SCRE4M

Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy Combo Pack

It's hard to believe that it has been 15 years since Wes Craven's horror masterpiece Scream was unspooled into theaters. At a time when the horror genre was dying, Scream came along and surprised critics and audiences everywhere with its witty and terrifying blend of horror and comedy. The characters present in Craven's film (written by Kevin Williamson) were not the typical cardboard cutouts that usually populated a slasher flick. These were people who knew the rules of the genre, often referencing their favorite scary movies and comparing them to the terror that they were facing in their small town of Woodsboro. The film went on to become a huge word of mouth hit and eventually turned into a franchise, with Scream 2 and Scream 3 arriving in theaters a few years later (in 1997 and 2000) and also raking in large returns. The series seemed like it had come to a close with the end of the third installment, which tied up most of the loose ends that were present in the storyline, but now Ghostface is back with Scream 4, ready to terrorize a brand new generation.

Scream 4 was released earlier this spring to mixed reviews and disappointing box office returns. It was actually beaten out at the box office by another competing horror film, the ghost story Insidious (which I don't understand, since this film would easily be one of my picks for the worst of the year thus far). This is a real shame, because this film is an absolute blast. It pays respect to the original trilogy and is a blast for fans of the franchise, and successfully integrates new characters into the story as well. It all builds to a surprising and unexpected climax that is probably the best ending the franchise has had since the first film.

Anchor Bay Home Entertainment has released Scream 4 (originally distributed theatrically by Weinstein Company subsidary Dimension Films) in a two disc Blu-ray/DVD combo pack. A digital copy is also reedemable via iTunes or Windows Media with a code that is included inside the packaging. It comes in a slim, standard Blu-ray case with no slipcover and looks fine next to past films in the series on your shelf (the original three are distributed on Blu-ray by Lionsgate). The back cover of the film is also interesting to look at - there's an error in the cast listing that is amusing for anyone that has actually seen the film. The disc begins with several trailers before launching into a full animated menu featuring clips from the film. The picture is crisp and sharp throughout, especially for a film that takes place mostly at night, and is excellent quality - definitely the best so far of the series. The audio is also great and effective in both the DTS and 5.1 tracks.

Neve Campbell returns as Sidney Prescott, the surviving heroine of the first three who finds herself returning to Woodsboro for the first time in ten years to promote her latest self-help book. Sidney has turned her trauma from the past into a method to help others, and has been traveling the country with her feisty publicist Rebecca (Allison Brie). But as soon as she arrives back in town, those around her start being murdered once again. Ghostface is back, "rebooted" as one might say, and wants Sidney to witness the terror all over again. Dewey (David Arquette) is now sheriff of Woodsboro and is determined to solve the mystery. He has married Gale (Courteney Cox), now an author with severe writers block who sees the murders as a way to get herself into the spotlight again. The crop of young suspects is endless, including Sidney's young cousin Jill (Emma Roberts) and her movie-obsessed best friend Kirby (Hayden Panettiere). Craven and returning screenwriter Kevin Williamson do a great job of creating parallels between the new characters and past characters in the series. Sidney often comments on how Jill reminds her of herself at that age, and there are many other characters that mirror individuals from the first film in particular. This also allows them to play with your expectations, thinking that you know what you're in for and then completely throwing you for a loop by the end.

The performances here are all strong. Neve Campbell, David Arquette and Courteney Cox all embody their original characters perfectly once again and it's great to see them after such a long absence. Campbell in particular has chosen to portray Sidney as a much stronger person than she was in the past films. She is no longer the scared little girl - she is determined to protect those she loves no matter the cost. Courteney Cox is hilarious as Gale and supplies the film with some of its best lines. Of the newcomers, Kristen Bell and Anna Paquin should be singled out for their hilarious cameo appearances, and Emma Roberts is great playing a character that might not exactly be what she seems. Rory Culkin is also memorable and brings to mind Randy from the first film, but the scene stealer of the newbies is easily Hayden Panettiere as Kirby. She is easily the most fun, likable and sympathetic of the bunch, and easily has one of the film's most memorable scenes. Clearly modeled after Tatum (Rose McGowan) from the first film, I was incredibly impressed by her performance.

The Blu-ray features several great special features that are a must for any fan of the franchise. Easily the most interesting material included here is over 25 minutes of deleted scenes. These scenes feature many edits that work better than those in the final cut. In particular, the alternate opening presented here is excellent and terrifying - playing out in a completely different way than the one featured in the theatrical version. A lot of other worthwhile scenes are present here, explaining backstory on certain characters (in the deleted scenes you learn that Sidney's father passed away a few years back) and expanding on certain memorable sequences (a crime scene aftermath sequence is quite creepy in its execution and should have been left in the final cut). An audio commentary from Wes Craven and stars Emma Roberts and Hayden Panettiere, with Neve Campbell making a guest appearance for around 45 minutes or so. It's interesting to listen to and provides insight into a lot of the material that was cut and ideas that were scrapped throughout the production. A ten-minute "making of" featurette is included that really serves as more of a promotional piece, but is fun to watch regardless. A gag reel and a trailer for a Scream video game are also included. It would have been interesting to get a bit more material, but I was so satisfied with the deleted scenes that it didn't bother me too much. I hope one day we get an extended edition with the deleted scenes edited back in.

A shot from the original opening sequence, where things turn out differently for Marnie (Britt Robertson).

Overall, this is a must-own for any fan of the series. It is a scary, hilarious blast from beginning to end and easily one of the best times I've had at the movies all year. The Blu-ray/DVD combo pack offers great picture quality and sound as well as a decent helping of special features, including some great deleted material. I would definitely recommend adding this one to your collection.

Highly Recommended