Wes Craven’s 1996 meta-slasher Scream may very well have brought about a resurgence of horror in what was a rather stagnant, although not always terrible, decade. The film was not only a commercial success, it also won over many critics and was a strong contender (and winner) at a few award shows.
The film starred Neve Campbell, who was already a rather popular name thanks to her appearance in The Craft, which came out earlier in 1996, and her role as Julia Salinger in TV’s hit show “Party of Five”. Her appearance, along with Drew Barrymore taking top placement on posters and Wes Craven as director, boosted the film to become one of the top grossing films of the year, kicking off a franchise that now includes four entries and a TV series.
But could all of this have been possible without Campbell as the strong, charismatic Sidney Prescott? That’s something we’ll never know. What we do know is how Campbell got the part, thanks to a recently discovered audition tape posted by ProjectCasting.
It’s rather charming seeing Campbell pre-Sidney, trying out her lines and testing her performance while you’re able to hear Craven in the background every so often. I’d even go so far as to say it’s somewhat bittersweet and nostalgic. Check it out below!
Although we’ve certainly weighed in on the subject, how would YOU rank the films?
