“Scream” Opening Analysis

          In order to understand what an opening sequence should resemble for this project, I chose to do a shot-by-shot film analysis on “Scream” (1996). 

First Shot

In the first shot, a blonde young woman is speaking on the phone with a strange man. The creepy voice of the man on the other line signals to the audience that the woman is speaking to the potential killer, and because the character recognizes this too late the "dumb blonde" archetype is achieved.

Second Shot

The second shot of the the character's (Casey) house acts as an establishing shot, the swing moving by itself is a great prop for this scene as it sets a mysterious tone.

Third Shot

One of the most iconic exchange of dialogue in horror film history is the shot where the killer asks Casey her name, so he knows who he is looking at. This shot makes the opening scene takes a turn for the worse and prepares the audience for what's to come.

Fourth Shot

After a sinister trivia game between the killer (Ghostface) and Casey, Casey attempts to run away. This deadly chase sadly results in the last shot of Casey being hung from a tree covered in blood.
       
          In just 13 minutes, the opening sequence to “Scream” took audiences from a weird, but harmless prank call to a horrific murder scene that is considered to be one of the best in the horror/horror comedy genre. This opening sequence is a great example of how the element of surprise and mystery can really influence the way a film makes an audience feel. Throughout the entire phone conversation, the increasingly horrific dialogue makes the audience feel the same emotions Casey is feeling. I think that the emphasis on using the phone as a prop for this scene made it very relatable and highlighted how technology can harm us too. The ring of the phone along with the popping of the popcorn were both very normal sounds that somehow insinuated that something was going to happen. Another important sound would be the subtle metal noise of the knife being removed by Casey; this sound later becomes important for the film as it accompanied the killer, Ghostface, before he attacks.

Sources:
Urquhart-White, Alaina. “Why 'Scream' Has The Most Terrifying Opening Scene.” Bustle, Bustle, 20 Dec. 2016, www.bustle.com/articles/200688-a-beat-by-beat-analysis-that-will-explain-why-scream-has-the-most-terrifying-opening-sequence-ever.