Preamble

At this point, it’s no surprise to admit that Scream 4 is my favourite movie in the series. Its meta commentary, and Ghostface’s motive appeals to me most. Plus, for the reasons discussed in my original review and this post, it moves the dial on the notion of the Final Girl in a way that feels meaningful and resonating. But before I gush any further, what’s your favourite shot from Wes Craven’s last Scream movie? Let me know in the comments below.

One Great Shot

Although simple in conception, Scream 4’s one great shot holds a lot of meaning. For one, it’s a good distillation of the film’s critique of the final girl. Part of the film explores how the light of a Final Girl can be so bright that it eclipses others. This scene between Judy Hicks and Sidney is a good representation of that idea. Hicks asks Sidney if she remembers her and that they were in a school play together. Sidney says no, but that it’s nice to see Hicks again. It’s revealed that Hicks played a lost boy in their school play, and Sidney played Tiger Lilly.

Aside from serving as a nice piece of continuity insofar as Sidney’s knack for being the lead in drama productions, the moment is an excellent metaphor for the final girl. Sometimes it can feel like someone who takes up all the attention as the main character in a play. Their role can be so pivotal that it overshadows everyone else.

This aspect also extends to Jill’s Mum, who states that Maureen Prescott was her sister and that no one asks about her scars. I used to think that this was an undeveloped concept. However, I now appreciate these being little grace moments as they exist on the sidelines and become a lot more potent as such.

Finally, I really appreciate the lighting of the sequence: at the start of the scene, Hicks delivers her dialogue in darkness, then as it goes along, and finally comes into the light. It seems like quite a theatrical choice, befitting her sentiment toward Sidney. It could also be a visual metaphor for Sidney’s book, “Out of Darkness.” Or if you’re really cynical, it could plant the seed of the idea that Hicks may be one of the suspects in the current Ghostface murders.