I really thought Scream 4 was going to go places that “Scream 2” and the abhorrent “Scream 3” had only had wet dreams of going. But alas, ‘twas to no avail as Wes Craven and writer Kevin Williamson rob our wallets with  yet another Sidney Prescott pity party slash (pun intended) psycho with a knife and a stupid mask mash-up. We all know that Sidney is going to return and the body count is going to begin anew. We all know that the killer will be someone we least expect, but suspected all along. We all know that the hot chicks with big tits and small brains are going to have their guts rearranged. Hey, here’s a newsflash, Wes; TELL US SOMETHING WE DON’T FUCKING KNOW!! Where is the Wes Craven who directed such horror masterpieces as “The Hills Have Eyes”, “The Last House on the Left” and “A Nightmare on Elm Street?” Where is the Wes Craven who wasn’t afraid of controversy and pushed the envelope as far as it could be pushed? I’m terribly fucking sorry, but that Wes Craven is dead. He was crushed beneath the weight of bad sequels. His epitaph reads, “Here lays a man who was once an individual who believed in the power of his craft. Now he is merely a franchise that believes in King Dollar.” May we all rest in peace.

TRIVIA

Ashley Greene was considered for the lead role, but ultimately, Emma Roberts was cast.

The film suffered two casting changes in quick succession as shooting had begun. Lake Bell had originally been cast as Judy Hicks but was forced to drop out (which she announced via her Twitter account on June 24th 2010) due to “scheduling conflicts.” She was replaced by Marley Shelton. Six days later, Lauren Graham, who was originally cast as Kate Roberts, dropped out also citing “scheduling conflicts” as well as “script changes.” She was replaced by Mary McDonnell.

Each of the new central characters is an archetype for one of the characters from the original: Jill (Sidney), Kirby (Tatum), Trevor (Billy), Charlie (Stu), and Robbie (Randy).

½

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Posted in Films in the Scream series, Films Released in 2011, Movies, Sequels, Slasher Films, Wes Craven films

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SCREAM 3

May 28

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SCREAM 3-United States-2000

Courteney Cox Arquette as Gail Weathers

Patrick Dempsey as Det. Mark Kincaid

Lance Henriksen as John Milton

Matt Keeslar as Tom Prinze

Emily Mortimer as Angelina Tyler

Parker Posey as Jennifer Jolie

Deon Richmond as Tyson Fox

Patrick Warburton as Steven Stone

Directed by Wes Craven

Written by Ehren Kruger

Based on characters created by Kevin Williamson

I actually considered re-posting my review for “Scream 2″ as my review for “Scream 3″. All I would have to do is change the main setting from a college campus to a movie studio and toss in the names of a few new supporting cast members and there you have it; the plot of “Scream 3″. “Scream 3″ is more of the same old same old that “Scream 2″ was and to be honest I am running out of shit to say. Neve Campbell returns as Sidney Prescott blah blah blah yada yada yada. David ‘I was WCW champion, dammit!’ Arquette returns as Dwight ‘Don’t call me Dewey’ Riley and Courteney Cox returns as Gail Weathers, about whom I have nothing witty to say. Toss in Patrick Dempsey, Jenny McCarthy, Patrick Warburton, Parker Posey and a few supporting characters that I could care less about as well as a killer that has become a complete joke and I am now in horror movie hell. Oh wait, I almost forgot. There’s still “Scream 4″ to watch and review. Kill me now, please.

TRIVIA

Throughout Scream 3 the actors of Stab 3, the movie-within-the-movie, complain about rewrites and three different scripts. The complaints actually originated with the actual cast of Scream 3, because of frequent rewrites and three different endings.

Wes Craven agreed to direct Scream 3 only after Miramax allowed him to direct the inspirational drama Music of the Heart.

“Scream 3″ never had a public test screening. The cast and crew only had their first chance to see the finished product at the premiere because of fears of spoilers being put out on the Internet.

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Posted in Films in the Scream series, Films Released in 2000, Movies, Sequels, Slasher Films, Wes Craven films

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SCREAM 2

May 27

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SCREAM 2-United States-1997

Courteney Cox as Gail Weathers

Sarah Michelle Gellar as Casey Cooper

Jamie Kennedy as Randy Meeks

Laurie Metcalf as Debbie Salt

Jada Pinkett as Maureen Evans

Liev Schrieber as Cotton Weary

Directed by Wes Craven

Written by Kevin Williamson

Ninety-five percent of the time sequels are inferior to the original film that spawned them in the first place. They either go in a completely opposite direction to the first film; or else they completely rehash the plot of the first film with the same characters and a few new ones thrown in for good measure. Scream 2 is no exception to that rule. Neve Campbell returns as Sidney Prescott, the ‘final girl’ with what appears to be a magnet in her ass when it comes to killers in black robes and ghost faced masks. David Arquette reprises his role as dorky Dewey ‘My name is Dwight’ Riley, and Courteney Cox is once again opportunistic news reporter Gail Weathers. Change the setting to a college campus and begin the whole thing over again for a 100% brand new same old experience. Boring! I say boring! The entire Scream franchise has always revolved around whether or not art imitates life or vice versa. The trouble with that theory is that the audience has to buy into it. For the sake of argument, I for one do not. I believe that if someone is truly evil (or perhaps insane), then they’re going to commit murder anyway; and that it’s not going to matter whether they saw Jodie Foster playing a twelve-year-old hooker or Ghostface slicing and dicing bubble headed teenagers. Art imitates life, not the other way around. Scream 2 is just another tired unnecessary  sequel spinning its wheels.

TRIVIA

The cast was not informed of the identity of the killer until the last day of principal photography. Also, the cast did not receive the last ten pages of the shooting script until it was time to film the scenes contained therein. Furthermore, the last ten pages of the shooting script were printed on gray paper in order to deter illicit duplication of them. All cast members were required to sign confidentiality clauses as parts of their respective contracts that precluded them from discussing the outcome of the story and the killer’s identity.

Randy’s reference to fake nude pictures of Gale Weathers on the Internet was inspired by fake images of Courteney Cox that appeared on the worldwide web prior to production of Scream 2.

The rules for a horror-movie sequel as stated by Randy are: 1. the death total is always greater; and 2. the murder scenes are always much more elaborate, with more blood and gore. The third rule to surviving a sequel was cut from the movie, but appears in its trailer, “And number three, never, ever under any circumstance assume that the killer is dead.”

Robert Rodriguez directed scenes of “Stab,” the movie-within-a-movie of Scream 2. Rodriguez directed the Casey Becker scene and the Sidney and Billy scene.

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Posted in Films in the Scream series, Films released in 1997, Movies, Sequels, Slasher Films, Wes Craven films

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SCREAM

May 25

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SCREAM-United States-1996

Courteney Cox as Gail Weathers

Matthew Lillard as Stuart ‘Stu’ Macher

Rose McGowan as Tatum Riley

Skeet Ulrich as Billy Loomis

Drew Barrymore as Casey Becker

Directed by Wes Craven

Written by Kevin Williamson

Do I really have to go over the plot of Scream in great detail? The movie is over 15 years old, for crying out loud. Just read the tagline; “Someone has taken their love of scary movies one step too far. Solving this mystery is going to be murder.” See, wasn’t that simple? Watching the film last night was the first time I’ve watched it since going to the theater to see it with my ex-wife in 1996. I remember having a lot of fun that day; not because of the movie itself, but because my ex-wife was a horror film snob and I got sheer enjoyment out of watching Ghostface scare the living shit out of her. I can’t tell you the number of times she tugged on my arm and said “Do you wanna leave? Let’s leave!” to which I would reply “No way, I paid fifteen dollars for us to see this movie.” Yeah, I get my laughs where I can. The best part about the whole thing was that she’s the one that suggested we see “Scream” in the first place.

But I digress. What I like most about “Scream” is the way that although the characters know all the do’s and don’ts of surviving a horror film they continuously do them anyway. Scream is a horror film first and foremost; but there’s also enough subtle humor in the film to make it a near hilarious comedy. Sidney (Neve Campbell) tells Ghostface over the phone “What’s the point? They’re all the same. Some stupid killer stalking some big-breasted girl who can’t act who is always running up the stairs when she should be running out the front door. It’s insulting.” Thirty seconds later she’s running up the stairs to get away from the killer. Hilarity ensues!!

So, those are the reasons that I like “Scream”. It’s scary, funny and it scared the shit out of my ex-wife. I mean, seriously, what more could you ask for in a horror movie?

TRIVIA

To keep Drew Barrymore looking scared and crying, director Wes Craven kept telling her real life stories about animal cruelty. She is a keen animal lover in real life.

Rose McGowan discovered that she could actually fit through a pet flap.

Drew Barrymore was originally cast as Sidney Prescott (eventually played by Neve Campbell). But Drew Barrymore insisted that if she played Casey then it would make the audience think anything could happen.

The use of caller ID increased more than threefold after the release of this film.

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Posted in Films Released in 1996, Movies, Slasher Films, Wes Craven films

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INVITATION TO HELL

May 14

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INVITATION TO HELL-United States-Made for TV-1984

Robert Urich as Matt Winslow

Joanna Cassidy as Patricia ‘Pat’ Winslow

Directed by Wes Craven

Written by Richard Rothstein

I am totally convinced that Susan Lucci has not sold her soul to the devil. Let’s review; why do people sell their soul to Old Scratch? Nine times out of ten it’s to be richer, stronger, sexier, or to possess an amazing talent. That part about possessing an amazing talent is the part that has me convinced. I mean let’s face it; if the woman had indeed sold her soul to the devil she would have acting talent coming out of her ass and that is just not the case. Take “Invitation to Hell”, for instance. Lucci plays Jessica Jones, the owner of a spa that’s actually the gateway to hell. She attempts to lure Robert Urich and his family into the club in order to possess their souls for all eternity just like she has with anyone else who’s joined. Sorry to use the word ‘possess’ so much, but we’re talking about a movie about the devil so deal with it. Anyway, when you break it down, what is acting but a form of lying? So you would think that an actress portraying the father (mother) of all lies would at least be a little bit convincing. WRONG!! I’ve seen porn actresses that emote better than Ms. Lucci. It’s like watching an oak tree carved to look like Keanu Reeves. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Robert Urich in the film and I have to say I miss the guy. He wasn’t the greatest actor in the world, but he was damn reliable. That’s more than I can say for Susan Lucci. No, I take that back; she is reliable. She’s reliably horrid.

NO TRIVIA

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CURSED

Apr 10

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CURSED-United States/Germany-2005

Directed by Wes Craven

Written by Kevin Williamson

Although I don’t intend to be as cruel as the majority of people who have watched and hated this film, I do intend to take it to task. I am assuming that we are all familiar with Wes Craven. You know the guy; The Last House on the Left, The Hills Have Eyes, The People Under the Stairs. Not ringing any bells? Oh, here you go; A Nightmare on Elm Street. Yes, that’s right, Freddy Krueger. Now you got it.

So, now that you know who Wes Craven is, how about Kevin Williamson? You know the guy that writes all those cool hipster horror films like the Scream series and The Faculty. Yeah, that guy. What’s that? In the back, do you have a question? Yes, Mr. Williamson did indeed write for The Vampire Diaries. That was very impressive, sir.

Now, we have it established that Misters Craven and Williamson have put together some pretty cool little horror movies both together and separately. So, knowing all this, would someone please explain Cursed to me? It has so much promise and yet it falls flat on its furry little snout. This tale of a brother and sister duo fighting the curse of the werewolf is the type of movie where the filmmakers scratch their heads and say, “Well, it looked good on paper.” Craven and Williamson try their best to make it hip and witty and each time they do it boils down to the equivalent of William Shakespeare promising “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and then telling dick and fart jokes. The only thing I can really say that this film has going for it is a decent werewolf and Christina Ricci (Monster). Even so, Ricci looks like she wants to be somewhere else and the werewolf in Bad Moon looked better than this one. Come to think of it, the werewolf in Red Riding Hood looked better than this one. When you let a werewolf in a movie directed by Catherine Hardwicke outdo you, you’re screwed.

So, gather ‘round werewolves of old. Gather ‘round this movie called Cursed. Now, lift your legs. You know what to do next.

Hmm, I guess I didn’t like this movie a little more than I thought.

TRIVIA

When the production was stalled, many cast members were cut, including Illeana Douglas, Heather Langenkamp, Scott Foley, Omar Epps, Robert Forster, James Brolin andCorey Feldman. All of these actors even filmed their scenes which were cut when the movie was re-written and re-shot.

Props of Freddy Krueger and the Elm Street house from Wes Craven’s earlier film _Nightmare On Elm Street, A (1984)_ can be seen in the background at Tinseltown during the first scene.

The cane on display in the beginning of the movie is the same one used in Storm of the Century by Stephen King.

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Posted in Films Released in 2005, Movies, Werewolf Films, Wes Craven films

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