SCREAMitation Is The Sincerest Form Of Flattery

In 1996, Wes Craven’s Scream changed the horror genre forever. The film holds so much importance to so many and will be referenced until the end of time. What may be the most exciting aspect of Scream’s pop culture impact are the horror films released after it.

For years, any film that has tried to replicate Scream’s charm and brilliance has been written off as trying to be too much like Craven’s original. Is it too much to ask that these post-Scream films finally get their well-deserved flowers? While the style and tone may be similar to the immortal classic, these films have no trouble creating their own memorable moments that stay with horror fans forever.

With Scream VI slashing into theaters this week, there is no better time to look at the eternal influence the original has had on the horror genre for over two decades.

The slasher is alive and well, and if every slasher with Scream’s influence were listed in this article, who knows how long one would spend scrolling? Freaky, Fear Street, Bodies Bodies Bodies, and so many others have found success in modernizing the formula Scream created.

Every decade or so, a new horror film takes the genre by storm, paving the way for what types of movies audiences will be expecting until the next shift happens. The truth is, no matter how many times it changes, no film will have as much influence on the genre as Scream did. Variety in horror gives creators a chance to express their vision and audiences a chance to find those niche films that scratch the itch in their brains. Scream will be forever referenced but never replicated, and that’s okay. Comparison is the thief of joy, and these films deserve a proper spotlight.

Halloween H20: 20 Years Later decided to lightly tap the reset button on this iconic franchise. Jamie Lee Curtis, who hadn’t played Laurie Strode since 1981, laced up her final girl shoes once again. Kevin Williamson was also involved, this time as a co-executive producer.

Along with Laurie, the film introduces a group of young friends who all attend the same school. Sound familiar? There is even a scene in which the characters watch Scream 2. There may not be much mystery, but that is the beauty of a film like this. Established franchises that decided to adjust their style and tone to the one created by Craven and Williamson ended up pumping new life into their own respective horror icons. This won’t be the first time a franchise makes this major change, either.

The first three Child’s Play films are straightforward slashers and solidified Chucky as a horror icon. Child’s Play 3 fell a little flat for some fans, meaning the next entry in the franchise had to pack a serious punch. All it took was some meta-heavy humor and Jennifer Tilly to completely redefine what the Child’s Play franchise is all about.

From references to other horror icons to over-the-top murder sequences, this new tone was clearly inspired by Scream. The poster for Bride of Chucky even mirrors the Scream 2 poster featuring Neve Campbell and Jada Pinkett Smith. It is always so fun to connect all the dots between different horror franchises, and more energy should be put into appreciating how they all perfectly bounce off one another.

Less than a year after Scream hit theaters, I Know What You Did Last Summer was one of the first dominos to fall in a post-Scream world. The film benefits greatly from Scream scribe Kevin Williamson penning the script, and a cast overflowing with recognizable actors. Throw in some tense chase sequences and a mysterious whodunnit, and you have the first film taking inspiration from that beautiful Scream stench we all know and love.

What if Scream had aliens in it? A question Robert Rodriguez was more than willing to answer. By this point, you get the formula. A group of teens experiencing something horrifying, with a dash of mystery and a dunk of meta-awareness. What should come as a shock to absolutely no one is Kevin Williamson, once again, wrote this film’s screenplay. This article might as well be a list of every time Williamson wrote a stellar script, but we’d be here all day.

It may feature some dated effects and cheesy dialogue, but those elements make The Faculty a fun watch. It’s a time capsule movie you can show someone who has never experienced a late ‘90s horror film. The Faculty gave rebellious teens even more reason to hate authoritative figures. Instead of the film feeling like it was trying to capitalize off the popularity of Scream, there is a genuine sense of passion coming from everyone involved. It is pure horror movie magic.

Probably the least recognizable entry on this list, Cherry Falls has one of the most absurd premises in horror movie history. A murderer targets virgins, which leads potential victims to throw an orgy party as a form of protection. The late great Brittany Murphy takes the spotlight in this slasher, making the most of her screen time.

A lot of Cherry Falls is still relevant today, mostly revolving around abusers obtaining positions of power through privilege and intimidation. Anything you could want from a new millennium horror film, you can find right here. It has slowly started gaining a bit of a fan base over the last couple of years. If any film written off for being too similar to Scream deserves a revisit, it is undoubtedly this one.

Over two decades after Scream’s release, modern horror audiences were given a new slasher to fall in love with. The slasher subgenre has made a vicious comeback over the last couple of years, and Happy Death Day was arguably one of the first to get the ball rolling again. Director Christopher Landon’s horrific spin on Groundhog Day is as genius as it is scary. The sharp writing and constant game of cat-and-mouse is a lovely homage to Scream, and it is all topped off with Tree Gelbman being a phenomenal final girl.

What makes a film like Happy Death Day so admirable is its ability to create its own icon status, just like Scream did in 1996. The horror genre was changing again, and Landon created a movie that played along with the genre’s new rules while keeping his vision and style distinct. The horror genre will always change and ask for new ways to entice audiences, and a film like Happy Death Day answers the call with triumphant success.