Halloween Diary - Scream 2 (1997) ***

 

"What's your favorite scary movie?

...Wait, let me guess. House on Sorority Row? The Dorm That Dripped Blood? Splatter University? Graduation Day? Final Exam? Am I close?" - Randy to the Ghostface killer in the van.

I really liked those scenes between Dewey and Randy a lot. Gale added to the mix, I thought their sleuthing was fun while it lasted. As far as the campus setting, the more I watch Scream 2 (1997) the more I enjoy this part of the film. It was as if Craven and screenwriter, Kevin Williamson, really had a great time recreating the campus experience, and they made it so vast and exciting. The two-killers concept of the first film is once again used for the sequel, but this time I wasn't all that wild and crazy personally with these revelations. I see why you could go the "mother of sicko seeking revenge" route, but the Olyphant college film student looking to satiate that side of him wanting to shed some blood, looking to test the theory of how violence in films might poison a person to commit murder, didn't really land because he was always very suspicious. Olyphant is a really fine actor, but this was early in his career when he had that villainous face and delivery. It wasn't until "Justified" and "The Crazies" that I think he was able to really break from that and allow us to see him as far more multi-faceted. When Olyphant's Mickey is sitting with Sidney telling her she has friends who she can rely on, there is just this unreliability in his presentation that gives off a suspecting scent. I think even in the theater on the opening weekend when I watched this film the first time, I had that nagging feeling about him. And Metcalf's reporter, Debbie Salt, is too in our face, always around and bugging Gale Weathers...it felt as if Craven and Williamson were pointing a giant check mark on her saying, "THIS IS ONE OF THE KILLERS!!!"

I still felt like a deflated balloon when Randy is removed from the film so soon. It was as if the air was let out of my tire. He had such an energy that was cut out of the film I felt gave the sequel so much value. I'm definitely not alone in feeling that way. And how the killers at the end just won't shut the fuck up got to the point of absurdity. I think that is really where Craven and Williamson jumped the shark. Because Part 3 did that, too.

But how many times can Dewey be stabbed before some major organ is punctured and he finally bleeds out? Or, at the very least, how many stabs before the guy could even walk, much less limp? It was getting to the point where the Scream films were becoming just as easy to deconstruct and parody.