In the originalScream(1996) by Wes Craven, scores of horror movies are referenced either indirectly or in on-the-nose fashion. Characters like Randy, Billy, Stu, and Tatum constantly quote their favorite horror flicks, with the self-referential dialogue makingScreama prominent example of metacinema.
Most of the films referenced are among the most popular the genre has ever seen, with several titles likely coming to your mind upon reading the title of this list. However, along the way, don’t be surprised if more niche titles make appearances that appear unfamiliar. All that said, these are twenty horror movies referenced in the originalScream.
20It (1990)
In the originalIt(1990) miniseries by Tommy Lee Wallace, a group of kids — known as “The Losers Club” — combata killer clownknown as Pennywise. Of course, the property is based off a Stephen King novel of the same name, with the leader of The Losers Club being a boy named Bill. In both the novel and the miniseries, Bill owns a silver bike, which he uses to quoteHi-Yo Silver(1930) by William Witney and John English.
What Was the Reference?
Featuring a character called The Lone Ranger, the aforementioned western took its name from the main character’s catchphrase. His horse is named silver, much like Bill’s bike inIt. And with regard toScream: you’re able to hear a teen shout “Hi-Ho Silver” upon getting into a car of the same color, a clear reference to Bill’s love for The Lone Ranger and his many antics through the wild west.
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19Are You in the House Alone? (1978)
Throughout the 1970s, several horror films likeAre You in the House Alone?(1978) by Walter Grauman revolved around a killer calling their victims on a landline.A made-for-television film,Are You in the House Alone?follows Gail Osborne, who receives anonymous letters and phone calls. And while it’s not the best movie you’ll read about today, it was nonetheless referenced in Craven’s meta masterclass.
InScream’sopening scene, Ghostface asks Casey a simple question: “Are you alone in the house?” A slight spin on the title of the aforementioned television film. Four years prior to the release ofAre You in the House Alone?, a filmmaker named Bob Clarke graced the silver screen withBlack Christmas(1974). It features a few famous instances of an unknown killer stalking the residents of a sorority house while repeatedly calling their landline.Screammay have popularized that motif for modern audiences, but several movies got there first.
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18Frankenstein (1931)
In the pre-Code era of Hollywood, director James Whale made several high-quality monster flicks, such asFrankenstein(1931). And frankly, its legacy in the horror sphere ranks among the most acclaimed films referenced in the entirety ofScream. Based on Mary Shelley’s 1818 novelFrankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, it received widespread praise from critics upon release, and it’s remained a fan-favorite ever since.
When the Ghostface killers Randy and Stu are conversing with Randy Meeksat the video store,Frankensteincan be seen playing on a television set. The film is only on screen for a few moments. But it’s featured in a close-up establishing shot that sets up the scene itself — overall, it’s pretty hard to miss.
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17The Fog (1980)
Often considered the Master of Horror with regard to film, John Carpenter co-wroteThe Fog(1980) alongside Debra Hill. The former creative also composed the score, and directed the overall product. And whileThe Fogisn’t the most acclaimed horror film under Carpenter’s belt, it holds great name value with a strong cult following. And of course, it was referenced in the originalScream.
Upon his arrival at Stu Macher’s house party, Randy Meeks unveils a treasure trove of horror movies he brought on VHS. Among the bunch wasThe Fog, starring scream queens like Jamie Lee Curtis and Janet Leigh. With Carpenter also attached to the project, the horror talent among its cast and crew has rendered it a legitimate classic of the genre. It would have been a fine choice for the party.
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16Terror Train (1980)
A somewhat niche movie compared to the rest of the list,Terror Train(1980) featuresfamous scream queenJamie Lee Curtis alongside Ben Johnson and Hart Bochner. It saw direction under Roger Spottiswoode from a script by T.Y. Drake, and overall,Terror Trainholds up decently well today. Its name value has waned as of late, but even then, this was never the most popular slasher on the market.
Among the many movies brought by Randy before the film’s iconic climax, Sidney mentionsTerror Trainin dialogue, however brief the instance may have been. This is one of a few titles where Sid begins to question the constant appearance from Jamie Lee Curtis in horror movies from this time period, with Randy then deeming her a “scream queen”. The rest is horror movie history.
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The Evil Dead
One of the most fan-favorite horror movies of the 1980s wasThe Evil Dead(1981), written and directed by Sam Raimi. It spawned a franchise, withEvil Dead II(1987) releasing in that same decade andArmy of Darkness(1992) in the one thereafter. And frankly, each entry in the series holds up wonderfully today, bolstering the case of Bruce Campbell as one of the finest horror actors to ever live as he portrays Ash, the protagonist.
This is yet another one ofthe many VHS tapesbrought to the party by Randy. Except here,The Evil Deadmarks the first of two titles that Randy offered with a vote. And, again: while they ended up putting on a completely separate horror classic as background noise,The Evil Deadwould have been a fine choice thanks to its perfect blend of horror and comedy. Ash Williams is always the life of the party.
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14Hellraiser (1987)
Hellraiser
Based on Clive Barker’s 1986 novella of the same name, that same writer adaptedHellraiser(1987) in his feature film debut. To say the movie has overshadowed the popularity of the source material would be putting things lightly, as the entry at hand is among the most famous horror titles on the entire list. Its primary antagonist Pinhead leads a group of Cenobites within a rather famous plot.
Further showcasing Randy’s high-quality taste in horror movies,Hellraiserwas one of two entries (along withThe Evil Dead) that he put to a vote at the party. It’s a quick reference that’s featured alongside a slew of other famous horror name-drops. But it’s pretty hard to miss, and in the end,Hellraiseris a rather obvious film to notewithin self-referential dialogue.
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13I Spit on Your Grave (1978)
A rather niche entry in the grand scheme ofScreamreferences,I Spit on Your Grave(1978) is a rape-and-revenge film by writer-director Meir Zarchi. And as you may have guessed from the subgenre it falls under, this is also a rather controversial entry in the grand scheme of horror films. Even to this day,I Spit on Your Gravedivides audiences despite boasting a cult status, and even spawning a remake.
When Tatum first sees Ghostface before her untimely death, she asks, “What movie is this from, I Spit on Your Garage?” A pretty straightforward reference, with that character’s death obviously taking place within the aforementioned corridors of Stu Macher’s abode. Now thatI Spit on Your Gravehas had time to develop a true cult following, this entry may be more familiar. But upon the release ofScream, it was a fairly random title.
12The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Among the most influential horror movies ever isThe Texas Chain Saw Massacre(1974), directed by Tobe Hooper. It’s a progenitor ofthe slasher subgenre, predating the works of Wes Craven and even John Carpenter. It of course spawned a massive franchise, too, withThe Texas Chainsaw Massacreholding great name value around the world, regardless of genre.
Near the film’s climax, Randy refers to Billy as Leatherface. The former Scream character has a crush on Sidney Prescott, the film’s main character, while Billy Loomis is her boyfriend. Randy is suspicious of Billy from the moment killings are reported in Woodsboro, and constantly refers to him as a psychopath throughout the film’s run time. The Leatherface reference was perhaps his greatest zinger in that regard.
11Candyman (1992)
A gothic supernatural horror film,Candyman(1992) is another entry on the list that was adapted from a literary work by Clive Barker. The short story was titled “The Forbidden”, with the film at hand once again holding much more significant name value than its written counterpart. And as a whole,Candymanis still well-regarded, having spawned a famous franchise that’s going strong today.
What Was the Reference
After Billy is held in custody asa potential Ghostface suspect, Stu says that Sidney has essentially identified Billy as “The Candyman” to the authorities. Of course, she wasn’t wrong. But this is one of many comedically inclined references on the list, and it was rather inevitable overall. Considering the number of niche movies that have been touched on,Candymanseems like an obvious choice.
