Summaries

A year after the murder of her mother, a teenage girl is terrorized by a masked killer who targets her and her friends by using scary movies as part of a deadly game.

A year after her mother's death, Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) and her friends started experiencing some strange phone calls. They later learned the calls were coming from a crazed serial killer, in a white faced mask and a large black robe, looking for revenge. His phone calls usually consist of many questions, the main one being: What's your favorite scary movie? Along with much scary movie trivia, ending with bloody pieces of innocent lives scattered around the small town of Woodsboro.—Joss Oran

A teenage girl becomes the target of a killer who has stalked and killed one of her classmates. A tabloid news reporter (insisting that the man who raped and killed Campbell's mother one year earlier is innocent) is determined to uncover the truth. Campbell's boyfriend becomes the prime suspect.—Robert B. DeSalvo <[email protected]>

A peaceful town in California turns into a bloodbath when a masked killer haunts the town. Sidney Prescott, a young teenage girl, whose mother was killed a year before, becomes the target of the mask killer! Her boyfriend Billy Loomis becomes the main suspect along with Sidney's father. Local Tabloid News Reporter Gail Weathers and Woodsbroro's Deputy Dwight "Dewey" Riley investigate and try to figure out who the killer is and if it's the same person who killed Sid's mom the year before!—Momoseeko12

One year after Sidney's moms death, more killings start to occur. Their only clue is a ghost mask. A local tabloid reporter, Gale Weathers is on the case to find out who the killer is. She tells Sidney that it could possibly be the same man that killed her mom one year earlier. When the night comes, she will see who the person is behind the mask.—Kyle <[email protected]>

Details

Keywords
  • serial killer
  • slasher
  • telephone call
  • masked killer
  • scream
Genres
  • Mystery
  • Horror
Release date Dec 19, 1996
Motion Picture Rating (MPA) R
Countries of origin United States
Language English
Filming locations 1820 Calistoga Road, Santa Rosa, California, USA
Production companies Dimension Films Woods Entertainment

Box office

Budget $14000000
Gross US & Canada $103046663
Opening weekend US & Canada $6354586
Gross worldwide $173046663

Tech specs

Runtime 1h 51m
Color Color
Sound mix Dolby Dolby Digital
Aspect ratio 2.39 : 1

Synopsis

In the small town of Woodsboro, California, high school student Casey Becker is home alone when she receives a phone call from an unknown person. They discuss horror films until the caller turns sadistic, threatening her life and revealing that her boyfriend, Steve, is tied up on her patio. The caller demands she answer questions about horror films to save his life, but she gives an incorrect answer about Friday the 13th and Steve is killed. Casey attempts to escape the house but is stabbed to death by someone wearing a "Ghostface" costume and her disemboweled corpse is hanged from a tree.

The news media descend on the town as a police investigation begins. Teenager Sidney Prescott struggles with the impending first anniversary of the rape and murder of her mother Maureen by Cotton Weary. The trauma has made her unable to consummate her relationship with her boyfriend, Billy Loomis. As her father Neil is traveling for work, Sidney waits home alone for her best friend, Tatum Riley. She receives a call taunting her about Maureen's death and is attacked by Ghostface, who disappears just before Billy comes through her window. However, she becomes suspicious when he drops a cell phone, and he is arrested by Deputy Sheriff Dewey Riley, Tatum's brother. At the police station, Sidney is confronted by investigative journalist Gale Weathers, who claims that Maureen had several affairs, including one with Cotton, and that he was wrongly accused of her murder. Sidney stays at Tatum's home but receives another taunting call from the killer. The calls are traced to Neil's phone, but the police are unable to locate him.

After his release, Billy encounters Sidney at school and further upsets her by comparing his absent mother to Maureen's death. After suspending school in the wake of the murders, Principal Himbry is stabbed to death in his office. To celebrate the closure, Stu Macher, Tatum's boyfriend, hosts a party at his secluded home. Dewey and Gale keep watch on the party in case the killer strikes again. As fellow high schooler Randy Meeks details the rules of surviving a horror film, Tatum is isolated in the garage by Ghostface, who crushes her with the garage door. After discovering Himbry's murder, most of the partygoers leave to see his hanging body, nearly running over Dewey and Gale and inadvertently leading them to Neil's hidden car. Billy arrives at the house to reconcile with Sidney, and they finally have sex. Afterward, they are suddenly attacked by Ghostface, and Billy is stabbed. Sidney evades Ghostface, who kills Gale's cameraman Kenny and stabs Dewey when he returns. Gale, attempting to flee in her van, crashes and is knocked unconscious. Sidney seeks refuge inside the house, locking Stu and Randy outside as they accuse each other of being the killer.

A seemingly wounded Billy returns and allows Randy inside before shooting him in the shoulder, revealing himself as the killer and Stu as his accomplice. Billy confesses that they killed Maureen because the discovery of her affair with his father was responsible for his mother leaving. The pair abducted Neil to frame him for their crimes and proceed to stab each other to portray themselves as the only survivors. They are interrupted by Gale's return, which gives Sidney the chance to incapacitate Billy and kill Stu by dropping a television set on his head. Billy attempts to stab Sidney but is shot by Gale. After Randy remarks that horror film killers revive for a final scare, Billy sits back up and Sidney shoots him in the head, killing him. As dawn breaks, Neil is rescued, Dewey is taken away by ambulance, and Gale provides an impromptu news report about the night's events.

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