Scream - (Devil's Advocates) by Steven West (Paperback)

About the Book

his Devil's Advocate offers a full exploration of Scream, including its structure, its many reference points (such as the prominent use of Halloween as a kind of sacred text), its marketing ("the new thriller from Wes Craven" - not a horror film), and legacy for horror cinema in the new millennium.

Book Synopsis

Wes Craven's Scream (1996) emerged at the point where the early eighties American slasher cycle had effectively morphed into the post-Fatal Attraction trend for Hollywood thrillers that incorporated key slasher movie tropes. Scream emerged as a spiritual successor to Wes Craven's unpopular but critically praised previous film New Nightmare (1994), which evolved from his frustration at having lost creative control over his most popular creation, Freddy Krueger, and rebirthed the character in a postmodern context. Scream appropriates many of the concepts, conceits, and in-jokes inherent in New Nightmare, albeit in a much more commercial context that did not alienate teenage audiences who were not around to see the movies that were being referenced. This Devil's Advocate offers a full exploration of Scream, including its structure, its many reference points (such as the prominent use of Halloween as a kind of sacred text), its marketing ("the new thriller from Wes Craven" - not a horror film), and legacy for horror cinema in the new millennium.

Review Quotes

'In this book, Steven West provides an intricate analysis of a classic film without letting any potentially influential information slip through the cracks. To read this book is to understand what went into the making of Scream, what impacted the way it was made, and what came out of its release. Even further, to read this book is to understand a significant marker in the beginning of an impactful evolution of the horror genre as a whole.' Julia Desmond, Film Matters

About the Author

Steven West writes on cinema for a range of publications, and is a regular contributor to the Frightfest website and vintage horror magazine We Belong Dead. He has contributed essays for books including 70s Monster Memories and The Shrieking Sixties.