Wes Craven's 'Scream' emerged at the point where the early Eighties American slasher cycle had effectively morphed into the post-Fatal Attraction trend for Hollywood thrillers that incorporated key slasher movie tropes. 'Scream' emerged as a spiritual successor to Wes Craven's unpopular but critically praised previous film 'New Nightmare', which evolved from his frustration at having lost creative control over his most popular creation, Freddy Krueger, & rebirthed the character in a postmodern context. 'Scream' appropriates many of the concepts, conceits, & in-jokes inherent in 'New Nightmare', albeit in a much more commercial context that did not alienate teenage audiences who were not around to see the movies that were being referenced. This book offers a full exploration of 'Scream', including its structure, its many reference points, its marketing, & legacy for horror cinema in the new millennium.