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Scream 4K UHD Review

Horror movies don’t get much better than “Scream.”

Directed by the late horror master Wes Craven, 1996’s “Scream” begins with the murder of a high schooler (Casey) by a phone calling costumed killer (Ghostface). It seems there’s a new serial killer on the loose in the fictional town of Woodsboro, California and there are no clues as to who may be responsible for Casey’s death. The story primarilyrevolves around a high schooler named Sidney who is having PTSD over the murder of her mother a year prior. She thinks the murderer is in prison, but after the new murder, she isn’t so sure anymore. Soon Sidney finds herself living a new nightmare when she and her friends are being preyed upon by Ghostface. Is the killer (or killers?) someone she knows? Can she make it out alive?

 
It’s no secret that the horror genre struggled in the 90’s untl “Scream” completely revitalized it Not only did this meta take on slashers turn the genre on its head, but it had the right mixture of laughs and scares thanks to Kevin Williamson’s smart script which poked fun at the horror genre conventions. 

Truth be told, everything about this movie works. The opening sequence (which is one of the all-time greats) sets the tone for the entire movie, the twists are great, the references and homages are perfectly placed, and above all else, there are characters you actually care about. Even now in 2021, we all know the characters of Sidney, Dewey, Randy and Gale. They are iconic horror franchise characters. Normally everyone just knows the villains and killers, but with “Scream” the characters are also the face of the franchise. A lot of that is due to the performances by Neve Campbell, David Arquette, Jamie Kennedy and Courtney Cox. Drew Barrymore (Casey), Matthew Lillard (Stu), Skeet Ulrich (Billy) and Rose McGowan (Tatum) are also pitch perfect here. It’s one of those rare ensembles where everyone is on their A game.

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 2.39:1 2160p. How does it look? For those eager to know about the picture quality, I’m happy to report the 4K transfer is pristine. This is the best the movie has looked by a wide margin. So much clarity to the image.

Audio Track: 5.1 DTS-HD MA. How does it sound? Admittedly, I’m a little bummed by lack of a higher quality audio track, but this is still a clean 5.1 track regardless.

Extras:
* Digital copy
* Archival commentary by Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson.
* A 2 part Q&A With Cast And Crew in which they talk about their favorite scary movies and why people are fascinated by horror movies.
* 2 behind the scenes extra from the set and with Drew Barrymore.
* A production featurette with film clips, cast and crew interviews and story discussions.
* “A Bloody Legacy: Scream 25 Years Later”- A new 7 ½ minute extra with cast interviews that pays tribute to the original “Scream.” Cast/crew members of the forthcoming 2022 fifth “Scream” also provided comments.

October 31, 2021 - Posted by nicklyons1 | 4K UHD Review | Courtney Cox, Ghostface, horror, Horror Movie, Jamie Kennedy, Neve Campbell, Scream 4K, Scream 4K UHD Review, Scream 5, Scream Movie, Wes Craven