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Welcome to the Ghostface Glossary, a guide to every horror reference and nod throughout the first five films of the Scream franchise.
After a lot of pausing, rewinding, and zooming in, as well as researching, we’re catching all of the many horror-specific references Williamson, Craven, and Co. included in this beloved postmodern slasher franchise. If we’ve forgotten any glaring ones, kindly let us know.
This guide will exclude homages from previous Scream films and their respective sequels— we’re only looking at outside horror franchises and inspirations, because any red-blooded Ghostface fan is likely already aware of those. (Goes without saying that the beloved faux franchise ‘Stab’(s) 1-8 will also not be counted, since, even though our neon green ‘Stab’ t-shirts and mock VHS tapes feel very real, it’s still a very fake franchise). If we’ve forgotten any glaring ones, kindly let us know.
“By definition alone, they’re inferior films!”
With a lightening speed turnaround of exactly one year after the release of its OG predecessor, Scream 2 has less to say about the horror genre itself (or its then-current state of its 1997 release year). Instead, Williamson and Craven continue to drop old slasher movie Easter eggs galore, both mainstream and obscure, while also focusing on the specificities, tropes, and rules of movie sequels, in general. From its arguably all-time best opening sequence within a room full of jacked-up ‘Stab’ fans to its Pamela Voorhees-inspired “good old fashioned revenge” motive, this first sequel is right up there amongst some of the other great Part 2 horror pantheons (Friday the 13th Part 2, Child’s Play 2, Hellbound: Hellraiser II, etc.) as a respected pinnacle of what constitutes as a superb follow-up and beginning of a decades-spanning franchise. Could it have included more commentary about said horror sequels? Sure.
But these horror references are more than satiating to horror fans of any level— elementary or expertise.
‘House on Haunted Hill’
House on Haunted Hill (1959): 1) Ghostface dummies fly over the heads of the rowdy audience before ‘Stab’ begins and 2) the glow-in-the-dark “Stab-O-Vision” appears on the screen before the ‘Stab’ title card— both odes to William Castle gimmicks.
Psycho (1960): 1) The ‘Stab’ version of Casey Becker removes her clothes and turns on the shower. 2) Later, Mrs. Loomis sticks her eyeball through a hole in the door, in the same fashion as Norman Bates does to spy on Marion Crane.
Demons (1985), Popcorn (1991), He Knows You’re Alone (1980), Anguish (1987), and Messiah of Evil (1973): All five are distinct influences for the film’s opening movie theater sequence and/or Maureen’s death in front of the movie-going audience. Anguish also later parallels Mrs. Loomis’ killer mommy reveal.
Alien (1979), Aliens (1986), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), and House II: The Second Story (1987): Randy and Mickey’s film class debates which horror sequels rival their predecessors. T2 is also later referred to again, when Mickey compares Sidney to Linda Hamilton.
Nosferatu (1922): Cici settles on watching the expressionist vampire classic as she talks on the phone with her friend.
‘Friday the 13th’
Friday the 13th (1980): Arguably Scream 2’s most prominent homages come from the 1980 film in the following circumstances:
1) Cici’s friend says a variation of the famous “Ki Ki Ki Ma Ma Ma” as a joke over the phone
2) Randy says later, “Mrs. Voorhees was a terrific serial killer!”
3) Mrs. Loomis is finally revealed to be the mommy revenge killer a la Pamela Voorhees, of course. Mrs. Loomis also attempts to break down a door with Sidney on the other side, just like the ending scene with Pamela and Alice in the 1980 film.
Black Christmas (1974): Cici, the sorority girl, gets a freaky phone call from Ghostface inside her sorority house, akin to Billy harassing the girls inside their sorority house in BC.
Halloween (1978): While the 1996 film takes the whole cake in terms of odes to Halloween, Scream 2 can’t help itself, either. 1) Cici’s body splayed on the ground after falling off the roof looks very similar to Myers’ body in the Carpenter film, before he’s revealed to have survived and his body disappears. Of course, Cici is not as fortunate. 2) The detectives assigned to protect Sidney are named Richards and Andrews, likely after child actors Kyle Richards and Brian Andrews. 3) Finally, Debbie Salt’s actual last name is revealed to be Mrs. Loomis, obviously.
Faces of Death (1978): Cameraman Joel complains to Gale: “I was brought here to do an interview— not ‘Faces of Death 14.’” To be fair, there are only 8 volumes in the series (to date.)
‘Beetlejuice’
Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning (1985) or Beetlejuice (1988): Ghostface says “It’s showtime!” to Sidney via phone, in the post-college party scene. This could be a nod to either film…but we’re leaning towards the former, knowing Williamson’s love for the Friday films.
Candyman (1992): While explaining who he thinks the killers could be to Dewey, Randy notes there is “always room for Candyman’s daughter,” when discussing the possibility of Hallie. “She’s sweet— she’s deadly! She’s bad for your teeth.”
The House on Sorority Row (1982), The Dorm that Dripped Blood (1982), Splatter University (1984), Graduation Day (1981), and Final Exam (1981): Showing off his horror expertise to Ghostface, Randy lists these college campus-themed titles over the phone while attempting to locate him.
‘Slumber Party Massacre’
The Slumber Party Massacre (1982): Randy gets yanked into the news van, in the middle of the afternoon, where he meets his demise— similarly to another shortly-lived character’s fate in the early moments of this 1982 slasher. However, there was no blaring boom box to comically cover the sounds of agonizing screaming, like what occurred to poor Randy.
Mute Witness (1995): While Gale and Dewey are studying Joel’s news footage in the campus’ projector/editing room, Ghostface finds them and (nearly) murders Dewey. The 1995 film features a similar set piece and chase sequence within the walls of a film editing space.
Twin Peaks franchise (1990 series and subsequent films): As Sidney and Hallie are riding with the detectives, for a few frames, the camera focuses on the changing traffic lights— similarly to the ominous usages of changing traffic lights within the bulk of the TP series.
Stage Fright (1987): Scream 2’s final battle between Sidney and Mrs. Loomis, which takes place on a stage set piece, is akin to this ’87 slasher about a bunch of stage actors prepping for a play. Scream 2 also notes you must shoot the killer between the eyes for them to finally die, which is another direct reference to Stage Fright– except, Mickey and Mrs. Loomis are a lot more dead than SF killer Wallace may be…
Thanks to IMDb and the Zack Cherry YouTube channel for picking up a couple this writer had missed for this comprehensive guide.
‘Scream 2’
