"SCARY MOVIE"
(2000) (Anna Faris, Shawn Wayans) (R)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Heavy	Moderate	Heavy	*Mild	Extreme
Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Moderate	None	Extreme	None	Extreme
Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Extreme	Minor	None	Mild	Extreme

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QUICK TAKE:

Comedy: Horror films such as "Scream" and "I Know What You Did Last Summer" get the comedic send-up in this spoof of the genre as several teens try to survive the repeated attacks of a masked killer.

PLOT:

In this spoof of horrors films such as "Scream" and "I Know What You Did Last Summer," a masked killer begins attacking a group of teenagers, the first victim being Drew Decker (CARMEN ELECTRA). High school student and all-American girl-next-door Cindy Campbell (ANNA FARIS) soon finds that she's the killer's main target and then realizes that the killer's actions may stem from an incident a summer ago when she and her friends accidentally killed someone and then disposed of the body.

Among her co-conspirators are her sex-crazed boyfriend, Bobby (JON ABRAHAMS), as well as Ray (SHAWN WAYANS), the high school football star who may or may not be gay and his girlfriend Brenda (REGINA HALL) who's best friends with Cindy. Then there's Buffy (SHANNON ELIZABETH), the prettiest but one of the most dimwitted girls in school and her boyfriend Greg (LOCHLYN MUNRO), an intense fellow and teammate of Ray's.

The killer's actions obviously create interest in others as well, including the local sheriff (KURT FULLER) and his dimwitted high school assistant - and Buffy's brother -- Doofy (DAVE SHERIDAN), as well as an over ambitious TV reporter, Gail Hailstorm (CHERI OTERI) who wants to get the exclusive scoop on the killer and his spree. With Cindy, her friends, and even the school's "stoner," Shorty (MARLON WAYANS), trying to figure out the killer's identity while avoiding contact with him, various parodies of horror films and other pictures play out as the number of victims continues to grow.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?

If they're fans of someone in the cast or are into horror films such as "Scream" and "I Know What You Did Last Summer" and/or spoof films, they most likely will.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R

For strong crude sexual humor, language, drug use and violence.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:

In spoof movies such as this one, none of the characters or their actions are meant to be taken seriously, but here's a quick look at the major performers.

ANNA FARIS plays the typical, girl-next-door/high school student who must deal with the killer when she's not fooling around and eventually having sex with her boyfriend.

SHAWN WAYANS plays the high school's star football player who constantly behaves as if he's gay (although he does have a girlfriend).

MARLON WAYANS plays the school's resident "stoner" (drug user).

CHERI OTERI plays an ambitious and ruthless TV reporter who shoots someone interfering with her work and briefly uses strong profanity.

SHANNON ELIZABETH plays the school's buxom beauty who fools around with boyfriend, uses some strong profanity and isn't exactly known for her intellectual prowess.

JON ABRAHAMS plays Cindy's sex-crazed boyfriend who's constantly trying to do something sexual with her (or get her to do it to him).

LOCHLYN MUNRO plays Buffy's high-strung boyfriend who uses profanity.

REGINA HALL plays Ray's girlfriend with whom she fools around some.

DAVE SHERIDAN plays the dimwitted student/deputy in training.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

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Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

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OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

Here's a quick look at the content found in this R-rated comedy. As it's a spoof of horror films, one must first realize that nothing that's present is meant to be taken seriously. As such, while there are plenty of instances of bloody and lethal violence, it's not portrayed realistically. Instead, it's intended to elicit laughs and not horror or repulsion, etc. (although it's possible some not fully in on the joke could find some of it scary/suspenseful - especially since the standard "slasher" type soundtrack plays - while others might not like such subject matter being used as comedic fodder).

Beyond the standard blood and gore, various instances of scatological humor are also present. One character is noted as being a heavy drug user (while others also do drugs, drink and a few smoke) and some related comedy stems from drugs and drug use. Profanity is rated as extreme due to at least 20 uses of the "f" word, while plenty of other profanities and colorful phrases also occur.

All sorts of sexually based humor is present, from realistic looking phalluses to scantily clad, buxom women to oral sex and masturbation references, implied activity and related dialogue. Brief male rear nudity occurs (along with the sight gag of a scrotum hanging down from a "woman's" skirt), while some briefly seen nude photos show male genitals, while others show women in a porno magazine - but from a distance.

Various instances of young men and women fooling around occur, with one such encounter leading to sex and ending with the exaggerated visual gag of a geyser-like ejaculation. Other related humor involves a male character who constantly acts and talks as if he's gay.

Should the above summary not answer your concerns about the film's content and appropriateness for yourself or anyone in your home who wishes to see it, you may want to take a closer look at our detailed content listings for specific examples of what occurs in the film.

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ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE

Cindy's father states that the screams he heard might have been from the crack (cocaine) he smoked earlier. We then learn that he's a drug dealer and he quizzes her on what to do if the cops arrive (which includes flushing his stash) as well as what to cut the cocaine with (baking powder vs. soda).

Cindy asks Bobby, "Is this about the time...I masturbated with a crucifix?" (a reference to a scene from "The Exorcist") and then blames that on it being her first keg party.

Shorty states that he has "the munchies" at school.

Bobby drinks what looks like a beer.

Greg and Buffy have a bottle of whiskey while making out in a car.

As Buffy talks about pretending that an accident never happened, she tells Cindy that doing so would be just like the time they got drunk and went down on each other.

A car pulls up carrying Shorty and others and it's completely filled with pot smoke. We also see Shorty using some jumper cable claws as a "roach clip" to hold a joint.

Shorty tells a friend that he's just sitting around smoking some drugs.

The killer drinks beer.

People drink at a party and one girl goes out to get some malt liquor from the garage refrigerator. Moments later, we see students chugging beer through a funnel and Cindy appears intoxicated.

After Shorty states that he sees dead people, a comment is made (about the drugs they're smoking), "Man, this sh*t is awesome." We then see drinking and pot smoking and one character questions what they can use to make a bong (the answer is the aquarium). We then see the killer doing a bong hit (and having a happy expression on his mask) and later state, "Man, I'm f*cking stoned."

After being shot in the chest, Shorty tries to inhale the pot smoke that seeps out from the wound.

BLOOD/GORE

Scatological humor includes hearing a farting sound, Doofy stating that he went "poopy" in his pants and everyone reacting to the smell, some farting sounds from a girl in a bathtub, and a close-up shot of a woman's face (from below her) where we see all sorts of phlegm coming out and then being sucked back up inside her nostril. There's also a scene of men standing at urinals where their urine streams push little horse figures up toward the ceiling as if in a state fair contest and we hear the sound of Ray urinating.

The killer stabs a woman in the chest and ends up with her breast implant on the end of his knife (along with some blood on it and her chest).

The killer stabs a teen to death (in another scene played for laughs) and ends by slitting the victim's throat (with a little bit of blood).

As one of the students asks the killer if this is where she should plead for her life, be scared, etc. the killer stabs her in the gut (we see blood on her hands). After she asks if this is where she tries to run, but breaks her leg, we hear the breaking sound and then briefly see the bloody leg wound (with the bone sticking out and some blood on the leg). Moments later, the killer decapitates the victim and holds the severed head, but it just keeps talking as if nothing happened.

Another victim is a little bloody.

While doing a rap number and wildly flailing a knife about, the killer apparently but accidentally kills several people (we see their bodies and some blood splattered onto the wall).

Another victim has blood on his shirt and another victim has a small, bloody bullet wound in his clothing.

Yet another victim has some blood on him.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE

The killer obviously has both in a horror genre sense, but everything in the film is played for laughs.

Some viewers may not like homicidal violence being used as a source for comedy.

The movie pokes fun at gay people, the obese (a large woman trying to get out through a small pet opening in a garage door), etc.

Buffy calls her brother, Doofy, a retarded retard.

FRIGHTENING SCENES

Although everything is played for laughs, many of the film's scenes have been staged to look like those from well-known horror films. As such, it's possible that some viewers - especially if they're very young and aren't aware of the spoof - might find some of the scenes (that are accompanied by standard scary movie music) as suspenseful/scary.

GUNS/WEAPONS

Baseball bat: Used by a woman to accidentally hit some kids who are trick-or-treating (she thought they might have been a killer).

Knife/Fisherman's hook: Used by the killer to threaten or kill his victims.

Hand grenade: Briefly seen on a table.

Handgun: Used by Gail to shoot someone interrupting her TV report and by another person to shoot a third person.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR

Due to crowd noise/laughter, some lines of dialogue could not be heard.

Phrases: "Shut the f*ck up," "You sick f*ck," "You f*cking bastards," "F*ck you," "Get the f*ck out of here," "I'll kick the sh*t out of you," "Sh*t happens," "What a crock of sh*t," "Sh*theads," "Balls" (testicles), "Jeez," "Dumb ass," "Jackass," "Ho'" (whore), "You bum," "Bitch," "Shut up," "Nigger" (said by a black man), "Blow Me," "Go to hell," "Kiss my ass," "Shut the hell up," "Loser," "Get the hell out of here," "Idiot," "Moron," "Retard," "Pissed," "Your ass is grass" and "Bastard."

Since the killings here are all played for laughs, it's possible some impressionable kids could get the wrong idea about such behavior.

Greg stands halfway out of a car's sunroof while it goes down the road (and a tree branch then clotheslines him - all for laughs).

The sheriff makes the hand gesture for male masturbation.

While in a bubble bath and shaving her legs, Cindy goes on to run the razor across her tongue as if shaving it.

A woman is obnoxious and loud in a movie theater.

JUMP SCENES

None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)

An extreme amount of suspenseful and ominous music plays throughout the film, but it's also done in something of a comic fashion, especially considering how the rest of the film plays out.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)

None.

PROFANITY

Due to crowd noise/laughter, some lines of dialogue could not be heard. That said, there are at least 20 "f" words (1 used with "mother"), 29 "s" words (1 written), 3 slang terms each for male ("d*ck") and female genitals ("p*ssy" and "cooch"), 1 slang term for sex ("screw"), 2 slang terms for breasts, 20 asses (1 used with "hole"), 6 hells, 3 damns, 2 S.O.B.s, 13 uses of "Oh my God," 5 of "Oh God," 4 of "God," 3 of "G-damn," 2 of "Jesus" and 1 use each of "Christ," "For Christ's sakes" and "God awful" as exclamations.

SEX/NUDITY

The killer calls his intended victim and comments that she has nice breasts (but we then see that he's looking at photos of her in a porno magazine - and briefly see some small photos of nude women, but from a distance). He then tells her that he wants to see what her insides look like (in a horror sense), but she answers in a sexual context and tells him to turn to a certain page in that magazine to see such a picture.

As the killer then chases her outdoors at night, he grabs at her and manages to tear off her clothing, thus allowing us to see her running in her bra and panties. The sprinkler system then comes on and we see her running that way while wet (and the picture goes to slow motion to accentuate her bouncing breasts and she then does some suggestive poses and suggestively runs her hands over her breasts - that are still in the bra). We also see most of her bare butt in her thong-like panties.

After feeling their car hit something, a woman's head appears from the male driver's crotch and she wipes off her mouth, thus implying oral sex.

Bobby holds up a stuffed monkey toy so that the banana it's holding is positioned upright and rhythmically moving at the monkey's crotch.

Cindy asks Bobby, "Is this about the time...I masturbated with a crucifix" (a reference to a scene from "The Exorcist") and then blames that on it being her first keg party. She then comments on them playing "bump bump" (something sexual) and he states that he was hoping he could get his "balls" licked. They then kiss and he climbs on top of her on her bed (he in his clothes, she her nightgown). He then tries running his hand down to her crotch but then gets shocked (and we see an electrified grid over her panties with a no trespassing sign -- along the lines of a chastity belt). As he's then getting ready to leave, he states that about the sex stuff, he wasn't trying to rush her. She asks if he'll settle for PG-13 and then raises her nightgown to show him her bare chest, but what he and we see is a man's hairy chest instead.

Buffy wears a top to school that shows a lot of cleavage.

Ray tells Brenda that he'd sure like to get into her pants (but the joke is that he's acting gay and would like to wear them). He then talks about some other man have a pretty mouth and a nice ass.

We see Buffy and Greg exaggeratedly French kissing in the backseat of a car as Ray and Brenda also make out. Buffy then asks Greg if he likes "that" and he says that it's different and that he loves it "when you play with my ass." She then states that she isn't and we then realize that it's Ray who was doing that. We then see Greg pulling off Buffy's small underwear, while Ray does the same to Brenda, but hers are huge (for a joke as she says it's wash day).

Meanwhile, in the front seat and while driving, Bobby unzips his pants and tells Cindy that he just wants her to touch "it" (after she asks what he's doing). A series of mishaps then have Cindy's head accidentally pushed down and held into Bobby's lap and he's all excited as he thinks she's performing oral sex on him.

Realizing they could go to prison if they call the police after striking a man with their car, one of the teens asks if they know what the prisoners do to fresh meat thrown into the system. In response, Ray then enthusiastically says that maybe they should call the police (so that he can be sent to prison).

As Buffy talks about pretending that an accident never happened, she tells Cindy that doing so would be just like the time they got drunk and went down on each other.

Gail asks whom she has to "screw" around town to get a story.

As Doofy drools, he comments that he sometimes forgets to swallow. In response, Gail suggestively replies that she never forgets (an oral sex reference) and then suggestively sucks on his finger. Later, Doofy loudly states to everyone, "Gail swallows."

A teacher breastfeeds in class (we don't see anything) and then hands the baby to its father, one of the students, and then tells another student that she'll see him after class.

At a picnic, Bobby puts a large wiener in Cindy's mouth and then suggestively runs it back and forth, in and out of her mouth (like oral sex and she's not quite sure what to think of that).

The sheriff makes the hand gesture for male masturbation and then does some sexually suggestive pelvic thrusting into the air. Later, he shows Cindy some photos of himself posing in a skimpy bathing suit/underwear.

In the locker room after football practice, Ray pats all of his teammates on their clothed butts as they walk past him, and then does the same to a man's bare butt (which we see). We then see another player's bare butt.

We see a Polaroid of male full frontal nudity, showing a very small penis, intended by someone to represent Greg. He then defensively says that it's not the size of the hammer but the nail you're throwing it at.

Ray asks another man if he wants to get naked and wrestle and then questions the whereabouts of his Vaseline.

At a teen beauty pageant (where many of the contestants show cleavage), one girl with braided hair also has braid pubic hair coming out from her bathing suit, while Buffy wears a banner reading "Miss Fellatio." A man that states that Buffy was "the best piece of p*ssy I ever had."

A pageant host sings the winner's song that includes lines about the winner having "lovely t*ts" and "a great behind" and then adds something about "doggy style."

Buffy comments about Doofy sticking his "d*ck" into the vacuum cleaner. In a later scene, Doofy walks out of his room carrying a vacuum cleaner (and we see an obvious erection in his underwear).

Gail asks Cindy if something's in her "cooch" (privates).

After Gail gets up, she complains that someone "copped a feel" and her cameraman states that he only touched the top of her breasts.

Bobby states that he's handsome, smart and good in bed.

After Bobby states that he was in jail the night before, a large man walks up and puts his arm around him.

In the girls' locker room, we see various young women in their bras and panties (and briefly appear to see bare breasts in the background) and others wrapped just in towels.

As Cindy talks with the very masculine built and looking "female" coach, she and we suddenly see a large scrotum hang down out from under the coach's skirt. This is just after the coach comments on the fallacy of shaving one's pubic hair to get rid of a crab infestation and Cindy catches her/him smelling some panties.

We see Brenda sitting on Ray's lap as he's lying on his bed (both are clothed). He tells her that the sight of her in his football journey turns him on and then proceeds to have her put on most of the rest of his football gear and clothes. He then tells her, "Bring your sexy ass over here" and then proceeds to fantasize that she's one his male teammates. As such, he has her turn around and humps her rear while saying, "Take it, Brandon! Take it, Brandon!" while behind her. He then sticks his butt into the air and begs her to hit him.

In a men's room there are several signs above the condom machine that read - among others things - "You can't feel sh*t" (meaning the resultant sensation of wearing one).

As Ray stands in a bathroom stall, he hears something coming from the next stall. As he bends down to get a better listen, a large (and realistic looking) penis/phallus comes out of a hole in the wall and tickles his ear (he doesn't know what it is but asks for more after it disappears). The penis then suddenly blasts out through the hole and goes into one of Ray's ears and then out the other (as if it went through his head).

Drunk, Cindy tells Bobby that she wants him to go up to her bedroom with her. There, and sitting on her bed, she tells him that she can't keep fighting her urges. The two passionately kiss, but then find that their tongues have tied together into a knot.

We then see Cindy on top of Bobby in her bra and she kisses down his chest. He keeps trying to push her head down toward his crotch, but she resists his efforts. Eventually, however, he convinces her and she states that she's never done it (oral sex) before. He replies that it's okay, that it's just like sucking on a Tootsie pop, the cherry ones with the fudge in the middle. We then see her head go out of the camera frame and down toward his crotch and then see his pleasured reaction to her having oral sex with him. That's short lived, however, as we hear her bite down on him (the tootsie pop analogy coming into play).

We then see him above her, kissing down her body (she's in her bra). He then takes off her shorts and panties, but then a huge, comical amount of pubic hair shoots out (that he trims with a hedge clipper). He then performs oral sex on her (we only see her pleasured reaction and comments of "Oh, Bobby!"). She then says, "Come here, Bobby. I want it now." Moments later, she moves on top of him and has sex where she makes Exorcist type sounds until he ejaculates, the fire hose type force of which blasts her up against the ceiling (we see tons of semen as if fired from a fire hose as well as his apparently withered body from no fluids being left inside it).

A character states that lack of sex can cause serious, deviant behavior.

A character states that he's gay, while another believed to be that way states that he isn't (causing the first to state, "But you made love to me" and the latter to respond, "You sucked my d*ck").

While interrogating Cindy, the sheriff pulls out some sexual/S&M paraphernalia and lays it on the table.

SMOKING

Bobby, Doofy, the sheriff and a teacher all smoke once.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES

None.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT

The subject matter used (murder, etc.) as sources of comedy.

VIOLENCE

Although none of what follows is meant to be taken seriously, it does occur as listed.

Thinking the killer is at her door, a woman takes a bat to the first people she encounters there who turn out to be some kids who are trick-or-treating.

The killer stabs a woman in the chest and ends up with her breast implant on the end of his knife.

A woman is violently hit and flipped up into the air by a passing car.

After Cindy gives a bum some food instead of money, he throws it back at her and hits her with it.

Gail uses a handgun to shoot someone who was interrupting her TV report.

A tree branch clotheslines Greg while he stands halfway out of a moving car's sunroof.

The teens' car accidentally hits a man on the road (but he's not killed yet). Greg then throws a bottle that accidentally hits this victim on the head. They then put the victim in the trunk (who's not dead) and keep closing the lid on his head (not realizing they're doing so). Later, however, they dump the body into some water where it sinks below the surface.

Trying to make Cindy agree to a pact of secrecy, Greg grabs her by the neck and violently (but comically) shakes her head around.

A teacher hits one of her students on the back of the head.

Played as a visual gag, Bobby repeatedly punches Cindy, picks her up, drops her to the ground and then kicks her many times (most of that below the camera's view). He then leaps into the air and drops on her with his elbow (also not fully seen).

The killer stabs a teen to death (in another scene played for laughs) and ends by slitting the victim's throat (with a little bit of blood).

As flowers are thrown to a beauty pageant winner, someone throws a vase of flowers that hits her on the head and knocks her from the stage.

Cindy throws a big vase, a bicycle and an old lady down some steps at the killer. She then rolls a large piano down the steps at the killer who steps out of the way, allowing the piano to smash into the old woman.

Cindy punches someone.

Doofy accidentally knocks Cindy off her bed.

As one of the students asks the killer if this is where she should plead for her life, be scared, etc. the killer stabs her in the gut (we see blood on her hands). After she asks if this is where she tries to run, but breaks her leg, we hear the breaking sound and then briefly see the bloody leg wound (with the bone sticking out and some blood on the leg). Moments later, the killer decapitates the victim and holds the severed head, but it just keeps talking as if nothing happened.

A man jumps to his death from a roof and we see his body hit the ground.

The killer stabs another person to death while being interviewed by Gail.

In a fake movie preview a black man is briefly whipped (also played for laughs).

A man is presumably injured by a penis/phallus that blasts out through a hole in a bathroom stall wall and goes into one of the man's ears and then out the other (as if it went through his head).

Various movie patrons repeatedly stab a woman to death after she keeps making noise and is otherwise rude during a movie.

The killer tries to stab another potential victim who apparently dies in a garage door malfunction.

While doing a rap number and wildly flailing a knife about, the killer apparently but accidentally kills several people (we see their bodies and blood splattered onto the wall).

The killer stabs another person several times.

Another person is shot.

A man holds a knife on Cindy, a man repeatedly stabs another man, and Cindy hits the killer over the head with a lamp. In turn, he picks up Cindy and throws her across the room. She then jumps into the air and kicks him backwards, throws a planter at him (he ducks out of the way), and then finally kicks him out through a window.

A car hits a person.

A store manager opens fire on some people robbing his store.

Reviewed June 28, 2000 / Posted July 7, 2000

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