Halloween and Scream Comparison Notes

- Halloween was too unrealistic and didn't relate to real life.
- Scream did not use a steadicam like Halloween did for most the film like Halloween did, not cliché.
- Horror films are seen as sexist - Scream countered this.
- Scream uses atmospheric music and also an unrecognisable tune. The music differs in every scene.
- The music used in Scream is sophisticated and high tech, it also builds up tension within the film.
- Music was carefully times and constructed in synchronisation with the action as it happened.
- Continuous mocking conventions used in Halloween and other previous Horror films throughout film. - e.g.
- The victims in scream fight back and are not as silly as Halloween.
- Horror films such as Halloween rarely use big name stars and are very low budget as they use unknown actors, everyday suburban locations, obvious soundtracks, whereas Scream uses big stars such as Drew Barrymore and Courtney Cox.
- Killers are not superhuman, they are ordinary boys from the local community - more realistic.
- Killers could be omnipresent, also he uses 2 killers not one.
- Knives are used in both films which is iconic in horror films.
- Posters promoting the film used Drew Barrymore which also made the audience think that she will survive throughout the film however this isn't true - Its unusual for a big name star to die so early in film.
- Scream used fast moving camera work and editing unlike voyeristic stalking in Halloween.
- Halloween was less voyeurism, audience sees things from the killers and the victims point of view which made the audience feel more sypathetic.
- Scream had equal fights between the victims and killers as victims have more of a chance and inflict injuries on the killer/killers.
- In scream Wes Craven reinvented the mask from Halloween.