Editor’s Note: There are spoilers for the “Scream” movie franchise contained in the article below.
When people think about the greatest horror characters of all time, they might think of “Friday the 13th’s” Jason Voorhees, “Halloween’s” Michael Myers, or “Nightmare on Elm Street’s” Freddy Krueger. However, none of them can hold a candle (or chainsaw) to the original Ghostface from 1996’s “Scream.”
One of Ghostface’s appeals is his realism. Michael Meyers from “Halloween,” for example, came back to life after being shot six times, which most people can absolutely not do.
Ghostface, though, is just an ordinary person, and because he’s an ordinary person and not a monster, it makes his character and the movie more believable – and all that more scary.
“I like ‘Scream’ because it brings in people and [reminds] me of older horror films,” OH Social Studies teacher Jacklyn Wojtyszyn said. “My sons actually went as him for Halloween one year… my family loves the movie.”
Another reason why he is a great horror character is the iconic costume. The black robe and white mask are simple, but everyone recognizes him.
“I think the costume is [just] iconic to horror in general,” OH freshman Lily McCauley said.
Another of Ghostface’s appeals is that anyone can be behind the mask. While horror franchises typically center around the same villains, every Ghostface has different reasons for putting on the mask and becoming a killer.
“I really like that in the first ‘Scream movie,’ it has two different killers, not just one,” said OH sophomore Aeden Sullivan.
In the 1996 movie that started the “Scream” franchise, there were two killers, Stu Macher and Billy Loomis. This makes the movie exciting because viewers are constantly trying to figure out who is behind the character’s mask.
“I like the plot twist in the first movie, and I like that it is a mystery to find out who the killer is. I also like the phone call scenes, when Ghostface calls the victims and taunts them.” Said Freshman Lily McCauley.
The films’ phone call scenes are another reason why Ghostface is so popular. Before attacking, Ghostface often calls the victims and taunts them. Ghostface’s iconic catchphrase when calling the victims is “What’s your favorite scary movie?”
“I like Ghostface [and] ‘Scream’ because I like the catchphrase,” McCauley said. “I like the plot twist in the first movie, and I like that it is a mystery of who the killer is.”
And who is the killer, since there is actually two? “My favorite Ghostface killer is Stu because he’s funny,” McCauley added.
One of the best parts of the “Scream” movies is the mystery. Throughout the movie, viewers try to figure out who the killer is. In the first movie, the movie reveals that Stu Macher’s Ghostface was a surprising plot twist.
Stu and Billy were the killers, and Billy was Sidney’s boyfriend and Stu was one of her friends. It’s a surprising plot twist because viewers wouldn’t expect someone so close to the main character to be Ghostface and try to hurt her.
Ghostface is also my favorite horror character because of the memories I have with the movies. My brother and I used to watch “Scream” all the time when we were younger, so this character and those movides brings back a lot of good memories. We were also very excited when “Scream 7” was released. Watching the movies together made me appreciate the character even more.
Ultimately, Ghostface is the best horror movie character. But don’t take my words for it. Take his: What’s your favorite scary movie?
Hi!
My name is Meredith Mateja and I'm a sophomore at Oswego High School. This is my first year on the 42Fifty staff, and I'm proud to serve as a staff reporter. You can contact me by emailing 42Fifty@sd308.org and putting my name in the subject line. We welcome comments on our articles and feedback on our publication!
