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Halloween vs Scream, the age-old cinematic debate that never truly reached a conclusion. To this day, avid horror fans continue to compare these revolutionary franchises. John Carpenter’s Halloween (1978) and Wes Craven’s Scream (1996) are both irreplaceable classics in slasher horror history. With almost 20 years difference between their initial releases, both appealed to very different generations — the Xennials and the Millenials respectively.
Is Halloween the Most Successful Franchise?
Starring Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode, Halloween filmed in Southern California in May 1978, before premiering in October. It was given credit for its original take on an overplayed concept and praised for Carpenter’s direction and score. Halloween also took noticeable inspiration from Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960) and Bob Clark’s Black Christmas (1974).
Halloween‘s first installment became an unexpected success, and its substantial following spawned eleven more films, which all comprised an extensive backstory for its main antagonist, Michael Myers. Some of those additional films diverged from the central plot and subsequently created five overlapping timelines that carried the story to new and even greater heights.
Background and Worldwide Gross Income
When it first arrived in theaters worldwide back in 1978, Halloween planted its roots as an often imitated, but never duplicated classic. John Carpenter considered the hiring of Jamie Lee Curtis as the ultimate tribute to Alfred Hitchcock who had given her mother, Janet Leigh, legendary status in Psycho (1960). Jamie Lee Curtis was cast as Halloween‘s leading lady, Laurie Strode, and became — arguably — the best final girl of all time. She stated in an interview with IMDb that the role “changed her life.”
Halloween had an estimated budget of $325,000, but it grossed $70 million worldwide, becoming one of the most profitable independent films of all time until 1999’s The Blair Witch Project. Still, it was an unimaginably profitable release. Its direct sequel of the same name released in 2018 and Curtis reprised her role as an older Laurie Strode. Halloween (2018) ignores all other movies after Halloween (1978) and focuses on Laurie’s post-traumatic paranoia since encountering Michael in her teens. Halloween (2018) grossed $255,498,536 worldwide and became one of the highest-grossing horror films of all time.
While it stands on its own two feet as an untouchable relic, Halloween is often compared to Scream (1996) in an ongoing “Halloween vs Scream” cinematic slasher horror debate. Their similarities are striking, but with near enough 20 years of technological advancements, many would think that Scream has an unfair advantage.
Is Scream the Most Successful Franchise?
Starring Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott, Scream was inspired by the real-life case of the Gainesville Ripper and influenced by Kevin Williamson’s passion for horror films, especially Halloween (1978). Since Scream took direct notes from John Carpenter’s Halloween, it can be assumed that Halloween is the superior franchise, since it paved the way for its successors.
However, Scream was considered to be a unique slasher at the time of its release because it featured characters who were aware of real-world horror films and openly discussed the clichés that the film attempted to subvert. This technique can be considered as “breaking the fourth wall”, which became more popular in all aspects of media from the 2000s onwards.
Background and Worldwide Gross Income
The film received positive reviews and was a financial success, earning $173 million worldwide to profit from its $14-15 million budget. It topped the charts as the highest-grossing slasher horror film until the release of Halloween (2018). Much like Carpenter’s Halloween score, the Scream soundtrack by Marco Beltrami was also acclaimed, and was cited as “one of the most intriguing horror scores composed in years.”
Scream‘s cast featured already established and successful actors, which was considered to have helped it find a wider audience, including a significant female viewership. That surplus of female viewers can be owed to the combined efforts of Neve Campbell (Sidney Prescott) and Courteney Cox (Gale Weathers), who are both formidable horror heroines.
Comparing Halloween and Scream
Nowadays, Halloween‘s cast are household names, but in 1978, they were entirely unheard of. The low budget limited the number of big names that Carpenter could attract, and many of the actors received very little compensation for their roles. Nick Castle, who portrayed Michael Myers, received as little as $25 a day.
Scream‘s success spawned a series of sequels, though only Scream 2, released in 1997, achieved an equal level of commercial and critical success. Undoubtedly one of its biggest downfalls, in the years following the release of Scream and its sequels, they were accused of inspiring and even inducing violent crimes and murders. Surprisingly, Halloween never produced that same effect; fashion trends from the 1970s to the 1990s must have advertised that dusty overalls were “out” and black cloaks were “in.”
For years, this cinematic debate has divided horror fanatics. In fact, it may as well be political, since it tears families apart with the same dramatics as left-wing and right-wing. Not just that, but just as Halloween was credited with reinventing the slasher horror film genre, Scream was also credited with revitalizing it in the 1990s. Identical achievements like these point towards the likelihood that the Halloween vs Scream cinematic debate is wildly unnecessary and too close to call.
The “Halloween vs. Scream” Debate is Redundant
On paper, if the term “successful” bases solely on numerical figures, Scream is the more popular slasher franchise. However, Halloween stole the hearts of many in 1978 and beyond for its gripping narrative, phenomenal acting, and nostalgic feel even so much as nearly 45 years later. Families from all walks of life still sit down to enjoy a screening of Halloween together, but Scream will always be made infamous for much more than its own film franchise.
Both Halloween and Scream have legacies beyond their original releases. Scream inspired the Scary Movie franchise, which is a comedy spoof of classic horror films. Interestingly, Scary Movie was also the working title for Scream before it was changed.
On the other hand, Halloween released a novelization, a video game, and comic book series all based on the film. In 2006, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
Halloween vs Scream is an argument that may never be settled, but one thing is for certain: these strand-out slasher horror films will forever be legendary.