While Scream certainly has its share of gore, it never feels like the focus of the story. Right from the get-go, it lets you know this was going to be a different horror-movie experience, and in the opening 12 minutes, it unsettled the audience by killing off its biggest star, Drew Barrymore. Of course, Craven just aped what Alfred Hitchcock famously did with Janet Leigh in Psycho. 

The script was also unique in just how self-aware the characters were. They not only love horror movies but the cast frequently name-checks other horror films. They also lay out—and then the film plays with—the classic slasher-film “rules” and clichés about who survives. And as the ultimate wink-nod to horror fans, Craven himself has a cameo as a striped-sweater-wearing school janitor who happens to be named Fred. Red herrings and misdirection abound throughout, and after the shock of Barrymore’s death, viewers knew anyone could be killed—all of which told moviegoers they were in for a new and different ride, and the traditional rules of the genre were out the window.

It was interesting to re-watch Scream knowing the outcome, much like people will go back through The Sixth Sense to see if M. Night Shyamalan made any continuity mistakes. Here, when you know what—and who—to look for, there are some subtle clues that tell you who the killer is that give the film another layer of enjoyment.

Originally shot on 35mm film, this transfer is from a 4K digital intermediate, and the clarity and detail show. Of course, as with many film-to-4K transfers, there are some moments of softness or uneven focus but these are likely in the original and the movie still has that organic film look. What I really appreciate with a well-done transfer is just how clean images look. Fortunately, much of Scream—particularly the opening—is filmed up close, letting you really see the texture and detail in the actors’ faces—the smooth skin and fine whiskers, Sidney’s freckles, and the detail in Barrymore’s sweater and the fine strands of her hair.  

Don’t expect a lot of eye-popping HDR but the grade definitely enhances the natural look of the film with nice deep blacks and shadow detail. Also, much of the second half is shot at night, and things like bright car headlights, police lights, fluorescent lighting, lightning strikes, and bright white T-shirts get some added pop, as do subtle things like the glints of highlights from droplets of sweat or tears on actors’ cheeks. I also noticed the subtle sparkle and flecks of silver in the killer’s black outfit. Nothing really pushes the bounds of HDR’s wider color gamut but we get some really nice and vibrant yellows, oranges, and reds in a sunset, along with the rich blue of Sidney’s denim, and of course the intense reds of blood.

The Kaleidescape download features a 5.1-channel DTS-HD Master Audio mix. The dialogue is always presented nice and clear in the center channel. Sounds like ringing phones, ticking clocks, and creaking floors happen way off screen, expanding the width of your listening area. My processor’s DTS: Neural X upmixer was also able to extract some nice ambience from the mix. Small sounds like clocks and wind chimes, echoes, wind whistling through an HVAC register, or PA announcements fill the room and immerse you in what’s happening on screen. Parts of the score are also “lifted” up to the ceiling speakers to add a nice height layer. 

The mix isn’t super dynamic but it can deliver some strong, even tactile, bass, such as during a big lightning storm in the opening. And while there isn’t a lot of gunfire, the few instances are recorded loud and sharp and are definitely standout moments.  

While some of the dialogue between the “teenagers” (Campbell and McGowen were 23, and Ulrich and Matthew Lillard were both 26) is a little cringey, most of Scream holds up surprisingly well and it’s still a lot of fun to watch. The timing is also a bit serendipitous as rewatching this new transfer of the 1996 original will help set the mood for the Scream reboot  coming in January 2022, which brings back the big surviving three—Sidney, Gale Weathers, and Deputy Dewey—from the original film.