Do you like scary movies?

Everyone remembers the opening line from the first “Scream” film that follows Sidney Prescott (Neve Cambell) and her fight for survival against a serial killer (nicknamed Ghostface) and all the terror that the killer brings to her group of friends. From Deputy Dewey Riley (David Arquette), to reporter Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) and all the others, the masked killer watches over those of Woodsboro, Calif., and won’t seem to go away.

In spirit the release of Scream 4 on Friday, here is an extensive look over the Scream series to help everyone catch up. 

Sidney’s Story

When the first “Scream” film opened in theaters, viewers were treated to a happy-go-lucky, pretty, lax girl in Sidney Prescott, one who was having usual teenage romance troubles with her boyfriend Billy. She had a shady past, at least regarding her mother’s rape and murder, but she appeared to be fine with the way her life was going.

Once the murders started happening, Sidney’s life took a serious downturn and spiraled to a point where she was not even a shade of the self viewers saw back in the film that debuted in 1996.

Over the course of the three films, Sidney lost trust in all those around her – except for Gale and Dewey, who she recognizes to be the only people she can be assured won’t hurt her. She’s even lost her greatest friends including Dewey’s sister Tatum and ultra horror movie-nerd, Randy Meeks.

Her boyfriend Billy was revealed to be the first murderer along with her pal Stu; people always question her motives behind the acts she commits and she’s always cautious when dealing with people in new lights. By the time of the third film, Sidney locks herself in the middle of nowhere in California, hiding herself from the new killer that springs to life.

It’s all a part of the character development of Sidney. She’s grown up right before the viewers. She’s been noticed as that hot teenage girl, to that experimenting/happy college chick, to the hidden exile that just wants to be left alone. More importantly though, viewers have seen the terror that once plagued Sidney in the opening film vanish by the time she faced off against the third killer – who ended up being her half-brother.

With the fourth Scream film coming out, one must wonder what Sidney has developed into over the 10-year gap. When the third film concluded, Sidney seemed at peace with everything that had occurred. She felt the fight was over, so maybe she went back to being that sweet girl that first tossed Billy Loomis out of the window. Or maybe she returns back to that guarded self, still wary of all those who try to leach onto her life.

Romantic terror

One constant theme in the opening “Scream” films is that of romance.

Most romantic instances are seen by the budding relationship between Dewey and Gale, who are a misfit little couple that always seem to, well, never actually become a couple.

While they started as a push by the over-the-top journalist Gale to get some intriguing information from the dorky cop Dewey in the first film, by the time the third film rolled around they were bickering buddies that easily had some romantic chemistry between them. After the murders end in the third film, Dewey actually proposes to Gale, and she happily accepts.

The fourth film will be interesting because, as far as viewers know, this is the first time we’re going to see the couple together. The end of the first two films concluded with the two in a “maybe they’re together, maybe they’re not,” scenario.

Sidney has also had her fair case of romantic troubles since the beginning of the series. Her first romance came in Billy Loomis, who was revealed to be one of the opening killers. It was told in the film that the two lovebirds had a very hot and heavy relationship before the murder of Sidney’s mother, which identifies them as one strong couple.

Though after you murder a couple of people, it’s the romance that starts to die. 

It was a surprise then that Sidney picked up the romantic game again in her college years with her new boyfriend, Derek (Jerry O’Connell). They appear to be a happy couple in the film as well, until suspicions rise that Derek is the killer. This is the final time in the first three movies that viewers see Sidney have a romantic interest. Even though Derek isn’t the actual killer, having two lovers that are accused of being serial killers certainly shakes her trust.

And of course all the other romantic twists and turns that are shown in the films usually end with a stab of a swift blade.

Ghostface Gallery

Three movies, five killers.

The films have offered viewers a lot of different faces to go alongside that Ghostface mask. The first one featured Billy and Stu, both of whom were surprises for the audience to witness.

Many didn’t take Stu seriously in the first film, as he displayed that 90’s, lax bro type of style that is usually associated with comedic relief. Billy was even stabbed in the latter half of the film, and presumed dead, so his revelation of being the killer is quite the twist.

The motive is actually quite the scream as well. Though Stu is just a lapdog that is obsessed with horror films, Billy reveals that he was the one that slaughtered Sidney’s mother.

Fast forward to the second film, and the killers reveal to be Mickey – a classmate of Sidney’s – and Debbi Salt. Don’t recognize her? Sidney did. Salt is actually Billy Loomis’ mother, the same mother that left Billy and his father and drove the former to begin the trail of tears, err, blood.

Though the idea of Billy’s mother being the killer falls in line with horror movies of the past, it was a bit of a disappointment for a killer that not only ended Randy’s life, but also nearly killed Deputy Dewey.

For the third film, the killer’s reveal was actually one of the most intense moments of the entire series, rivaling the reveal of the first film. Ghostface revealed to be Roman, the director of the third Stab movie (which are loosely based off of the events of Woodsboro and serve as a pseudo-Scream series). Roman even reveals to be Sidney’s half brother. Talk about your twists.

It’s a common theme amongst the killers to not only have some connection to Sidney’s past, but to also reveal themselves in this grand soliloquy of a moment. Not to mention, they usually all have a connection to the horror movies. Take that into consideration as Scream 4 opens up.

Predictions for Prescott

So where does all of this leave us? Well, the premise of the fourth Scream film has Sidney returning to Woodsboro for the anniversary of the initial murders as a part of a book tour. And as always, the killings return.

We’ve seen Sidney progress as a character and gain some valuable history lessons along the way. She’s learned not to trust, she’s learned not to love and she’s learned how to crack some skulls. What else is there for her to really learn?

Nothing.

For Scream 4, it’s possible that the next step in Sidney’s story isn’t to continue the downward spiral that she’s faced in the previous three movies. Rather, it may be her turn to teach a new group of terrorized youth as Ghostface makes his moves.

Or maybe, Sidney has taken that final step towards facing the killer by donning the mask herself.

Herb Scribner can be reached at [email protected].