Distributed by
Pioneer Entertainment Europe

Cat.no: PLFEB 37341

Cert: 18

Running time: 117 minutes

Sides: 2 (CLV)

Year: 1997

Pressing: 1998

Chapters: 21 (10/10+1)

Sound: Dolby Surround

Widescreen: 2.35:1

Price: £24.99

Extras : Original Theatrical Trailer

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Director:

Wes Craven (Nightmare On Elm Street, Wes Craven's New Nightmare, Scream)

Producers:

Cathy Konrad & Marianne Maddalena

Screenplay:

Kevin Williamson (I Know What You Did Last Summer, Scream)

Music:

Marco Beltrami

Cast:

Sidney Prescott: Neve Campbell (Scream, The Craft, Wild Things, TV: "Party Of Five")
Gale Weathers: Courteney Cox (Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Scream, TV: "Friends")
Deputy Dewey Riley: David Arquette (Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Scream, Fall Time, Road Flower, Wild Bill)
Randy Meeks: Jamie Kennedy (Scream)
Cotton Weary: Liev Schreiber (Scream, Walking And Talking)
Maureen: Jada Pinkett (Jason's Lyric, The Nutty Professor, Set It Off)
"Stab" Casey: Heather Graham (Boogie Nights, Drugstore Cowboy, License To Drive, Lost In Space, Midnight To Sting, Mrs Parker And The Vicious Circle, Swingers)
Cotton's Interviewer: Kevin Williamson
Cici: Sarah Michelle Gellar (I Know What You Did Last Summer, TV: "Buffy The Vampire Slayer")
Derek: Jerry O'Connell (Jerry Maguire, Joe's Apartment, Stand By Me, TV: "Sliders")
Joel: Duane Martin (Above The Rim)
Debbie Salt: Laurie Metcalf (A Dangerous Woman, Internal Affairs, Leaving Las Vegas, Pacific Heights)
Sorority Sister Lois: Rebecca Gayheart (TV: "Beverly Hills 90210")
Sorority Sister Murphy: Portia De Rossi (Sirens)
Tori Spelling: Tori Spelling (TV: "Beverly Hills 90210")
Drama Teacher Gus Gold: David Warner (T) (The Man In The Iron Mask, The Omen, Star Trek 5, Time Bandits, Titanic, TV: "Star Trek: Next Generation")

Scream 2 sees the return of Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott, who thought she'd put the Woodsboro murders behind her as her mother's killer was finally laid to rest...until a crazed copycat killer begins acting out a chilling, real-life horror sequel on her college campus.

What kicks it off is the premier of the film, Stab, based on ambitious reporter Gale Weathers' (Courtney Cox) novel, based in turn on the events in Scream. As the bodies begin to pile up, Gale, deputy Dewey (David Arquette) and other Woodsboro survivors find themselves trapped in an all-new nightmare where no-one is safe - or above suspicion.

Those also returning in this sequel include Jamie Kennedy and Liev Schreiber, while those new to the Scream franchise are Heather Graham from the big-screen conversion of Lost In Space replaying the Drew Barrymore character in the film-within-a-film, Stab, Sarah Michelle Gellar, now on TV as Buffy The Vampire Slayer as well as appearing in writer Kevin Williamson's other horror film, I Know What You Did Last Summer. The man himself also gets a cameo role as Cotton's Interviewer.

Aside from that there are a number of small roles on display from Jerry O'Connell as Sidney's boyfriend, Duane Martin as the not-yet-dead cameraman, Laurie Metcalf as... well I won't spoil the surprise and cameos from Rebecca Gayheart, Portia De Rossi as well as Tori Spelling playing Sidney in the "Stab" movie and David Warner.

What I'd like to know, though, is why one of the names given top priority is that of Jada Pinkett who appears on the front cover, but is offed within a few minutes. Also, why has the cover artwork changed? It previously pictured Jerry O'Connell in the line-up, but he has been dropped for Liev Schreiber for the home-viewing version.

The picture quality is brilliant, brimming with colour, bringing out flesh-tones and gore in equal measures. It is also presented in its original widescreen ratio of 2.35:1. Anything less, such as the fullscreen rental video, results in massive closeups of heads making the picture look very unbalanced.

The sound quality is excellent too and as well as being used for the usual shocks and surprises you expect, plus those you don't, the film has a great soundtrack with tracks from The Eels (Your Lucky Day In Hell), Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds (Red Right Hand), Foo Fighters (Dear Lover) and a number of others, which makes one wonder why the available soundtrack CD comprising both films lasts less than half-an-hour.

There are 20 chapters to the disc and it could do with more, but at least this time round we get the theatrical trailer.

Overall, what starts off as an interesting premise falls apart when you realise that whereas the first film was a satire on horror movies in general, with references to some by name and Halloween by showing a group of kids watching the video, this sequel tries to satirise the first Scream, resulting in a film full of college kids talking about the killings, or trying to escape brainlessly from a murdering madman as if starring in "Halloween 39: Will Michael Myers Ever Take A Hint ?".

If you're a fan of this film though, you'll be pleased to hear about the top-notch picture and sound and the cinema trailer and the fact that a second sequel is planned, not to mention the sequel to Kevin Williamson's other horror shocker, named I Still Know What You Did Last Summer.

FILM	 		: **
PICTURE QUALITY		: *****
SOUND QUALITY		: *****
EXTRAS			: *
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OVERALL			: ***

Review copyright © Dominic Robinson, 1998.