New job, new hair (shorter anyway, maybe I'm balding) new dogs, I'm back. Hopefully...
New job, new hair (shorter anyway, maybe I'm balding) new dogs, I'm back. Hopefully...
Member since:30.01.2001
Reviews:69
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Scream was actually designed as a trilogy from day one by original writer Kevin Williamson. He had always envisaged the idea that the three films (if made) would link together from start to finish. So of course after the massive popularity of the first two, the third and final (?) installment seemed inevitable.
With Wes Craven back at the helm, and Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox and David Arquette all returning to reprise their roles most of the Scream team was on board, but one member has sadly changed. Writer Williamson had decided against completing his trilogy, and the writing job was left to Ehren Krueger (perfect surname for working with Wes Craven don’t you think) Krueger’s writing style varies from Williamson’s somewhat, and it is due to him that many of Scream 3’s changes have occurred.
The plot once again sees a masked killer stalking several members of a new film called Stab 3, which is based on the events in Scream 2 (again a book by reporter/author Gale Weathers.) We are now in Hollywood, having finished college Syd Prescott has holed up in a small house away from the world, Gale Weathers is working as a reporter on a better network and Dewey Riley works as a personal protector for a film star. The killer seems determined to find the now reclusive Syd Prescott (Campbell) and it seems will kill to find her. Eventually Syd is lured from her hideaway home to face the killer for one final
time.
Plot
Again Scream has outdone itself in the way it addresses itself. There are many ironies in the film (I can’t elaborate too much in case I ruin it for you, but I’ll try a bit.) One of the Scream films’ greatest points has been the explanation of how the film will work. In the first we had an explanation of how to survive a horror film, second one explained to us how a sequel differs. The third on picks up on the fact that if this was a second sequel, same rules apply, but if it’s the final part of a trilogy, then the rules change a lot. This adds to the film, as the participants are actually explaining many of the events to themselves as they go without realising it.
The film does take a darker twist than the previous 2, Syd has disturbing visions of her mother (murdered before Scream 1) and the killer seems more determined than ever simply to kill Syd, as opposed to actually torturing her first. This is both good and bad, the first two films were so good because of their originality, these new ideas liken the film more to previous things than a new way for Scream to be.
Like the previous films, the storyline move along at a good pace and there are plenty of surprises there, but less scares than Scream 2. Krueger has clearly focused more on the story behind the killer than actually petrifying the audience again. This again is good and bad, the idea of expanding the story is good, we have more depth than ever to the Scream plot and this allows for a far greater set of plot twists, as well as more indecision when we try to work out who the killer is. But the lack of decent scares is a bit of a let down, these are the idea of Scream, plot and scares, Scream 3 has wavered very much towards just plot. The opening scene however is very good, more tension building like in Scream 1 than the gore-fest of the sequel.
Despite this, the action scenes that we have are quite excellent, bigger budgeted than before and allowing a new dimension due to the Hollywood surroundings.
Acting
Again we have solid performances from the Scream regulars. Campbell plays the ever-alone Prescott in great fashion, and again she seems stronger than before (well you would be wouldn’t you?) and Courtney Cox is back on top form as the bitchy Weathers.
David Arquette (now married to Cox) plays the role of Dewey brilliantly, goofy as ever, with more great lines and as big a heart as you get. Arquette again displays the fallen deputy brilliantly, especially in his lines with a bodyguard on the films set. He again is one of the stars of the film.
But this time it’s left for someone else to steal the show...her name – Parker Posey. As I said earlier Scream 3 is set on the set of Stab 3 (based on Scream 2 – anyone else confused?) Posey's character is none less than Gale Weathers, but as the killings begin she is the one to realise the order they are occurring in. She begins to panic and stay wherever the real Gale is, and together they make a terrific team. On screen they are funny in their petty bitching as well as their attempts to prove who is a better Gale. Overall Posey helps Scream 3 along as a decent actress doing her part amazingly well.
Scream 3’s support cast works well as ever, look for Jenny McCarthy as one of the film’s stars, Lance Henrikson as the director as well a few other surprise faces (including one amazing one)
Like the rest of the film, Scream 3’s cast isn’t quite up to the quality of the other 2, those who have returned seem a little bored at times and the new ones seem on there for the ride. Not to say they do a bad job, just not as good as previous films.
Scream 3 finds, as usual, new ways to stalk and kill people, as well as plenty more close escapes and a few surprises along the way. It may not quite have the ending we were hoping for, and be a little weaker on the plotline but generally it does the job.
Soundtrack
The score here remains very similar to the first 2, to keep the continuity, but the songs are the usual mix of rock and softer tracks dependant on the situation. It doesn’t have the intensity of tracks from the first one, or the subtle music from the second but what is there, works well enough.
Direction
Again Craven pulls out all the stops, but the script doesn’t quite match the kind of film I think he had in mind. Still he gets the best from his cast and has clearly once again had a massive influence over the film. Without Craven the Scream films would be a lot poorer and we can be grateful he stayed involved
Overall
Scream 3 is a decent way to end the trilogy, and as big a fan as I am of these films it really should be the final part. To do any more would take away from the quality of these three, which form a neat tidy little package of a trilogy.
Unlike the first 2, Scream 3 hasn’t really left a sensible opening for a 4th film and this is probably for the best. It is now a very good trilogy, any more may well spoil the thoughts of the originals. Maybe in years to come the idea can be resurrected, but having seen how poor the updated Halloween H20 was, I don’t think that’s a great ideas either.
As a film it’s very good, as the final part of a trilogy it’s very good also, but as a Scream film? Well it’s missing a few vital ingredients whilst trying too hard to elaborate on other points. Well worth seeing, don’t get me wrong, in fact if you’ve seen and enjoyed the first two then you have to see this, but it is a different kind of film to the other two, be prepared for that.
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Production Year: 2005 - Horror - Director: Eli Roth - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring: Jay Hernandez, Derek Richardson, Shane Daly, Lenka Vlasakova, Eythor Gudjonsson, Jan Vlasak
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![Scream 3 [DVD] [2000]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78543036.jpg "Scream 3 [DVD] [2000]")
Feb 19th, 2001
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