How a 12-year-old kid convinced Wes Craven to direct ‘Scream’
Wes Craven is considered among his generation’s most impactful horror filmmakers, known for his unforgettable gems such as A Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream. While Craven definitely created several enjoyable horror flicks, his most significant contribution to the genre is his ability to conduct self-reflexive examinations of the medium.
Within his illustrious filmography, the 1996 slasher Scream is often singled out as one of Craven’s most intelligent interpretations of the horror genre. Set in a Californian town, the film revolves around a group of high school friends who happen to be targeted by a mysterious and malevolent serial killer.
The major reason behind Scream’s extensive mythology is the fact that it is credited as the film that revitalised the genre in the 1990s. Craven successfully satirised and subverted the clichés prevalent in the film’s slasher predecessors, such as John Carpenter’s Halloween and the original Friday the 13th.
During a conversation with Inside Story, Craven revealed that he was motivated to direct Scream after a 12-year-old kid verbally attacked him. According to the filmmaker, the kid approached Craven and criticised his softening horror sensibilities. The incident sparked something inside Craven, who vowed to do better.
While recalling the incident, Craven said: “A little kid of around 12 came up to me and said, ‘You should do a real goddamn movie again because the movies you’ve been doing have been getting softer and softer.’ And that just stuck with me.”
Before the kid shook Craven up, the filmmaker was hesitant about directing the project. Although Drew Barrymore had also tried to convince Craven to join the team, he wasn’t sure about it. That 12-year-old kid gave Craven the necessary momentum to accept the challenge and make a proper horror film.
In the same interview, Craven added: “I thought, ‘Look, you’ve been fighting this your whole career, but the movies you’ve made that have really been important have crossed the boundaries of decency and are scary because they are ruthless.’ I called up Bob Weinstein and said, ‘If that job’s still open, I’ll take it.'”
