Starring Neve Campbell and Courtney Cox-Arquette

As far as horror sequels go, they don’t get much better than this. The arrival of "Scream 3," ostensibly the last of the "Scream" films, in theaters at the dawn of the new millennium truly capped off what was easily the greatest horror film series of all time. The third film was nearly as brilliant as the first. It was infinitely superior to the second.

Sidney Prescott (Campbell) is once again stalked by a psycho in a ghost mask. This time the setting is Hollywood, where Gale Weaters (Cox-Arquette) and Dewey (David Arquette) have both moved to pursue separate entertainment careers. Dewey is working as an advisor for the film "Stab 3," a film based on Weathers’ books about the murders of the first movie.

A ghost-faced killer begins killing off cast members of the film, which is still in production. Sidney comes out of hiding and once again, joins her compatriots from Part 1 and 2 to do battle with the murderer.  Campbell (who looks tired and worn out in her role) takes a back seat to Cox this time around.

Incredibly, screenwriter Ehren Kruger (who took over for Kevin Williamson) was able to concoct a story that somehow ties up nicely to the events of Part 1. Unlike Part 2, where the big revelation of the killer turned out to be something of a letdown, this film’s unveiling of the murderer cuts like a knife. In fact, the events of Part 2 are for the most part forgotten. Truth is, Krueger gave the story a fresh touch, one that was lacking from Williamson in his sequel-writing. It was wise they brought him on board to write.

Craven ups the Hitchcockian thrills to hyperkinetic levels. Despite concerns about the Littleton Massacre, which prompted many a Hollywood movie to shy away from violence, the killings are plentiful in this film, although you can tell Craven toned down the gore a bit. With characters running into actors who play themselves in "Stab 3" (Parker Posey is great as the actress assigned to play Gale Weathers), the film holds a lot in common with Craven's "New Nightmare," a film that featured actors playing themselves. This pic also does everything it can to skewer Hollywood, opening up with a dark and menacing night-time shot of the famous "Hollywood" sign in the hills.

Still, the movie rocks. With this, what he promises will be his last genre film, Craven proved once and for all that he is the greatest living master of the horror film. It was one hell of a way to climax a career.

 Watch for the Roger Corman cameo.