History Film / Scream1996

* HeyItsThatGuy: While most of that cast were little- and unknowns, and the film was a star-making role for almost everyone involved, there are still some familiar faces:
** DrewBarrymore. Essentially playing a new generations "Janet Leigh from Psycho."
** The 1-800-COLLECT guy is a sheriff's deputy.
** Monica from Friends apparently decided to move to California and become a cheesy tabloid journalist.
** The Fonze is Sidney's slightly-creepy principal.
** Blink and you'll miss it, but [[{{Gremlins}} Mrs. Peltzer]] is also Dewey and Tatum's mom.

* ViewerStockPhrases: "Look behind you!" is played with in the sequence where Randy watches ''Film/{{Halloween 1978}}'' and says this to Creator/JamieLeeCurtis in the movie -- but also, unknowingly, to himself, as the killer is approaching him from behind. Meanwhile, a couple of people in a van outside, watching the exchange on a video camera, are saying the same thing to him. However, because the video they're watching is on a time delay, and whatever is going to happen is already over, they are powerless to help him -- just as Randy cannot change what happens in ''Halloween'', and the ''Scream'' audience [[PostModernism can't change what happens in the movie]] ''[[PostModernism they're]]'' [[PostModernism watching]]. Whew!

** Blink and you'll miss it, but [[Film/Gremlins Mrs. Peltzer]] is also Dewey and Tatum's mom.

-->"Careful, this is the moment when the supposedly dead killer comes back for one last scare."

* SlasherSmile: The killer [[spoiler: Billy Loomis]] pulls off an epic one near the end. While his partner yammers on about "watching a few movies, take a few notes", he merely stands there and silently starts smiling, till it's a full on grin, heading into TechnicallyASmile territory. Interestingly, while all the other Ghostfaces pull off some form of PsychoticSmirk during the movie, [[spoiler: Billy Loomis]] is pretty much the only one to really look like he's going to become LaughingMad from revealing his plans. It sends a shiver down your spine.

* EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas: When [[spoiler:Stu, one of the killers]], is informed that the cops are on their way, rather than reacting negatively to that, or the fact that he's coughing up quite a lot of blood, he starts crying and says, "My mom and dad are gonna be so mad at me!" You almost feel sorry for him. ''Almost''.
** Being [[spoiler: Billy's motivation for the murders.]]
* EveryoneIsASuspect: Randy makes a scene yelling out this exact phrase word-for-word in the video store.

* AManIsNotAVirgin: Subverted with Randy, who attributes his survival to being a virgin.

* AdultFear: Hearing your daughter's weakening cries for "Mom" through the phone as she is dragged to her death is horrifying for any parent. Having it punctuated with seeing her hanging body puts things firmly within this trope.

* NotQuiteDead: Lampshaded.

* EvilIsHammy: [[spoiler:Stu, who seemingly goes crazy following TheReveal.]]

* TwoDunIt: [[spoiler: Billy and Stu, as it happens. This is also true in later films but is less of a twist after this first film set the pattern.]]

* ViewerStockPhrases: "Look behind you!" is played with in the sequence where Randy watches ''Film/{{Halloween 1978}}'' and says this to JamieLeeCurtis in the movie -- but also, unknowingly, to himself, as the killer is approaching him from behind. Meanwhile, a couple of people in a van outside, watching the exchange on a video camera, are saying the same thing to him. However, because the video they're watching is on a time delay, and whatever is going to happen is already over, they are powerless to help him -- just as Randy cannot change what happens in ''Halloween'', and the ''Scream'' audience [[PostModernism can't change what happens in the movie]] ''[[PostModernism they're]]'' [[PostModernism watching]]. Whew!
** Played with even more when Randy says, "Look behind you, Jamie!" He's talking to JamieLeeCurtis, but guess what the actor playing Randy is named?

* WholeCostumeReference: The school janitor is seen wearing Freddie Krueger's iconic hat and striped shirt. Made funnier because this is a cameo by Freddie's actor Robert Englund.

* OhCrap: Randy's reaction after realizing that Sydney just [[spoiler: handed the gun to one of the killers]].

* GuttedLikeAFish: Casey's boyfriend; after failing Ghostface's trivia question, the patio lights goes out while he's being eviscerated and comes back on just in time for Casey to see his intestines hang out.

* SuddenlyShouting: The voice on the phone suddenly raising his voice to Casey, screaming that he'd kill her if she hung up, instantly dispels the "prank caller" notion and instantly sends her into terrified mode.

* SuddenlyShouting: The voice on the phone suddenly raising his voice to Casey, screaming that he'd kill her if she hung up, instantly dispels the "prank caller" notion.

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