When a killer in a ghost mask begins a murdering spree, a group of friends tries everything they can to unmask the perpetrator and halt the bloodshed. Scream 1996 opens with a 12 minute prologue that introduces the audience to Casey, played by Drew Barrymore. an all-American girl who’s popping popcorn in anticipation of viewing a video. The phone rings, and on the other end is a strange voice. He asks what her favorite horror movie is. He then invites her to a game, but she becomes alarmed and hangs up. When he calls again and she asks what he wants, his response is short and simple: “To see your insides.” The cat-and-mouse game continues until Casey and her boyfriend (who happens to pop by) are both killed.

From there starts the beginning of the movie where we meet our heroine Sydney Prescott, played by Neve Campbell. One year ago Sydeney’s mom was brutally raped and murdered in a publicized case. When Sydney starts getting calls and visits from the perpetrator in the ghost face masks, all signs point to her boyfriend Billy Loomis, played by Skeet Ulrich. Billy is arrested and her life is turned upside down.

Scream is constantly making fun of itself, allowing their characters to make scathing remarks about the horror movie cliches they are experiencing (and dying from). Sidney says she doesn’t enjoy slasher movies because “they’re all the same… Some big-breasted blond with no acting ability” does silly stuff. Another guy, a video junkie, refers to the gruesome real-life occurrences as “normal, horror movie stuff… It has a formula — a very basic formula.” Then, as a group gathers to watch Halloween on TV, this same person recites the three principles of horror movie survival: never have sex, never drink or do drugs, and never say “I’ll be right back.” Overall, I believe Scream is one of the best horror films of all time, providing a unique and imaginative cinematic experience.