#171 - Scream 3 (2000)

The nineties ended, and so did the Scream franchise (until just now). Off the success of the previous entries, Dimension Films demanded a complete trilogy. Wes Craven and his cast were brought back yet again, with at least one key participant in a severely reduced capacity. Equally as important, original author Kevin Williamson was missing this time out, having been replaced by Ehren Kruger. The results were a mixed bag of rampant cameos, Hollywood in-jokes and some occasional thrills. Sidney Prescott has changed her name and disappeared, now working as a crisis counselor by phone. Meanwhile, Stab 3 is steamrolling into production on a big movie set. Surprise, surprise, the cast members in said picture start getting themselves killed. Gale Weathers and Dewey Riley play Scooby-Doo on the studio back lot, discovering that the killer is leaving behind pictures of Sid's Mother, forcing the young heroine out of hiding as she is continually haunted by her past. Please join Scott Carelli and I as we discuss Directors-for-hire, arbitrary hallucinations and dream sequences, ridiculous, obvious red herrings and how Scream 3 plays more like one of the Stab movies than a legitimate entry into this once fresh and creative series. Hopefully, the upcoming fourth film will get things back on track. Remember to listen for the preemptive countdown before starting the movie on your DVD.