'Scream 2' attracts students to Nooners

UNIQUE director Dean Sorensen (right) gets into the Halloween spirit to promote Wednesday's screening of "Scream 2" in the University Union Auditorium. Cherrie Ostrowski/State Hornet

Thrills and chills filled the air as a masked, knife-wielding killer hacked his way across the screen.

Sound familiar? That's because it's the opening scene to last year's hit horror movie "Scream 2." On Wednesday it was also the scene in the University Union Auditorium when UNIQUE presented a free showing of the film as a special Halloween Nooner.

Students packed the new, 170-seat auditorium to watch a serial killer in a ghost mask terrorize young Hollywood stars like Neve Campbell, Jada Pinkett-Smith and Sarah Michelle Gellar.

According to UNIQUE director Dean Sorensen, Halloween programs like this one are usually popular with the students. Before the film, Sorensen got into the holiday spirit by dressing up as a pumpkin and handing out candy while directing passing students to the auditorium.

"We like students to pop in and we usually get a good response to programs like this," Sorensen said. "We actually tried to get a 3-D movie like 'The Creature from the Black Lagoon,' but all the copies were checked out already."

In "Scream 2," college student Sydney Prescott (played by "Party of Five" star Campbell) is stalked by someone seeking to re-create an earlier set of murders back in her hometown. As the body count grows, so does the list of suspects.

The audience reacted appropriately to the on-screen action, laughing at the jokes and screaming at the scares.

"Hey, it's fun and it's free," said David Gee, a freshman undeclared major. "It's something to do in between classes. Plus, it's good to watch a scary movie before Halloween."

There were a few wary looks in the audience when someone in a black robe and ghost mask made a brief appearance in the room. The hooded figure stood in the aisle for a few moments and then disappeared as quickly as he had come.