So, in order to go through the brief happenings on Halloween 2007 I feel I should explain the History first.

SCREAM was released in theatres December of 1996. I was 17 and dating Ryan Eugene Welch. I drove my burgundy 87 Honda Accord to pick him up in AG (I was also in AG at the time) and we drove to Santa Maria to see it at Edwards Cinemas. Of course, the movie scared me. The face, THAT face, that mask was horrible and frightful and I couldn’t eat the popcorn we bought because I was afraid I’d inhale it and choke and die. And I remember thinking “holy crap they just killed Drew Barrymore in the first 10 minutes of the film. She was the headliner!” I know that sometime in the middle of the movie I had to pee like no ones business, so I risked going ALONE. Of course with my luck this was after the bathroom scene where Sydney was attacked at school after running away from her boyfriend, and I had to go to the bathroom. I walked up the stairs to the bathroom walked in as quickly as I could and then when I was done and I had washed my hands I actually looked under the stalls to check for feet. And I sh** you not there were a pair of black shoes/boots with black pants in the end stall. I ran out of the bathroom and down the stairs and waited a few seconds to see who came out of the bathroom, but when they didn’t exit right away I started wondering if I imagined it. Did I go back up to check? HELL NO. So I go back to the movie, we watch it, I get extremely scared and frightened and now its over. We find out it was the boyfriend and his best friend and I really liked Randy – the guy who explained the rules of the scary movie. And I was scared when he was shot, but he survived – yay. The END. We get in the car, I drive him home telling him how much I hate it. But I give them credit for scaring me, since that was their job. There is something just much more crazy about something that could happen. When its a human killing a human it seems much more scary than the digital smoke bank that’s chasing you to kill you and your kin. So I drop Ryan off and I drive home. Everything is dark EVERYWHERE. There is only one streetlight on my mothers street and its a few houses away from hers. Everyone has turned off their porch lights because everyone is home now, except me. I call my sister on my cel phone and tell her I saw the scariest movie EVER and she needed to come out to the driveway to get me. I told her if she came out running I would hit her and scream at her and she had to stay on the phone with me the whole time. And she did, she was a good sister. And I slept with the light on – for a few days.

The year turned, I became 18, I graduated high school and started working at Corning Revere, a kitchen store in the Pismo Outlets. I was there a few months and could handle myself on the floor alone for a while if I needed to be, and then it was Halloween. The outlet stores had all agreed to have trick-or-treating times for kids from 4pm – 6pm. We all had decorations and candy for the kids. Some stores could dress up, we didn’t, well I know that I didn’t. I was on the floor by the register. It was a box with 2 registers, one on each side and one point of entry. I was cutting paper on one side and ringing on the other, my boss was in the back room. Some little kids came up and I gave them their candy and that was that and in the moments between those kids leaving, I squatted down to grab more paper to cut and stood back up they were gone, and that face was there. I was taller than him (he? she? doesnt matter) but i know I took a nervous breath before saying “can I help you” as sarcastically as possible, trying to downplay my mild fear that was cooking beneath the surface of my skin. All he did was slowly lean forward towards me over the counter and say “oooooooooooo” in a low hum almost. I remember clearing my throat and making myself stand still and said “I don’t like, you either need to leave or take your mask off” he stood up straight said “okay” shrugged his shoulders and walked out then started running with his hands up screaming at people. No one else was in the store and I had to go to the back to tell my boss what happened, and then when security walked by I told them there was a kid out there dressed like that and he didn’t need to be running around scaring the little toddlers out and about. He said he’d go talk to him, and left.

SCREAM 2 was released in December of 1997. Ryan and I went to visit Antoan in Utah and we went to see it, even though I said I hated the first one and I knew I would hate the second one, we went. It was a large dome theatre. We got popcorn and beverages. As the years go by, I notice I remember less and less of these events, but what I know I will share. The Dome theatre was like any other theatre accept when we entered the room where our movie was going to be played, it was pitch black. No adds were on the screen, no low lights to find a seat just 2 streams of what looked like tubed Christmas lights lining one aisle to walk down. Antoan was leading the way holding my hand, he had the drink, I had the popcorn, Eugene (Ryan) was somewhere behind me. Antoan had let go of my hand and a few seconds later I couldn’t see him so I figured he chose the aisle we were going to sit in and I was to follow. I turned and there was a person there, I leaned down and said “is that you antoan” and the person sitting there simply turned and said “no” – but he was wearing the mask. I screamed. . . .slightly and backed up, ran into the seats behind me, spilled some popcorn and knocked over someones drink. After laughter happened for everyone else, I stood up offered to replace someones beverage, got a no thanks, its okay that was worth it sort of thing, and ryan picked me up and chuckled and led me to our seats.

Of course if you remember, part 2 begins in a movie theatre so I hate this even MORE. I remember more of this film than the first by the end of it. I was super sad that Randy died, I loved everyone’s new hair do, I could do without Sarah Michelle Gellar, but she was thrown off a balcony so whatever. It was sad when Sydney’s boyfriend got shot, and equally upsetting when Duey got shot. And I can remember the sound of the knife being waved through the air so quickly and eratically that the sound alone sent shivers up my spine. In the end it was Billy’s mom (killer boyfriend from part 1) and a random “new hire” is what I called him. No relation to sydney, no reason to try to kill her and others accept he was sick and demented and the mom had found him on some website. I remember saying I did not see that coming! with the mom, she was out of no where. And she went from reporter trainee to serial killer in a heartbeat. Her eyes got SO big. In the end Cotton Weary showed up and helped save the day, then both Gail Weathers and Sydney let guns fire away. Sydney even shot the mom in the head and said “just in case” and dropped the gun and I remember thinking WOAH her life sucks if those are the kind of “precautions” she now takes.

Then the year turned, it was now 1998 I started working at the Cliffs Resort in Shell Beach and in the summer started dating Brandt Michaels. Halloween came with only a quick homage from no other than Matthew Hansen, Robin’s boyfriend at the time. We were at someone’s apartment in SLO and I was asked to go get Matt from the balcony so i did just to see him in the mask, with a toy knife and a big cloak. I remember pushing him almost off the balcony and running inside to everyone laughing saying things like “omg that was AWESOME” I got over it quickly, again trying to downplay my fear. Matty came in took the mask off and said “yani, if I REALLY scared you that terribly I’m sorry, really” I said ok, then I asked for another drink.

1999 came around quickly, I was still dating Brandt and our biggest fight was that I didn’t want to go to his senior prom with him, having graduated 2 years ago. He always thought I was cheating on him with Bear (Randy Bear) and my boss at the hotel didn’t like it when he’d come around and hang out. I admit now that that is unprofessional but when your 20 and bored at work, its nice to have someone to talk to. Halloween came and I had to go to a Haunted House because Brandt was a part of it and I had to be supportive – I hate Halloween at this point, and ps I’ve never liked Haunted Houses. It was in a building of what used to be a bank, I think, in the Madonna shopping plaza. Before the building was a starbucks, and blockbuster video and supercuts – you know which one I mean? I went with Ro (RoBear. . . Robin) I remember spooky music and dark rooms and Brandon was in a small cubicle like place wearing scrubs and bleeding all over the place, it was gross. Then there was the room. A room that was pitch black, then someone turned a black light and the walls were covered in THAT mask. and I thought to myself you have GOT to be kidding me. How perfect to have that which haunts me most surrounding me in a room with strangers. Some masks were still, some were moving up and down the wall and some were moving about the cabin, if you will. They were coming up and touch people, mom’s and dad’s were creeped kids hated it and loved it, I was trying to hide – but I was near the front. It came closer to me, with that sly ghostlike move and a lom hum of “ooooooooooo” and I said firmly something along the lines of “I don’t like the mask, I HATE the Scream Movies, get out of my face or I’ll hit you” there was a pause and then……….the leaned in to me with a jolt and an “aagghhhh!” and sure enough I socked him. ……..Warned you didn’t I DAMNIT. the lights came on, we could see what the room really looked like, we were escorted out of the room and told to proceed. I don’t know if I hit a girl or a boy to this day. I remember not proceeding slowly, but quickly past the rest of the house that I paid what. . .$5 for? Ro and I left and there wasn’t anything to be said about it.

Sigh, the year turned, welcome to Y2K and everything was about the Millenium. Antoan was living in L.A, only 181 miles away and was hanging out alot with PG and Jenr. We were all drinking age now so it was fun to go dancing and drink a bit etc etc etc.

SCREAM 3 was released in February 2000. Of course, I actually wasn’t expecting there to be a third installation, but there were previews and everyone said they were going to see it. Everyone but me. I didn’t want to be scared again, I really just wanted to let it go. Jack and Antoan convinced me to go see a matinee with Jack because it would give me “closure” why do i need closure – I just don’t want to go. I went. I remember sitting there with my hand up by my eyes 90% of the time and making fun of it, because it would put me at ease and I remember leaving. That’s it.

I don’t remember anything about it. Its been years since I’ve watched any of them on purpose. I know that I tried to defeat my fears a few years ago and watched the first one, but couldn’t handle watching anymore.

Over the past years in order to watch scary movies I have to make fun of them, and it has to be daylight and I refuse to do it alone.

Halloween 2007. Cleveland had to work, we live in Vista, CA and I don’t know anyone. I talk to Antoan almost every day, if not every other day so we actually have stuff to talk about. He told me that I had to get candy for trick-or-treaters and I said fine, yes I normally do what he tells me to. And he said I have to watch a scary movie. OH HERE WE GO. why do you force me to do these things???? why do you hate me??? And really being in Utah he’s not MAKING me do much. I could always tell him no – but maybe it was time to overcome my fears.

I agreed to watch Scream – the Trilogy. I started at 4:30pm. I was doing laundry and stuff around the house when i needed a break. That was the nice part. I could control when I would watch it and when it would have to wait. Antoan stayed on the phone with me for the first movie in its entirety. Then he had to go watch his scary movies and visit with his mom etc etc etc. and it was just me and Scream part 2. I gave myself a pep talk – no seriously – and reminded myself of everything I could remember about the movie so that I would not be caught off guard and began to watch it. Again there were many pauses and a number of rewinds because the vodka, oj, and cranberry juice was starting to effect me. I carefully measure out 2 shots of vodka per beverage and stumbled back to watch the movie. Half way through I needed a break and played on the internet for a bit and drank more. I finished part 2, no harm no foul. I felt strong! We might as well go all the way ladies and gents and I started part 3. But i was so drunk at this point I didn’t understand what was happening. I rewound more in the first 30 minutes than anything I’ve ever rewound on purpose. Why the Hell was Jenny McCarthy in it – and I had to write down a reminder note, hence my last entry, to ask myself these questions. It was part 3!! It was the end!! Why didn’t I remember any of it??!!! They’re making more Stab movies? Sydney called herself Laura? I was in a time warp of some kind. And now there were 2 gails? One dressed for now, the other in costumes from part 1 along with hair from part 1. It wasn’t making any sense. Duey was alive? I thought he died – did I miss that too? should I go back and watch the end of part 2 again?

Cleveland called and said he was on his way home, I didnt’ realize it was so late. . . well. . 10:30 ish isn’t THAT late but I’ve been drinking for 4 hours now and have been watching the first 30 minutes of part 3 for more than an hour. I was home sick, sniffling, coughing, and drinking and eating the crunch bars I bought for trick-or-treaters that never came.

Drunk Dialed someone. Talked to them for an hour and a half. Was still on the phone when cleveland got home, but it was a good conversation so I wanted to finish it. Around midnight I was off the phone, and taking cold medication – I had a total of 10 shots of Vodka in my system and down it with water and talked a bit to cleveland about laundry and scream and scream 2 and my drunk dial. then we went to bed.

I woke up and I was actually eager to watch part 3. My head was clear and I could handle it, it was daylight i knew how the other two went, I’ve seen this face a few times in my life – its just a movie.

play.

yay for Randy and his video tape explaining the difference between another sequel and a trilogy, yay for the interesting part of seeing a set that looks like the house, the killer is syndeys half brother? are you kidding me? And he was behind it the WHOLE time – that’s insane. And yes I thought Patrick Dempsey was going to be the killer but I couldnt’ figure out why. I thought maybe it was the girl “playing” sydney and she was a jealous half sister – but then she died. woops! so I was half right that it was a half-sibling, but I didnt’ figure it out.

these movies are insane, and crazy – and I was now mildly obsessed.

I watched them all again, with Commentary. Then I watched special features, and on the set stuff

Do I love these movies now? nope
Will I watch them again? probably
Am I still scared of that face? yah, a bit
do I recommend these movies? if you have never seen them, and you like to get started and scared – sure
will I make a scary movie in the future? i’m not sure. for years it was definately no, seeing outtakes makes it a little different – I still wont’ do a water movie, and I still don’t see myself able to do a love scene.
am I glad I watched all of them? um…I think so, I think facing your fears helps you beat them

is this my only fear? no, not at all.

thanks for staying. thanks for reading. thanks for caring.