On this day: December 20
The Louisiana Purchase is completed, South Carolina secedes from the U.S., Edison demonstrates his incandescent light, Elvis gets drafted, and the U.S. invades Panama, all on this day.
1996: The horror movie "Scream," starring Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Drew Barrymore and Rose McGowan, and directed by Wes Craven, opens in theaters. The movie follows the character of Sidney Prescott (Campbell), a high school student in the fictional town of Woodsboro, who becomes the target of a mysterious killer known as Ghostface. "Scream" was considered unique at the time of its release for featuring characters who were aware of real world horror films and openly discussed the cliché that the movie attempted to subvert. It would make more than $173 million at the box office, revitalizing the horror movie genre and spawning three sequels.
