In 2024, a man was arrested in Pennsylvania for murdering his neighbor with a knife and a battery-operated chainsaw while wearing a Ghostface mask and an all-black outfit. In 2018, an attacker attempted to murder a 56-year-old woman in her own home wearing a Scream mask. These are just two of many instances of people dressing up as Scream, wearing a Ghostface mask, and trying to scare or hurt others. This mask symbolizes fear and gives people a sense of security because their identity isn’t revealed, causing them to feel more like a character than themselves. The costume separates the individual from the character, which can be dangerous. It is theatrical because it represents an individual trying to mimic a character, which in their minds undermines the crime and makes them feel like it is connected to entertainment.
The film Scream, like many other films, can send negative messages, creating the danger that fake violence can be copied and replicated, turning it into a performance for attention. In the movie, the killers don’t act randomly; they mock and imitate plots or scenes from other movies for inspiration on killing the victim. This puts a new meaning on the Ghostface mask, as it becomes a role that people can perform. Media images from movies or television shows can be taken out of context and used in dangerous ways to imitate killers to feel a sense of power or control. This demonstrates the misuse of art, where fictional images are desired to be turned into reality to create fear and commit crime. The Scream mask is a commonly seen and known costume that is associated with murder, violence, and fear. In the film, the killer who wears the mask performs with the costume, voice change, mysterious phone calls, and dramatics to create a sense of fear among the victim and portray the killer as powerful and controlling. The danger isn’t necessarily the costume, but how the costume makes the individual feel anonymous and intimidating. It blurs the lines between fiction and reality because people who see a stranger wearing this mask might be unsure of the intentions they have. This demonstrates how the meaning of artwork can be altered based on how it is used and viewed. A movie that was simply supposed to be for entertainment purposes turned into inspiration for some individuals in disturbing ways.
This popular horror movie has turned into Halloween costumes, decorations, and even merchandise. The form of violence that is depicted in the show is commercialized as something that people wear or buy for fun and entertainment. The commercialization of it almost makes the violence that is portrayed in the movie less fearful and serious. The more often the mask is produced in different forms of entertainment, the wider range of audience there is, potentially spreading to people who have never even watched the movie but recognize the costume. This could make the costume more powerful, with the ghost-faced character in Scream being widely known and recognized in society, giving the mask a purpose beyond the film. While the costume can be depicted as fun and fictional, it can also be portrayed in threatening ways by individuals with bad intentions.
Scream itself isn’t the cause of these crimes and murders committed by people who imitate the killer; it is the performance and art of it that influence how society views violence and control. Rather than discussing whether violent movies should exist, it is more important to consider how viewers take in these scenes and interpret the art. Watching a horror movie doesn’t automatically make someone violent or a bad person; it depends on how someone comprehends it. Factors such as mental health, poor living circumstances, and access to weapons can influence these interpretations. The film represents how fictional images and art can be taken out of context and used in harmful ways.
