scream

[teamcool]

"Scream acknowledged genre conventions, yes, but mostly so it could sidestep viewers' newfound Generation-X cynicism and find a new angle from which to scare us". In the previous statement what does generation x cynicism mean (i.e. what is it)?

[galltin]

Well, my take on that would be that this,young, generation are very cynical and not easily scared so Scream had to find new,fresher ways to try and achieve that. Probably true , people used to find Hammer/Quatermass/Dr.Who frightening but you wonder  why now.

[Robble]

Was Scream actually scary? - I would say that the point of that film wasn't to frighten anyone but to use horror conventions to make in-jokes with the audience at the genre itself. The generation-X cynicism in that respect I think would come from the filmmakers themselves. Basically their attitude was that the audience would buy any old rubbish so long as you made them feel clever about themselves! See also Loaded Weapon 1, Scary Movie 1-3 and Spaced- the TV series (which is quite good actually...)

[galltin]

Couldn't tell you if it was scary or not , I didn't see it. Not my sort of film at all.

[Robble]

I think you're right though about people's perceptions changing - I think if Christopher Lee came at me now I'd just laugh and tell him to flip off!