# The American Scream

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{{For|the Alkaline Trio song|This Addiction}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = The American Scream
| image          = American_scream.jpg
| alt            = 
| caption        = Film poster
| director       = [Michael Stephenson](/source/Michael_Stephenson_(filmmaker))
| producer       = Michael Stephenson<br />Lindsay Stephenson<br />Rod Olson<br />Meyer Shartzstien<br />Zack Carlson 
| writer         = 
| starring       = Victor Bariteau<br />Matthew Brodeur<br />Richard Brodeur<br />Manny Souza<br />Lori Souza 
| music          = [Bobby Tahouri](/source/Bobby_Tahouri)
| cinematography = Katie Graham
| editing        = Andrew Matthews	 
| studio         = Brainstorm Media
| distributor    = Brainstorm Media<br />[Chiller Films](/source/Chiller_(TV_network))
| released       = {{Film date|2012|9|23}}{{citation needed|date=June 2014}}
| runtime        = 92 minutes
| country        = United States
| language       = English
| budget         = 
| gross          = 
}}
'''''The American Scream''''' is a 2012 American [documentary film](/source/documentary_film) profiling three families in [Fairhaven, Massachusetts](/source/Fairhaven%2C_Massachusetts), who transform their homes into extravagant [haunted attraction](/source/Haunted_attraction_(simulated))s for [Halloween](/source/Halloween). Produced and directed by [Michael Stephenson](/source/Michael_Stephenson_(filmmaker)), the film premiered on the [Chiller](/source/Chiller_(TV_channel)) network October 28, 2012.<ref>{{cite web|title=The American Scream|url=http://www.chillertv.com/movies/americanscream|accessdate=29 October 2012|archive-date=November 2, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102175420/http://www.chillertv.com/movies/americanscream/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Valby|first=Karen|title='The American Scream' trailer: Get ready to fall even more in love with Halloween|url=http://insidemovies.ew.com/2012/10/08/the-american-scream-trailer/|accessdate=29 October 2012}}</ref> The recent growth of the "home haunter" phenomenon is linked to the [influence of the Internet](/source/Internet_influences_on_communities) as well as the Haunted Attraction National Tradeshow and Convention (HAuNTcon).

==Reception==
''The American Scream'' received positive reviews. On [Rotten Tomatoes](/source/Rotten_Tomatoes), the film has a 100% approval rating, based on 9 reviews.<ref>{{rottentomatoes|the_american_scream_2012}}</ref> According to Fred Topel of CraveOnline, the film "is really well done and has a lot of heart."

The film effortlessly toes the line between observational and compassionate, whilst Bobby Tahouri's score is at once jovial and joyously creepy, succeeding in drawing the audience into the foray of Halloween excitement.{{According to whom|date=July 2021}} Katie-Jane Hall of Critics Associated said, "The real heart of this feature is the families; they sacrifice and support each other through thick and thin, allowing their lives and their homes to be enveloped by a mass of pumpkins, zombies, skeletons and fake blood all for the joy of others. Their passion is contagious and I would be surprised if it does not inspire some more amateur haunters to spring up out of the woodwork."

==Release==
''The American Scream'' premiered on September 23, 2012, at the Fantastic Fest at the [Alamo Drafthouse](/source/Alamo_Drafthouse_Cinema) in Austin, Texas. On October 10, 2012, ''The American Scream'' premiered for a limited audience at the Walter Silveira Auditorium in Fairhaven, MA.<ref>{{Cite news |last=David |first=Beth |date=18 October 2012 |title=Screening of “American Scream” draws active crowd |url=https://fairhavenneighborhoodnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/10-18-12-issueWEB.pdf |work=Fairhaven Neighborhood News |pages=22 |volume=7 |issue=39 |archive-date=August 17, 2024 |access-date=March 11, 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240817013929/https://fairhavenneighborhoodnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/10-18-12-issueWEB.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Television===
On October 31, 2012, ''The American Scream'' was broadcast nationally on [Chiller](/source/Chiller_(TV_network)).

===Box office===
In November 2012, ''The American Scream'' was released to theaters nationwide.{{citation needed|date=June 2014}}

===Home media===
In December 2012, ''The American Scream'' was released on DVD. It is also available on Netflix, YouTube, and I-Tunes.{{citation needed|date=June 2014}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb title|2075373}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:American Scream}}
Category:2012 films
Category:Films directed by Michael Stephenson
Category:American films about Halloween
Category:2012 English-language films
Category:Films scored by Bobby Tahouri
Category:American documentary films
Category:2012 American films

{{2010s-US-documentary-film-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [The American Scream](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_American_Scream) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_American_Scream?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.