Rewriting the Rules of Horror: Scream (1996) & Its Requel (2022)

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Welcome film fans! In this episode, your hosts Ambrose and Kelly pull back the curtain on the horror franchise that changed the rules:

Scream. We're taking a deep dive into the groundbreaking 1996 original and its meta-savvy 2022 successor to explore how this witty, surprising, and complex series came to be and why its legacy endures.

The creation of the original Scream is almost as dramatic as the film itself.

The Writer's Desperation: The journey began with screenwriter Kevin Williamson, who was struggling financially and late on his car payments. The catalyst came when he was house-sitting and stumbled upon a TV news episode of Turning Point covering the horrific Gainesville Ripper murders, which terrified him.

A Script in Three Days: Williamson, fueled by this dark inspiration and his encyclopedic knowledge of horror clichés, wrote the entire script in a legendary three-day burst of creative energy.

The Bidding War: The fresh and exciting script sparked a huge bidding war between major studios. Miramax ultimately won acquiring the script for $400,000.

The Master of Horror: Wes Craven, the master behind A Nightmare on Elm Street, was crucial for the director's chair. He was initially reluctant, feeling he had already done his time in the slasher genre, but saw the script as a chance to reestablish himself in the '90s. His work on New Nightmare in 1994, which blurred the lines between film and reality, made him a perfect fit.

Production and Release Hurdles

The path to the screen wasn't smooth, with the production facing several challenges.

Production: The film was shot primarily in Santa Rosa, California. During production, studio co-founder Bob Weinstein reportedly hated the iconic Ghost face mask and the studio had bizarre notes, such as wanting Drew Barrymore's hair in a "pageboy cut". The production also suffered technical errors with an anamorphic lens that caused focus issues.

MPAA Battles: The film was initially deemed too violent by the MPAA, requiring cuts to secure a release.

An Unlikely Success: Released on December 20th, the film had a weak opening weekend of just $6.4 million, leading many to dismiss it as a flop. Producer Marianne Maddalena recalled seeing near-empty theaters. However, the film defied expectations thanks to incredibly strong word-of-mouth and positive exit poll buzz. It had an unusually small box office drop in its second week and went on to gross $103 million domestically on a $15 million budget.

Deconstructing a Classic: Why Scream (1996) Worked Scream revitalized the horror genre by being smart, subversive, and unforgettable.

Elevated Characters: Unlike many slashers, the film's characters weren't just "dumb teens". Sidney Prescott was a traumatized, insecure, yet strong final girl. Gale Weathers was a ruthless, ambitious journalist , and th

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