Scream to Scream, Scene by Scene: SCENE 20 of Scream 2 (0:54:09-1:00:18)

In this project I attempt to review the entire Scream trilogy scene by scene in chronological order. Heavy spoilers and gore throughout!



SCENE 20 of Scream 2
Length: 6min 9secs
Primary Characters: Sidney Prescott, Gus Gold (David Warner) and Derek
Pop Culture References:

• None
  

Okay, I'm just going to come out and say it: This is the worst scene in the entire trilogy. THE ENTIRE TRILOGY!

Unless I'm forgetting some scene in Scream 3 - which is possible, Steven Stone's scene in the trailer comes to mind, but still... - I feel quite confident in saying so. Scream 2 is the longest film of the trilogy and it I think if it's too long the blame lies in some of these sequences around the middle. Scene 17 could have easily have been cut and one in a little bit where Sidney receives a death threat via computer (using the "intranet"?) could've been nixed as well. This one though is just the worst. I honestly can't find a single moment in it that I like and I skip it each and every time I watch Scream 2.


A lot of the blame goes on this guy, Gus Gold, Sidney's drama teacher. Ugh. Worst character of the trilogy, too! And I'm including Tyson from Scream 3 in that wide net! None of the fun or menace that was found in Henry Winkler's Himbry, nor is there any weathered bravura that can be found in the likes of Lance Henrikson's Milton or Joseph Whipp's Sheriff Burke. It's just overblown silliness. This scene between he and Sidney in which they discuss her strength as a "fighter" is just bollocks. WE GET IT! Why couldn't she have gotten that pep from Dewey or even Derek in her cafeteria serenade?


"The battle for the soul is fought in the form of art; you're a fighter, Sid, that's why you're here..."
Oh for heaven's sake, can it you armchair psychiatrist. You're a drama teacher not the Dean of Psychology. Ugh. HATE!!

Sorry, I just can't contain my contempt for this scene. I get what the scene is trying to do; set up the location of the climax, show that Sidney did indeed have a life there at school, and I also like that they position the idea of Sidney being an actress when in fact Maureen Prescott was one two and Sidney just didn't know. Still, I just really don't like the way they put all that stuff into the movie when it could've been some so much easier and with less pomp.


And then there's the show itself. See, this is just cruel. Surround Sidney with a bunch of scary people in masks? Yikes. This drama teacher is an arsehole.



"Fate's vengeful eye is set... on me!"
Heavy handed much?



Again with the scary people with masks! And now they're attacking Sidney with knives? You'd think the drama teacher - the awful prick that he is - would maybe choose a play with less obvious parallels to his star's life. But, then, Kevin Williamson isn't exactly the subtlest of writers at times, you know?


Yawn.

See, it just comes off as silly. Why would the killer actually risk this? So, right from the get go we know it's not an actual attack on Sidney. So taking that into consideration, we must conclude that it's just Sidney's imagination getting the better of her, but it feels so unnecessary. We are well aware that Sidney is tortured by the crimes and terrified of what could happen, so we don't need this bit to show us this. Hmmm.


This shot is cool. It'd be cooler if it was in an actual chase sequence that was actually scary and actually Ghostface.


Oh wait, my mistake: GREATEST SCENE OF THE ENTIRE TRILOGY!!!

Actually, no, it's still shit. Portia de Rossi's eyebrows don't quite have that level of power unfortunately.


My my, what nice eerie foreboding you're giving us there, Wes. I do like the shot though. It's all very arty.


Derek gets sappier and more and more like a personal poodle with each passing scene. I really kinda wish Joshua Jackson, who we saw back in scene 3 had been cast as Derek instead of the wet Jerry O'Connell. Don't you agree?

Oh look! The scene's over and it's directly followed by one of the top five scenes of the trilogy. It's like they knew this scene was a dud and needed to wake everyone up again!

Scream:
Intro, Scene 1 Scene 2, Scene 3, Scene 4, Scene 5, Scene 6, Scene 7, Scene 8, Scene 9, Scene 10, Scene 11, Scene 12, Scene 13, Scene 14, Scene 15, Scene 16, Scene 17, Scene 18, Scene 19, Scene 20, Scene 21, Scene 22, Scene 23, Scene 24, Scene 25, Scene 26, Scene 27, Scene 28, Scene 29, Scene 30, Scene 31 Scene 32, Scene 33, End Credits

Scream 2
Scene 1, Scene 2, Scene 3, Scene 4, Scene 5, Scene 6, Scene 7, Scene 8, Scene 9, Scene 10, Scene 11, Scene 12, Scene 13, Scene 14. Scene 15, Scene 16, Scene 17, Scene 18, Scene 19