When it comes to representing high school, a lot of movies use rose tinted glasses. Even films that handle the more gritty, real aspects of adolescence rarely go dark, with a few exceptions. However, two films embrace the twisted side of teenagers perfectly in a way that is horrifying and hilarious. Scream and Heathers focus on the traumatic moments of adolescence in an over the top way that resonates with audiences today.

In Scream, a year after the murder of Sidney's mom, a serial killer is on the loose, targeting Sidney and her friends. The film riffs on the slasher genre while providing plenty of scares. It also presents fans with one of the most dynamic final girls, one who is forced to relive the trauma of her mother's death on top of trying to survive this nightmare.

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What cements Scream as the film to revitalize the slasher genre is the fact that it inverts the expectations of past horror films in a way that is funny and scary; however, the jokes are never made at the expense of the teens' trauma. Instead they are at the expense of the genre, as well as the antagonists, who believe they are above the law because of entitlement and personal issues.

While Heathers is far from a slasher film, it similarly makes fun of the movies before it, in this case 80s teen rom-coms and coming of age films. Instead of telling a love story about an outcast turned prep falling for the loner new kid, Heathers explores the toxicity of cliques and young love often experienced in high school. After getting on the bad side of her popular friend, Veronica teams up with JD to get revenge; however, JD uses this as an opportunity to kill a handful of teens.

promo pic for heathers starring winona ryder

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Similar to Scream, this movie is full of dark humor that knows what lines not to cross. While the movie jabs at the small mindedness of the town; paints JD as a delusional fool and jokes about the ignorance, incensceritary and bigotry of the adults and teens, when it comes to the genuine pain of characters like Martha and Heather McNamara the tone is serious without feeling preachy.

Heathers and Scream make for a perfect double feature because of their inversions of their genres, as well as how they blend comedy and tragedy. Along with both films featuring female leads that have plenty of baggage, their trauma does not hold them back or define them.

For Sidney, she relieves the pain of her mother's death on top of the trauma of being stalked, losing her friends and realizing her boyfriend, Billy, is her tormentor. Despite this, she refuses to let anyone get the better for her. Meanwhile, Veronica comes to terms with her role in the deaths of several classmates, but instead of complying further with JD, she works towards breaking the cycle of abuse and attempts to stop his final deadly act, risking her life and reputation.

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On top of that, both women are stuck in abusive relationships. While Sidney does not realize this until the reveal that Billy is a killer, he does gaslight her, pressures her into sex and minimizes her trauma. This is a painfully realistic depiction of a toxic relationship, and with the reveal that Billy is a murder, he becomes more despicable. Watching Sidney reclaim the narrative and bring an end to Billy's terror is an empowering moment, cementing her as the ultimate survivor.

Similarly, Veronica, who's been smitten by the unconventional JD, is sucked into his toxic world. He waxes poetics about how society is flawed, so in his eyes their murders are justified. He also threatens Veronica when she falls out of line and confuses his abuse for affection; however, Veronica realizes this is not love, and that JD's actions are unacceptable. While she is still at fault for her part in the murders, she is also a victim of JD's, breaking the cycle of abuse on her terms.

Furthermore, these films also show how media can exploit the trauma of survivors and victims. In the case of Scream, news stations from across the country flood the town, sensationalizing the deaths and retraumatizing Sidney under the guise of promoting truth. Meanwhile, the teachers and news crews of Heathers minimize the "suicides" to make a name for themselves, sending a message to the kids that suicide can be noble and failing to provide proper resources to the teens in need of help.

heathers

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Along with the similarities in the characters and themes, the depictions of high school are realistic in their unique ways. In both schools, gossip can be as damaging as physical bullying, with the false rumors about Sidney being the killer causing more her emotional duress. Even for Veronica, gossip is enough to push her into believing JD is her savior.

While these movies show the ugly side of high school, they also show the silver linings of adolescence. For Sidney, it is in the form of her friend Tatum, who consistently supports her and shuts down anyone who crosses a line. Meanwhile, Veronica started off with surface level friends, but she reignites old friendships with those who genuinely care about her.

These two films compliment each other with how they depict the dark sides of being a teenager in a way that highlights trauma while still being entertaining. From abusive relationships to one's trauma being trivialized, the films manage to tackle these issues with leads who are strong yet flawed survivors. While they do not belong to the same genre, Heathers and Scream touch on similar themes with their leading women, delusional antagonists and inversions of genre.

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