THE FILM THAT MADE ME: SCREAM BY LAURYN DYAN

 
The summer after director Wes Craven’s reinvigoration of the horror genre, Scream, came out, I was serial killer level obsessed. I watched it every single day and can still quote parts of it word for word. It sparked in me an interest in not only that particular horror movie, but the ones that it referenced and the others that quickly followed suit after its success.
 
But what was it about that one film that hooked me more than say the fisherman in I Know What You Did Last Summer or the man outside the couple’s parked car in Urban Legend? Sure, I loved those too, but Scream always remained my standout favorite, and now as a writer, its obvious influence in my work clues me in as to why. I’m going to use my debut thriller, Hollow Stars, to show the correlations.
 
First, Scream taught me the power of humor in the horror genre. Nail biting suspense and laugh out loud comedy don’t have to be mutually exclusive. When done right, the two pair together as well as a nice Chianti and fava beans. A well-timed joke can diffuse tension, it can make the story more well-rounded, and it can humanize the characters and make you more invested in their fate. No one wanted Randy and his comic relief to die in the first Scream or the second, because it added dimension to the terrifying reality Wes Craven and screenwriter Kevin Williamson created. When writing Hollow Stars, the quips and jokes naturally wove themselves into the pages because it felt right to have those highs in with the lows, just like Scream.
 
Second, Scream taught me everybody’s a suspect. The first time I saw Scream, I remember jumping back and forth between who the killer might be. In the slasher movies that came before it in the 70s and 80s, it was clear who the killer walking slowly behind the victim was. Michael Meyers, Freddie, Leather Face—you weren’t wondering who was behind the mask or disfigurement. In Scream, it could have been any one of the characters, and I loved that mystery. I emulated that in Hollow Stars and took it a step further. The villain in the story could be any of the characters, including the protagonist, who is mentally unstable and unsure if it’s her fault or someone else’s she was committed to a psychiatric hospital. I have Scream to thank for that whodunnit angle.
 
And finally, Scream taught me the beauty and satisfaction of a twist ending. By now, I hope you’ve seen this movie, but if you haven’t, spoiler warning. After Billy showed his true colors and Stew came out as the second killer—holy hell! That was unexpected. It was surprising in the moment, but also left me thinking long after the heroin was saved and the credits rolled. When you go into a film or novel expecting one thing, but get another, you reanalyze all the details and clues leading up to the climax in a new light. Maybe that’s why I re-watched it so many times. I had guessed one killer in the movie, but not the other. It was satisfying to have figured out part of the mystery but still have been shocked by another.  Without giving too much away, let’s just say that’s what I tried to achieve in Hollow Stars.
 
So, I want to thank Scream for being the film that made me into the horror fan and suspense writer that I am. Ghostface will always be iconic and, maybe one day, I can write a character or story that will be too. In the meantime, I’ll let its influence spur my creativity and find satisfaction in the fact that I can confidently answer the question “what’s your favorite scary movie?”