Summary
Scary Movie is a twenty thousand American parody comedy that was released for DVD Movies in the USA as a Region 1 home video title. It is best categorized as Comedy and remains within the genre Comedy because the movie uses horror movie material as the target of jokes rather than trying to create real fear. It is a spoof comedy built around slasher films, teen horror movies, supernatural thrillers, mystery killings, haunted house stories, and the popular horror trends of the late nineteen nineties and early two thousands.
The original review reference contains no text and this summary emphasizes the DVD release details and genre placement.
The USA DVD release gives viewers a convenient home viewing version of the film and places it clearly in the comedy section. It is not a serious horror DVD. It is a comedy DVD that borrows the look and situations of horror movies so that audiences can laugh at familiar scenes, exaggerated characters, and silly plot twists.
The film follows Cindy Campbell a young woman who moves into her grandmother house with her family after taking a job at a country club. Soon after the move, a masked killer begins stalking Cindy and her friends. The story is structured like a classic slasher movie, but the tension is constantly broken by jokes, visual gags, crude dialogue, sexual innuendo, slapstick, and direct parodies of famous horror scenes.
The DVD release in the USA is tied to Dimension Home Video and the Miramax home entertainment distribution context. It is a Region 1 DVD for the American market and uses the NTSC format. The theatrical movie runs about eighty eight minutes and was released to DVD on February twenty eighth two thousand one. The home video edition is presented for home viewing in a widescreen style and is rated R for adult comedy content.
Highlights
The genre placement is simple and clear. This is a comedy, especially a spoof comedy, parody comedy, slasher parody, and adult comedy. The horror elements exist only to be mocked, so the Comedy genre is the correct home for the item.
The movie is known for fast pacing and broad humor. It does not depend on subtle storytelling. It relies on loud reactions, obvious jokes, physical comedy, awkward situations, and direct references to other well known films.
The main character is Cindy Campbell played by Anna Faris. Cindy is the central heroine and the audience guide through the parody. She tries to survive the killer, protect her family, and prove that she is capable and brave.
Marlon Wayans plays Shorty and Shorty is one of the friends around Cindy. His character provides much of the comedy through nervous behavior, sarcastic comments, and physical humor.
Regina Hall plays Brenda and Brenda is another friend in the group. Her role adds dating jokes, panic jokes, and exaggerated reactions to the horror situation.
Shawn Wayans plays Ray and Ray is one of the friends involved in the investigation. His character contributes to the group comedy and helps create many of the silly confrontations.
Jim Belushi plays Captain Kenny Love and Captain Kenny Love is the police captain who dismisses the danger. His character becomes a major comic target because he acts confident while the situation around him becomes increasingly ridiculous.
Carmen Electra plays Gail and Gail is a character connected to the celebrity party sequence. Her role supports the campy tone and the movie style.
Dave Sheridan plays Bobby and Bobby is one of the young people caught in the killer storyline. His character helps continue the teen horror parody pattern.
Tony Roberts plays Officer Hansen and Officer Hansen is a police officer who becomes part of the police comedy around the investigation.
Tom Arnold plays Earl Campbell and Earl Campbell is Cindy father. His character adds family comedy and reacts strongly to the events around the house.
The movie spoofs many familiar horror and thriller ideas. It references or parodies films such as Scream and The Sixth Sense and The Blair Witch Project and I Know What You Did Last Summer and Urban Legend and The Matrix and Final Destination and other popular suspense or horror titles from the period.
The opening setup is one of the most famous parts of the film. It uses the language of a scary phone call and masked attacker, but turns the scene into a broad joke by making the danger feel fake and ridiculous.
The therapy or psychodrama sequence is another major highlight. It takes a serious psychological scene and turns it into an absurd comedy moment through overacting, strange dialogue, and visual exaggeration.
The car chase is a memorable action parody. Instead of creating realistic danger, the film turns the chase into a slapstick sequence with noisy crashes, silly reactions, and exaggerated consequences.
The hospital scene is another strong comedy moment. It uses the pressure of a frightening investigation but turns it into a chaotic sequence full of misunderstandings and ridiculous behavior.
The party sequence connects the film to celebrity culture and teen horror parody. It uses fame, embarrassment, and exaggerated party humor to keep the tone light and silly.
The DVD bonus material helps explain how the movie was made and why the parody style works. The release includes features such as commentary and deleted scenes and extended scenes and behind the scenes featurettes and cast material and crew material and storyboards and trailers and promotional clips.
The exact extras can vary by pressing, but the main DVD release is generally valued for giving viewers more access to the making of the comedy.
The commentary is important because it gives context for the comedy choices. It helps viewers understand how the filmmakers turned familiar horror scenes into broad jokes.
The deleted scenes and extended scenes are useful for viewers who want more of the same humor. They show additional moments that did not all appear in the main theatrical version.
The behind the scenes material shows the production side of the comedy. It highlights the collaboration between the cast and crew and explains how the movie built its parody from recognizable horror movie situations.
The storyboards and promotional clips add extra value to the DVD because they show how the movie planned and marketed its jokes. They also make the release feel more complete for fans who want more than just the main film.
The DVD is best for viewers who enjoy broad American comedy, spoof films, slapstick, adult jokes, and early two thousands horror parody. It is less suited for viewers who prefer quiet humor, subtle comedy, or genuine horror.
The humor can feel dated because it depends heavily on the pop culture references and comedy style of its time. Still that is also part of its identity. The movie is a product of its period and remains a recognizable example of the spoof comedy wave that became popular around the turn of the century.
The film was a major commercial success and helped establish the Scary Movie franchise. Its success showed how effective parody could be when it directly attacked popular horror formulas and turned them into loud, accessible comedy.
The DVD release preserved the movie for home viewing and made the gags easy to replay. For someone looking under Comedy and within the genre Comedy, this DVD is a strong fit because its main purpose is entertainment through parody rather than suspense or fear.
The item was added to iOctavio dot com on 2002 11 18.