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Editorials, Horror Nostalgia

Every Horror Movie Referenced In “SCREAM” 1996

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It was December 20th, 1996, and a couple of friends and I carpooled to our local movie theater. You know, the kind of theater you don’t see these days anymore, with the brick wall lining on the interior and movie titles proudly displayed on a marquee. Excitement was abound in our group as we were headed for a double feature of two highly anticipated movies of the holiday season: Beavis and Butthead Do America, and Wes Craven’s SCREAM, as they were simultaneously released on the same day. So we figured a little brainless comedy paired with a new horror movie was the best way to kick off our Christmas break.

As a matter of fact, this is the exact theater, thanks to cinematreasures.org for posting these pics that are making me ooze nostalgia from every orifice in my body.

After almost puking from laughing with Beavis and Butthead, it was horror’s turn as we shuffled into the theater room next door for SCREAM; and it was an experience much different than the aforementioned. One that only a horror fan would understand. It was goddamn glorious.

Spanning over 30 years, Wes Craven’s Scream has slashed its way into the hearts of horror fans, becoming a beloved franchise entry into the Kingdom of Horror Legends. Spawning now four sequels, with SCREAM 7 being released this week, I figured what better time to go back to the original that was heavily influenced by the prior 20 years of phenomenal horror films, of which many are referenced in Scream itself.

Obviously, I had to go back and rewatch the original so as not to miss any references here, but it’s possible I did anyway- and if so, make sure to comment down below what my dumb-ass didn’t catch the first few 100 times.

HALLOWEEN

It goes without saying that John Carpenter’s Halloween is pretty much the gold standard for slasher films, and here is no exception, as not only is the movie used as a set-up for one of horror hero Randy’s rants, but mentioned several times throughout the film as well.

A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET

Is that the one where the guy had knives for fingers? I liked that movie. It was scary– Ghostface
Yeah, the first one was, but the rest sucked. – Casey

I would have felt bad for Casey had she not made that statement. Did she not ever see Dream Warriors or The Dream Master? Pfft…

CARRIE

“Corn syrup. Same thing they used for pig’s blood in Carrie.”- Billy

I appreciate that kind of attention to detail when planning the crime scene.

PSYCHO

“We all go a little crazy sometimes–Anthony Perkins, Psycho.” – Billy

And umm, yeah he certainly did.

WHEN A STRANGER CALLS

1996’s SCREAM did a fantastic recreation of the 1979 horror, where the movie’s babysitter is tormented by a mysterious caller until she discovers the calls are coming from inside the house. In all fairness, it’s also an old urban legend, but one that never loses its edge.

FRIDAY THE 13TH

“Name the killer in Friday the 13th?” -Ghostface

I’d say that was a dirty trick, but for anyone who knows better, it really isn’t. Sorry, Casey.

THE EXORCIST

“I was home watching television. The Exorcist was on. It got me thinking of you.” – Billy

Now if that ain’t a red flag that your boyfriend ain’t right in the head, I don’t know what is.

THE HOWLING

“What’s that werewolf movie with E.T.’s mom in it?”– Random Video Store Customer

Even though Randy gave the wrong title, it’s still a fun little Easter egg.

PROM NIGHT

“If they’d watch ‘Prom Night,’ they’d save time!” – Randy

Seriously, always listen to the horror movie nerd in a real-life murder scenario, OK?

Added Jamie Lee Splendor; THE FOG/ TERROR TRAIN

“‘The Fog,’ ‘Terror Train,’ ‘Prom Night’… How come Jamie Lee Curtis is in all of these movies?”– Sydney

Because, like Randy answers, “She’s the Scream Queen.” The end.

THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE

“What’s Leatherface doing here?” – Randy

Once again, Randy wasn’t too far off on this one.

I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE

“Cute. What movie is this from, ‘I Spit on Your Garage’?” – Tatum

You wish, Tatum. Unfortunately, you won’t get revenge like in the referenced film.

THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN

“Look at this place. It’s the town that dreaded sundown.” -Sydney

I really love that reference more than almost anything on this list. Perfect placement.

THE BAD SEED

I’m afraid I’ll turn out just like her—the Bad Seed or something.” – Sydney

A fear we all have as teenagers, Syd.

THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS

It’s like Jodie Foster in ‘Silence of the Lambs’ when she keeps having flashbacks of her dead father.”– Billy

Ironically, a sociopath manipulating his female counterpart is something Billy and Hannibal have in common.

CANDYMAN

Oh, you mean after you branded him the Candyman? No, his heart’s broken.” -Stu

Good. Fuck you, Billy.

FRANKENSTEIN

One of the oldest horror films in the genre, and respectively, the one that paved the way for so many on this list, Frankenstein can be seen playing at Randy’s video rental workplace in the background.

Welp, I think that about covers it. And in case you need a refresher on how to survive a horror movie, listen to wise Randy here. No one else did and all this bullshit could have been avoided had they done so. We salute you, Randy.

Editorials

Celebrating 40 Years of One of Horror’s Most Tragic Love Stories: “The Fly”

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It began with the premise of a Cheeseburger and ended up as the “Romeo and Juliet” of horror.

David Cronenberg’s bold remake of THE FLY, shows the cinematic community how a remake is done, and done well. It also took the initial love story immersed in the original 1958 film and took it a step further by throwing us on an emotional roller coaster where we all really rooted for these two, even toward the bitter end in the hopes that Brundle could be saved from his insect brain logic.

Cronenberg’s THE FLY is considered pretty unanimously as one of the greatest monster movies and body horror flicks of the 20th century; but this movie is so much more than that, and often I see the love story that literally sits at the heart of the plot, gets overlooked by the grotesque nature of the movie. Without a doubt, it’s one of the saddest, and most painful love tales one can watch unfold on-screen. Seth and Veronica’s whirlwind romance looks and feels so authentic, as the pair have incredibly believable chemistry that sucks you right into this strange world of telepods, insects, and tragedy. And leaves you in a hot mess of tears and puke- because you and I both know this movie can easily produce projectile vomit for the queasy.

One of the key points that really feels like a stab in the heart of viewers, is a half-mutated Brundlefly’s speech to Veronica on “insect politics”. Veronica is desperate to help Seth, however, Brundle knows that he is beyond her help and orders her to stay away as he feels the insect inside of him has at this point, completely taken over.

“You have to leave now, and never come back here. Have you ever heard of insect politics? Neither have I. Insects don’t have politics. They’re very brutal. No compassion, no compromise. I’m an insect who dreamt he was a man and loved it. But now the dream is over… and the insect is awake. I’m saying… I’ll hurt you if you stay.” 

GUT-WRENCHING.

The biggest kick in the dick is at the very end, however. Brundle, insane with an idea to fuse him, and a now pregnant Veronica together in the telepods seem like the answer to his problem. With the help of a concerned, although douche ex-lover and co-worker of Ronnie’s, she manages to escape leaving Brundle’s DNA to be accidentally fused with the pod itself. Now we have a mutated human-fly-telepod. Good grief. Seth, reaching deep inside to his human counterpart shakily grabs a shotgun a distressed Veronica has in her hand and points it at his head, urging his love to end the madness. A hysterical Geena Davis complies and blows Goldblum’s brains out, giving us one of the most miserable endings to any horror film.

It’s a tear-jerker every time, and not something that normally happens at the end of a horror film, as most end on an emphatic cliffhanger that all is not well, producing that exciting adrenaline rush. Here, we’re left with our hearts broken for both Seth and Veronica-wishing for a better outcome, but all is gone and lost permanently.

That is, until THE FLY II came about, which also does a superb job of making us cry our eyeballs out. You know exactly what scene I’m talking about.

At the time of this article, there are no announced plans for a 40th anniversary physical media release, but I’m sure once we get closer to the date, there will be one. For now, you’ll just have to stick with an older release or stream on Amazon Prime Video.

Editorials

ANGUISH TOPS ACTION: THE SCENE THAT DEFINES ‘PREDATOR’

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Whether you categorize it as action, science fiction, horror, or all of the above, PREDATOR (1987) is a god-tier film. With Dan Trachtenberg’s PREDATOR: BADLANDS (2025) set to surpass the franchise OG at the box office nearly four decades later, it’s time to talk about what made a ninth film possible: a brief but game-changing scene that lifted PREDATOR from interesting to indelible.

Though the film is a hybrid that refuses to be limited to a single genre, it’s impossible to deny that PREDATOR has action movie tendencies. And late-eighties action meant the machismo went to 11, a fact that required PREDATOR to venture beyond awe into something raw.

Screenwriters Jim and John Thomas threw down a gauntlet of emotion ranging from exhilaration to fear, but were keenly aware that to rise above the body count of action and slasher popcorn fare demanded the audience feel the toll of loss.

Despite boasting of peak Schwarzenegger, the bravado of Carl Weathers, and the otherworldly presence and performance of Kevin Peter Hall, none were up to the challenge of carrying PREDATOR to the mountaintop.

That daunting task was placed in the more than capable hands of Bill Duke.

The film’s first act firmly established the camaraderie between Duke’s Mac and Blain (Jesse Ventura), so when Blain fell, Duke took center stage.

After Dutch (Schwarzenegger) said “[Blain] was a good soldier,” Duke’s heavy-eyed declaration “he was my friend” superseded the well-worn trope of the revenge-fueled tunnel vision to come. Mac was mourning.

Accompanied by Alan Silvestri’s Taps-inspired horns, Duke knelt next to his fallen comrade, and those same eyes spoke volumes about years, memories, and an unbreakable bond. As the horns swelled and Mac took one last drink from the flask they’d often shared, only two words escaped Duke’s lips: “goodbye, bro.”

With two words and less than sixty seconds, PREDATOR clearly communicated that these weren’t one-liner-spouting action heroes inexplicably taking out an entire army, they were human beings trying to survive.

The culmination of the Thomas’ writing, Silvestri’s score, and Duke’s delivery created a magical moment that forced the audience to share the suffocating weight of Mac’s sorrow.

In that moment, PREDATOR went to a place few movies of its ilk or era dared visit—that soldiers were people—and sometimes people lose. A moment that guaranteed PREDATOR would stand the test of time.