In the movies, everyone can hear you ‘Scream’

Above : The fourth film in the “Scream” franchise opens on Friday. (Photo/Paramount Pictures)

When the horror film “Scream” opened in 1996, I was certain that such projects would never be the same.

Written by Kevin Williamson , and directed by the legendary Wes Craven , the film was a hit. And the reason? One was Craven, the guy who had graduated from cheap slasher flicks (1972’s “The Last House on the Left”) to horror films that attracted a far wider popularity (1984’s  “A Nightmare on Elm Street”).

Another was the cast, which included such familiar faces as Courteney Cox, Neve Campbell , David Arquette and Drew Barrymore (in the film’s shocking opening scene).

But even more important, the film succeeded because of what Williamson put on the page. Using the well-known conventions of such films – clichés that the film’s characters were aware of – the film made fun of the genre even as it simulated one.

Over the next 15 years, that original “Scream” was followed by three sequels, an MTV-sponsored television series and, opening on Friday, a fifth feature-film sequel – titled, simply, “Scream.”

It stars several of the characters who survived the other films – notably, those played by Campbell, Cox and Arquette – along with a younger cast of pretty-faced actors.

The film is embargoed, so no critics’ reviews are available. This is seldom if ever a good sign. But I just may go back and watch my favorite in the series anyway, which would be “Scream 2.”

As the New York Times’ Janet Maslin wrote, “ ‘Scream 2’ has so much tongue-in-cheek trickery that it virtually escapes the horror genre.”

Too bad so many other film producers never learned that lesson.