Save the Cat Goes to the Movies

by Blake Snyder

  MITH Type: Serial Monster

  MITH Cousins: Psycho, Prom Night, Halloween, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Friday the 13th, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Urban Legend, Red Dragon, Hannibal, Hostel

  SCREAM

  Written by Kevin Williamson

  Opening Image: A ringing phone. An isolated house. A buxom Drew Barrymore making popcorn. Like the starting point of many a teen horror movie, this initial image is ripe with clichés.

  Theme Stated: The caller asks Drew a key question: “Do you like scary movies?” Scary movies, like those they discuss, are the thematic basis of this film.

  Set-Up: The “sin” Drew commits is denying she has a boyfriend so she can flirt with her mystery caller. The punishment is death. Both her jock boyfriend and Drew are sliced up like honey-baked hams by someone in a ghost mask and a black hood, and left for Drew’s parents to find. This 12-minute sequence “sets the table” for what follows. We next meet our heroine, the virginal Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) who, with her single Dad, is getting over the murder of Sidney’s Mom one year ago. Neve is joined in her room by the killer (I warned ya!), Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich). But for now he’s just her James Dean-lite boyfriend who wants to take their relationship from PG to R.

  Catalyst: Next day at school, Neve and gal pal Tatum Riley (Rose McGowan) learn of the murder the night before. TV News babe Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) is on hand with Deputy “Dewey” Riley (David Arquette). The school is shocked by Drew’s death and Neve is even questioned by Principal Himbry (Henry Winkler).

  Debate: Neve and Rose have a coterie of ADD boyfriends, including Randy Meeks (Jamie Kennedy) — the video store clerk who’s seen every scary movie ever made, Stuart Macher (Matthew Lillard), and Skeet. Their debate is who the likely murderer is. Principal Himbry has warned the students to walk in twos and threes for safety, but when Neve is dropped off at her house — where she’ll be alone since Dad left (!) — she decides to take a nap. The TV reports are now telling about the anniversary of her Mother’s murder and the man Neve fingered as the killer (Liev Schreiber). Maybe last night’s murder and her Mom’s are related?

  Break into Two: At Minute 25, the mysterious caller wakes Neve, drawing her into the “upside-down world” of Act Two. Neve is cool at first. Not knowing the method of the previous night’s murder, she assumes it’s Jamie playing a joke — but soon discovers this is no laughing matter. When the ghost-masked killer appears, knife in hand, Neve does what she says only dumb girls in these movies do: Run up the stairs instead of sprinting out the front door. Neve is “saved” by Skeet, who pops in her window claiming he heard the ruckus. Neve fears Skeet (smart girl!) as Deputy David arrives to arrest him. This is a world in which Neve can trust no one.

  B Story: The “love” story concerns Neve and her dead Mom, and is spurred on by the terrier-like Courteney. As the current murder and her Mom’s entwine, Neve will learn about Mom — and herself.

  Fun and Games: With the whole town aware that Neve is the prime target of the killer, she is both star and pariah. Did Neve send the wrong guy to jail? Neve crosses paths with Courteney who, ever the info-ette, wants an exclusive. Neve refuses, and even slugs her. But the question remains: Is her Mom’s murderer still out there? The ghost-mask slasher shows up again along with icons of scary movies past, including Linda Blair (star of The Exorcist) and a janitor (Craven) who looks like Freddy from A Nightmare on Elm Street. We get some real danger as Neve eludes the killer in the bathroom at school — and a few red herrings, including teens dressed like the slasher, and even Henry Winkler — who goes a little over the top in the Emoting Department.

  Midpoint: The Fun and Games culminate with the death of the overacting Mr. Winkler — and just in time! Cornered in his office, the principal is stabbed by the real ghost-masked killer, which definitely “raises the stakes” of this mystery — not to mention knock one more person off the suspect list. Meanwhile at the video store, Jamie tells us the score, saying to both Skeet and Matthew (ironically enough) that at this point in these movies everyone’s a suspect. The kids decide to do what teens in all horror films do: Even with a killer loose who targets their demographic, they will lock themselves in a house and party!

  Bad Guys Close In: The “house” is sealed tight, a curfew imposed, and the kids gather for a beer bash while suspects circle in our minds. Chief on the list is Neve’s Dad, who’s missing. Courteney and her cameraman close in on the story — and on Deputy David, for whom she has the hots. First offed at the party is Rose when she goes for beer. Tension mounts as the killer closes in.

  All Is Lost: Neve agrees to have sex with Skeet, a “whiff of death” that includes the death of her innocence. When news comes that Principal Himbry is dead, the kids leave to check it out.

  Dark Night of the Soul: The house is abandoned and Neve is alone.

  Break into Three: By choosing to break the “have sex and die” rule of these movies, Neve now brings Synthesis to both her story and her Mother’s, and enters the monster’s secret world.

  Finale: Matthew and Skeet reveal themselves as the killers, seeking revenge against both Neve and her Mom, whose “hidden sin” of sleeping with Skeet’s father ruined Skeet’s life. The twin killers’ supercharged powers come not just from insanity, but from being able to be in two places at once. A and B stories cross as Neve and Courteney work together to kill the killers.

  Final Image: Courteney wraps up the tale of Neve’s Mom and the recent murders, saying: “It’s like something out of a scary movie,” which brings this postmodern thriller full circle.

  THE RING (2002)

  Here is a tale seemingly about modern technology and the evils of watching too much TV, but the success of The Ring is due to its being grounded in a more primal concern. Much like in The Exorcist, from which this film inherits many similarities, career woman Naomi Watts will go from self-involved single mother to one who wants to save her child above all else. The responsibility of parenthood is what this particular MITH tale is about. And its lesson is one Naomi will learn from a video ghost — also a mother — who is the dark mirror image of herself.

  Based on the novel, Ringu, by Koji Suzuki, and the Japanese film directed by Hiroshi Takahashi, director Gore Verbinski’s version is superbly structured. It’s an example of MITH I call the “Supra-natural Monster” which, to me, is the most frightening — no matter in what form it comes. Be it devil (The Exorcist), ghost (What Lies Beneath), or what occurs when we mess with the comforts of sanity (Gothika), these monsters can strike anywhere, haunt our dreams, and alter our world until we can’t tell what’s real — and what isn’t.

  This classification of MITH movie is the most disturbing because it deals directly with a “sin” of a past life or another dimension, and made more serious by the fear of losing our souls.

  MITH Type: Supra-natural Monster

  MITH Cousins: The Exorcist, The Legend of Hell House, The Shining, Poltergeist, Amityville Horror, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Child’s Play, What Lies Beneath, House on Haunted Hill, The Exorcism of Emily Rose

  THE RING

  Screenplay by Ehren Kruger

  Based on the novel RINGU by Koji Suzuki

  and the film RINGU by Hiroshi Takahashi

  Opening Image: A house in the ’burbs. Inside, a familiar Friday night scene: Two teenage girls are watching videos.

  Theme Stated: “I hate television,” says one girl. (Don’t we all?) TV and its use by parents as a babysitter give a hint as to what the movie is about: the responsibilities of parenthood.

  Set-Up: We hear the legend of the videotape that kills you. You watch it, the phone rings, then seven days later you die. One of the girls announces that she viewed the killer VHS a week ago. Tonight her time is up, and lo! She dies just as foretold. We next meet our heroine in a perfect intro scene. Enter bitching while on her cell phone, busy reporter Rachel Keller (Naomi Watts) arrives late to pick up son Aidan (David Dorfman) from daycare. Yes, Naomi wins the coveted Bad Mother Awar
d. But she will do a 180 thanks to this tale. Deep down she’s aware of her “sin,” and only by re-embracing her love for her child will she save him and herself.

  Catalyst: Turns out this dead teenager is Naomi’s niece and little David’s favorite relative. Naomi, being a reporter and all, is asked to look into this mysterious death. She soon discovers it has something to do with a spooky VHS.

  Debate: Is it true? Is it possible that the supra-natural deaths of several teens are linked to a videotape? Naomi hears about a motel the teens visited the week before they died. She checks in, steals the tape from the “Seven Day Rental” section in the front office, and goes to cabin #12 (for those of you who like numerology). Should Naomi look at the tape? Hint: If she doesn’t, there is no plot!

  Break into Two: Naomi, and we, now see the weird videotape everyone is talking about. On it are various scary images, some the most disturbing since the brainwash scene in The Parallax View. Then the phone rings. Naomi has officially entered the Dark World. She has exactly seven days to live.

  B Story: A partial answer to why Naomi is a single parent is offered when we meet her child’s father, Noah Clay (Martin Henderson). In need of a shave — and a nicer apartment — Martin mostly needs to “grow up.” Being a videographer, he can help explain the tape. Martin watches it, blithely ignoring the warning. Now Naomi and Martin are linked as more than parents.

  Fun and Games: Separately, Naomi and Martin look into the tape and discover its bizarre properties. The “fun” includes being able to pluck a fly out of the picture while watching it. We learn about the girl on the tape — that her mother died mysteriously, and that a lemming-like plunge by some prize thoroughbreds at their farm once made headlines. Naomi is also beginning to experience bloody noses and an image-bending effect when someone takes her photo. The curse of watching the tape is turning real, yet this adventure is still in its discovery phase.

  Midpoint: The “stakes are raised” when Naomi’s son watches the tape. Now he too is at risk. Though the kid has special powers, apparently his skills were on “PAUSE” when he popped the tape in. Naomi discovers her son did this as A and B stories cross: Martin calls to say photos of him turned weird — he is cursed as well.

  Bad Guys Close In: An actual ticking clock is heard as Naomi and Martin bid goodbye to David and hit the road to continue their investigation. Time is running out. The two learn more about the little girl responsible for the spooky VHS. In addition to a bad case of split ends, she could project bizarre images from her brain onto videotapes and photographs. Her parents committed her to an asylum and we feel sorry for her — even sorrier for Naomi, who is beginning to have the same effect on horses the girl had.

  All Is Lost: Naomi confronts a member of the family at the farm where the girl was raised. The Dad, Richard Morgan (Brian Cox), may have survived physically but is warped by the experience with his psychically powerful daughter. This “Half Man” realizes the curse won’t end and kills himself by electrocution in a bathtub (water is another motif). All hope dead, Naomi appears to be out of luck. No one is left to help her solve the mystery.

  Dark Night of the Soul: Naomi and Martin find the room in the barn where Brian and his wife kept the little girl. The decor includes every parent’s favorite pacifier: a TV set.

  Break into Three: Martin sees something hidden behind the wallpaper of the little girl’s room: a clue! Thus, A and B stories intersect once more and propel us into Act Three.

  Finale: The clue leads the pair back to cabin #12. It’s the place the teens first watched the video. Naomi and Martin realize the cabin sits atop an old well where the “sin” was committed — the girl was dropped in to die. They uncover the well and Naomi promptly falls in. Naomi is reunited with the girl’s spectral self and the curse ends. The girl’s body is given proper burial. But the curse is not over. David realizes the joke’s on Mom: The girl is evil and Naomi released her! Unaware of this, Martin meets his end when the girl crawls out of his TV and attacks him. Naomi finds Martin’s body.

  Final Image: The only way to break the curse is to pass it on. Naomi makes copies of the VHS to save herself and her son. This guarantees not only their safety — but a sequel!

  SAW (2004)

  Who says you can’t make a hit movie for $500,000? That’s reportedly the cost of this James Wan-directed indie, the first in this franchise. The film proves that when creativity is in play, financial restriction can be as much an inspiration as a handicap. Beyond the producer’s delight at having to pay for only one set — and the bonus of putting the co-screenwriter (Leigh Whanell) to work as the co-star — at core you still need a story. It must be one that resonates for a jaded horror audience that has seen it all, and needs a reason beyond “have sex and die” as the “sin” that scares. How can you shock the unshockable? How can you use sin as a means to terrify in a world where sin is relative?

  You create the “Nihilist Monster.”

  You create Jigsaw.

  Jigsaw seeks out his victims who have no awareness of what they’ve done to deserve their fate, and pits one against another in games of life and death. Few survive to tell the tale of what they learned, but by the end each is highly aware of why they were chosen. When Cary Elwes comes to in his basement prison wondering not only how he got there, but why, he begins to review his life looking for what he did wrong. Is he a bad father, a bad husband, a bad doctor? We soon discover we have more in common with Cary than we think. We too have to examine our lives, ’cause if we don’t, Jigsaw will!

  MITH category: Nihilist Monster

  MITH cousins: Peeping Tom, American Psycho, Cabin Fever, Audition, The Others, Lost Highway, The Village, The Grudge, Identity, The Host

  SAW

  Written by Leigh Whannell

  Story by James Wan and Leigh Whannell

  Opening Image: As lights come up, we are in the monster’s “house” — the basement prison that will be our setting. Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elwes) and another man, Adam (screenwriter Leigh Whannell), are in a bad situation. Each is chained by the leg in an opposite corner. Lying between them — a body. Great start!

  Theme Stated: Cary says: “We need to start thinking about why we’re here.” Cary’s on to the “Nihilist Monster” theme: the sin of ignorance, and an even bigger theme: Why are we here, in this life?

  Set-Up: Cary, a doctor, introduces himself to his cellmate. Neither recognizes the “dead” man. They note the clock on the wall and a tape recorder. Working together, they snag it and push “PLAY.” Meet the third component, the voice of “Jigsaw,” a killer who plays games with his victims and turns one against the other.

  Catalyst: At Minute 12, the puzzle that sets this dance with death into motion is presented to Cary. He has till six on the clock to kill Leigh, or his wife and kid will die.

  Debate: So what should Cary and Leigh do? They notice they’ve each been given a hacksaw, the idea being that there is one way out of this: They each could saw off a foot and escape … but you’d have to be crazy to do that, right? At Minute 16, Cary adds a piece of the puzzle: “I think I know who’s done this to us.” In a flashback, we see a series of headlines about the Jigsaw killer and the murders he committed. All are deadly games where the victim is given a “lady or the tiger” choice. We also see Cary interact with an odd custodian at his hospital — “Zep” (Michael Emerson), who will figure into the ending. When Cary’s fingerprints are connected to the murder, at Minute 22, he becomes a suspect. The cop investigating is Detective David Tapp (Danny Glover).

  Break into Two: Back in the basement at Minute 29, both men know what the killer is after. This is about “sin,” and figuring out theirs will be how they solve the mystery and survive. Cary says: “I’ve been thinking about the last thing I said to my daughter.” In further flashbacks (a technique which, given the set-up, leaves the filmmakers no other choice), Cary does not seem to be a great Dad … but he’s not horrible either. Is this his sin? When Cary plays “This Little Piggy” with his d
aughter, it foreshadows what will happen to his own little footie.

  Fun and Games: The “promise of the premise” starts to unfold. This is a game and they follow the clues that have been left for them. Back in the basement, Leigh asks to see a photo of Cary’s family and Cary tosses his wallet to him. Inside the wallet is a photo of Cary’s wife (Monica Potter) and child, bound and gagged, but Leigh keeps this info to himself. In flashback we see what happened: A stranger who was hiding in Cary’s house kidnaps his daughter and Monica. We also see someone observing this event — it’s Danny Glover!

  B Story: Danny is the cop who tracked down Cary and suspects him. The B story is how Danny becomes the damaged and obsessed “Half Man” of this saga. In yet another flashback, Danny and his partner (Ken Leung) discover Jigsaw’s lair. There, they find a scale model of the basement Cary and Leigh are in — and another victim. The cops get the drop on Jigsaw, but he gets away, slashing Danny’s throat and killing the others.

  Midpoint: The “stakes are raised” at 1 Hour when Cary begins to suspect Leigh. And when Leigh shows Cary the photos of his kidnapped wife, the urgency to escape intensifies. Cary begins his slide to insanity; he realizes the “time clock” isn’t just about his life but his family’s. He’s still got to figure out “why he’s here.”