Opening Sequence: Scream

I thought that the opening sequence to the film was the best (maybe even the only good) part of the film. The use of the scary voice on the end of the telephone and the thought of that person being in the house really hooks the audience in, creating such tension and suspense. I think it particularly shocks the audience because the girl shown in the first few minutes is set up as the main character - she is sweet, blonde hair, and flirty at first so the audience expects her to escape. So then when she doesn't and is brutally murdered it hooks the audience in further because they realise that this film is going to be very hard to second guess and will keep them interested until the end.
One of the main reasons i think the opening sequence is so good is because it immediatly taps into audience fears, not just current but on going, because one of the scariest things to most people is the thought of someone being in your house, so that you are so vulnerable, without your knowledge. Another good part is when she turns on the porch light and her boyfriend is there, this makes her seem less isolated though as there are others in the vicinity, but it makes the whole thing seem a lot more sinister and twisted.
One thing which i thought was awful about this film (and the opening sequence) is how unscary the villain was, some costumes (such as halloween ones) can seem sinister but this one made the whole film a lot less scary because it was quite comical.

Rating: **