Many horror franchises have captured audiences’ collective imaginations for decades. FromHalloweentoA Nightmare on Elm StreettoHellraiser, there are a plethora of franchises for every horror subgenre taste. Some of these franchises have weathered time better than others. Others have come to feel dated. Some have evolved to the point that they no longer stay true to their original roots.
Then there is theScreamfranchise.Screamoriginally came out in 1996, far after franchises likeHalloweenandFriday the 13thwere produced. This already makes it seem like a more modern franchise because it is a newer entry.Screamis a slasher series thatstill feels fresh after 25 years. This is because it has adapted well to the times, has a rotating cast, features a simple but unique design for its killer, and features mystery and intrigue.
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A Rotating Cast
Certain franchises, likeHalloween, are reliant on a protagonist and their family to create an emotional bond between characters and the audience. This is not the case forScream. WithScream, both Ghostface and their victims are a true rotation of actors and characters. This makes each movie feel unique, with different motives and courses of action applied to each film.
There are somecore characters from the firstScreamfilm who make repeat appearances. However, this is not true for each of theScreamprojects, making these characters’ returns feel special, nostalgic, and rewarding.
Mystery and Intrigue
Franchises likeHalloweenandFriday the 13thdo a lot of telling and less showing with many of their films. Audiences know the killers are Michael Myers and Jason Vorhees. Their reasons for killing are fairly hollow and not well-thought-out.
That is whereScreamis fairly unique in the slasher genre. Because Ghostface is a different character in eachScreamentry, there isa certain amount of mysteryto their motives and actions. The same is true for how Ghostface’s victims will respond. Audiences can do some guesswork while watching aScreamtitle, making them use their brains more than many other horror franchises require.
Ghostface is Unique for the Slasher Genre
Many other horror franchises have massive, lumbering figures who hunt their victims in slow walks. This is especially true forHalloween’s Michael Myers andFriday the 13th’s Jason Vorhees. This creates a sense of predictability, like the killers are going to find the victims no matter how fast they run or where they go. These killers are also usually dressed in some blue-collar outfit that could be purchased at a number of different stores.
Ghostface once again breaks the mold here. The killer runs when their victim takes off running. Additionally, Ghostface’s costume issleek, black, and made of Halloween-costume cloth. Furthermore, Ghostface’s mask is absolutely eerie, being loosely based on the famousThe Screampainting by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. All in all, Ghostface’s movement and costume make them a unique slasher killer.
Each Ghostface has a Unique Relationship with Their Victims
In franchises likeThe Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Leatherface kills his victims because they intrude on his property. ForFriday the 13th, the same is true for why Jason Vorhees lays his victims violently to rest. InHalloween… that really depends on which movie, which creates a sense of nebulousness and confusion for that franchise as a whole.
However,Screamis once again the black sheep of the family here. Ghostface has a unique relationship with their victims. This is because Ghostface is usually a peer or family member to at leastone of the victims or would-be victims. This creates an emotional on-screen bond between unlikely characters, creating further intrigue for the franchise. It is also quite disturbing because Ghostface is killing people close to them, which creates an uneasy feeling when the killer is revealed towards the end of each film.
ScreamAdapts to the Times and Technology
Some things never change. Michael Myers always carries his signature, absurdly-long butcher knife and walks after his victims at a snail’s pace. The same is true for Jason Vorhees, clad in a hockey mask and wielding a machete. Neither one speaks, ever, creating an uneasy tension on-screen, but some confusion as well.
Ghostface, however, adapts uses and adapts to technology. They have done so ever since the firstScreamentry. In the firstScreamfilm Ghostface called his victims on landlines. However,in the trailer for January 2022’sScreamnow the killer implements cell phones and hacks home security systems to create a sense of dread for their victims.
Due to a rotating cast, unique relationships between Ghostface and their victims, a unique look and style for the killer, and much more,Screamfeels much fresher than many other horror franchises that came before it. The upcomingScreamfilm will likely do even more to further this legacy of faithful evolution.
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