Scary Movie

Release Date: July 9th, 2000

Cast :

Directors: Keenen Ivory Wayans 

The most surprising thing about this movie is that it is not as bad as expected.  The most disappointing thing is that it is not as good as it could have been.  The potential existed for a great commentary on horror movies, sequels and even spoofs.  While there are flashes of brilliance in the script, for the most part, the film resorts to below the belt tactics instead of above the shoulder intellect thus diminishing its overall lasting effect.

There are certain rules that must be followed, in successfully make to survive a horror movie satire.  First of all, maintain a similarity to the original.  Secondly, make the jokes intelligent, but still funny.  Thirdly, don’t fall victim to same situations that are being satirized.  Scary Movie acknowledges these rules, but doesn’t always follow them.   In a movie like this, the plot, the development of the characters, and every other criterion that is usually used to evaluate a movie can be thrown out the proverbial window.  This is a movie that is all about the jokes.  If the humor works, the movie will, if it doesn't, it won’t.  It’s that simple, yet so often it gets muddled up.  Failure usually falls in the delivery of the material.  Latter efforts of Leslie Nielsen (Wrongfully Accused, Spy Hard) and Mel Brooks (Dracula; Dead and Loving It) would deliver the joke and wait for the laugh, before progressing to the next. On the other side, early attempts by the Zuckers (Kentucky Fried Movie, Airplane) would use a rapid-fire delivery, marching forward whether the humor succeeded or not.  Scary Movie displays both styles.  At times there is a literal lull in the action, like the performers are trying to hear the audiences reaction.  Other times, the jokes pile one on top of the other, never allowing the audience to catch their breath.  When it does the latter, it has more success, but Wayans and company don’t use this style enough to garner complete success.

Scary Movie morphs together the plots of Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer.  There are several acknowledgements of these films throughout. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but some need to know what is being imitated.  The characters names, the school name, even the actor playing the principal, are all genius nods towards the predecessors.  The movie falls apart during the interim scenes that hold the movie together.  True movie fans will revel in spotting the inside jokes and laughs that the majority of the teenage populace may not.  From cult classics like Pulp Fiction and The Usual Suspects to horror classics like The Shining and Friday the 13^th , it is obvious some thought went into sections of this script.  It is saddening to see that the film makers felt the need to degrade the humor down to unnecessary nudity, sexual innuendoes and drug laden, toilet humor which has become quite prevalent these days. This decision alienates the majority of the demographic which towards which this film is aimed.   Films like Something about Mary and American Pie knew how to balance this humor with insight, or at least intelligence so that the humor worked.  In Scary Movie, these frequent stabs only beat the audience into submission, or make them turn away in disgust or revulsion.  If no one is watching the screen, the joke is not going to work.

Ultimately, Scary Movie is a film where the few jokes that do work are almost worth a rental.  In order to break any given rule, those rules must be first be recognized and respected.  Previously successful movies that mocked a certain genre acknowledged their predecessors, and the proceeded to capitalize on the areas where they both succeeded and failed.  At times, Scary Movie taps into the path that Scream had opened the door to.  Unfortunately, once through that door, the movie heads straight for the gutter.  Occasionally it pokes its head up and delivers an intelligent zinger, but is subsequently dragged back down again.   The error of the Wayans and Miramax may have been targeting this film a bit too low in the terms of age.  Those who grew up in the horror movie generation that this film is aimed at have long outgrown the South Park gonzo style gross out humor that is prevalent here.  Hopefully, the spoofing of a franchise that was already a spoof, will spell the end of these kinds of films. ($$ out of $$$$)

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