2. TatumRiley (Scream)
Perhaps the most infamous of all Ghostface killings, this scene taught people the dangers of garage doors and pet flaps. Tatums death is the first murder of the movies climactic, free-for-all party finale, which ended in four dead bodies (including both masked killers). Being the main characters best friend, Tatum was basically a dead-woman-walking the whole film and it was only a matter of time. That time came midway through the party when she, her extremely tight sweater, and her impossible-not-to-notice nipples foolishly ventured off alone into the dark garage to stock up on beer. As she turns around with a cartoonishly full armload of beer bottles, Tatum is surprised by the killer, who she assumes is Randy playing a joke (poor guy, earlier in the film Sydney also assumed the killer calling her was a joking Randy). She quickly realizes her misjudgment and tries to escape underneath the garage door, but Ghostface is quicker and closes the door. In a last ditch effort, Tatum scrambles to pet flap and tries to squeeze through. But again, Ghostface is at the controls and raises the garage door as Tatum is stuck halfway through the door. She shrieks and squirms as the garage door rises and ultimately crushes her head quite graphically. As Ghostface vanishes back into the party we catch a glimpse of a lifeless Tatum hanging listlessly from the top of the garage. Despite its lack of real world possibility, Tatums death is one of the best in the entire
Scream series, but the top honor goes to . . .
Trivia: In the original script, Tatum was supposed to be killed after being crushed by the garage door coming down on her neck, but the idea of the pet flap came from screenwriter Kevin Williamsons assistant as a clever and more suspenseful way to die. In real life, actress Rose McGowan could actually fit through the pet flap.