SCREAM HORROR SPECIAL
O ver a quarter of a century has passed since Wes Craven’s first Scream film hit theatres, redefining the slasher movie and leaving an indelible mark with its OTT violence and black comedy bent. The landscape has transformed since then – contemporary auteurs like Ari Aster, Jordan Peele and Robert Eggers leading the way – but the Scream films have remained classics; widely credited with introducing the kind of self-referential, sly nods and winks to the audience now commonplace in the genre. In the Scream universe, the savvy protagonists are well-versed in the tropes and rules of engagement, playfully hacking away at the fourth wall with a glinting eight-inch hunting knife. After the original trilogy’s masterclass in meta-horror, all was quiet in Woodsboro until 2011, when
Scream 4 was released to mixed reviews. Then came Scream (2022), a barnstorming ‘requel’ that reunites original cast members Neve Campbell, David Arquette and Courteney Cox, while introducing new faces including Wednesday ’s Jenna Ortega. Brett Jutkiewicz ( Stranger Things S4) picked up the cinematography mantle, thanks to an existing relationship with directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, who he’d collaborated with on 2019 horror-comedy Ready or Not. “I’m not sure why they hired me,” he laughs, “but they obviously saw something in my work which applied to what they were doing.” Jutkiewicz, who had relished the scares doled out by the original films as a teen, was passed the new script by his agent and loved it. “I had so much fun reading it. I’m a big fan of dark comedy – which it had a lot
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