Once upon a whileaka the 80s and 90shorror movies franchises were Marvel-levels popular. These slashers were everywhere: the Friday the 13ths and the Nightmare on Elm Streets. These were hilarious and a great excuse to go screaming in the dark with friends. They could also be used as an escape or a way to release blood-soaked tension.
In 1996, a single phone call changed everything. Drew Barrymore's phone rang in 1996 and Drew asked Drew if he liked scary movies. The Screams Horror meta-narrative is now ingrained in pop culture consciousness. It's still one of the most popular slasher franchises, despite four movies and an MTV spinoff series (don't forget the Scary Movie parody).
There's a fifth installment in the series coming out in 2022. While more Scream is always a good idea, it's hard to not wonder if these scares can be replicated at a time when teens have smartphones, Nest can remotely lock their doors at nights, and Nest can even remotely lock them. People used to answer their phones every time they called, with very few having caller ID. Ghostfaces was bound to reach you. Although home security systems were available, they weren't as connected and all-seeing-eighty as they are today. Can someone lurk in the shadows when cameras are pointed at every entry point? If Ring is on Ghostface's phone, can they get to high school students at home? The answer is no.
What is the secret? Simply put, killers need to be creative. Ghostface was able, in 1996, to outwit all with voice changers and cell phones. Sidney Prescott (Neve Camp) was worried about her boyfriend's murderous ways because he owned a cell phone. Today, people will probably consider you a criminal if you don't have a cell telephone. Smartphones don't require anyone to have a landline; however, everyone can be tracked. Oh, and those light-controlling and security apps! Hackable. Hackable.
