SCARY MOVIE (2000)

Directed By: Keenan Ivory Wayans 
Written By: Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Phil Beauman, Buddy Johnson, Aaron Seltzer & Jason Friedberg 
Cinematography By: Francis Kenny 
Editor: Mark Helfrich 


Cast: Anna Faris, Regina Hall, Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Jon Abrahams, Shannon Elizabeth, Lochlyn Munro, Cheri Oteri, David L. Lander, Dave Sheridan, Carmen Electra, Rick Ducommun, Kurt Fuller, Kelly Coffield, Marisa Jaret Winokur 


A group of teenagers including Cindy Campbell and Bobby Prinze, accidentally hit a man when driving, and dispose of the body, but now they are being stalked by a very recognizable masked killer. The victim count increases, whilst Cindy must survive the carnage that has she has seen in so many films before.


The title of this movie is the original title of the movie SCREAM. Using it seems to be a spoof.

With this film you can see parody skills of the Wayans brothers haven't dulled since I'M GONNA GIT YOU SUCKA. It almost seems like a last hurrah for them as this was really the last time a film of theirs was out and out hilarious.

The movie is especially fun if you remember the films they are skewering. I remember watching this movie many times in the theater.

The film comes off cheap. As it looks that way and is very crude. Though ends up being shockingly hilarious. As it seemed to start a new legion of parodies for better or worse. That included parodies of certain genres and types of movies before ending up as year end parodies of the years biggest movies, tv shows and parodies. As well as many sequels of this very movie. The Wayans more or less left the series after the rushed sequel to this film.

Surprisingly a lot of the sexual humor her seems to cross the line, but is noteworthy for being so graphic in this type of genre. I wish I could say that the same in the way the film was shot. As the film does get disgusting at times especially with the body fluid humor.

It helps that the cast is full of fresh faced newcomers at the time. So the Wayans are really the only recognizable supposed teen cast performers. Which also includes the first time one remembers Anna Faris in a leading role and Regina Hall Co-starring

Anna Faris is good as she is at the brunt of a lot of jokes and most of her screen time requires a bunch of physical comedy. Which she really needs to return to. Though the star of the film, she is not the most memorable character. This is a role Alicia Silverstone supposedly turned down.

This is actually the only film where I was really impressed with Shawn Wayans as an actor. He is hilarious and manages to steal half the scenes he is involved in. 

The film manages to keep the audience laughing throughout. The humor might be easy to offend. All though it's Strength is that it relies on that shock. Just as some horror movies do. To not only surprise but also offend.

Some jokes don't work as well as others. As usual if you try to follow the plot you will get lost and be disappointed. Though when they work the jokes can be eye watering funny. Like the trans coach. As some of the material probably wouldn't be able to put into films without some controversy.

(As eventually they kept making movies starring the brothers Shawn and Marlon. Directed by older brother Keenan and usually written by them or younger family members with some help. Until the younger ones have took over and made films under the Wayans brothers production brand) The film seems appropriate then the last collaboration that the brothers starred in DON'T BE A MENACE 2 SOUTH CENTRAL WHILE DRINKING YOUR JUICE IN THE HOOD. Which Keenan appeared in but didn't direct.

One wouldn't expect less as Keenan started his filmmaking career writing and directing spoof and satire. So it’s one of is strengths the only problem is that his humor usually seem to be modern and takes on pop culture of the time. Which is good in the moment, but on a long term level doesn't age as well. So like his television show IN LIVING COLOR. It is well remembered. It not as funny or cutting edge as you remember.

Though he does allow for giving people of color view on events and situations. Here the script isn't his originally so it is. Ore all over the place but it does push boundaries rather then in some films going to the line then slowly backing away retracing it's Steps. While some of the jokes are more often sick and gross that might more appeal to a teenage audience it is a rather hilarious.

At least the film stays on point with a storyline you can follow and makes some sense unlike all the sequels. Which seem to get lost in the gags more than anything. So that they feel more like time filler then necessary or ever organic.

The script for The movie is actually a combination of two scripts Dimension Films bought in 1998: "Last Summer I Screamed Because Halloween Fell On Friday The 13th" written by the Wayans brothers and PhilBeauman; and "Scream If You Know What I Did Last Halloween" by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer. (The latter two are the "two of the six writers of Scary Movie" who went on to make DATE MOVIE, EPIC MOVIE.) Despite the screenplay credits for Aaron Seltzer and Jason Friedberg, little if anything from their screenplay was used. Marlon Wayans in particular has said that he and most of the other writers responsible for the final script never even read Seltzer and Friedberg's draft, after Keenan Ivory Wayans checked it over and assured them that it contained nothing worth retaining in their version.

In an early script it was going to reveal that the killer was Damon Wayans for his brothers holding out on him in this movie, but due to scheduling conflicts it was rewritten the way it is now.

This series was taken over eventually by the Zucker Brothers after the Wayans left the franchise. Considering they seem to be the forefathers of the genre it should have been an honor. Even though the films got successively worse.

The film doesn't have the strongest filmmaking or technical aspects leaving the film to be just more fun as long as you enjoy the humor. Though spoof can seem unoriginal at time s and more like a silly commentary on the subject or movie they seek to make fun of. This is one of the better ones not necessarily one of the more genius ones, but this is the one before they seemed to go down hill.


Grade: B