In 1996, Wes Craven’s Scream debuted in theaters, revitalizing the horror genre – one that had had become stagnant with formulaic slashers, tired cliches, and sequel after unoriginal sequel.

Craven’s revolutionary film wasn’t afraid to poke fun at the genre stereotypes audiences had come to know so well, while never delving into pure parody. It was a respectful and analytical reflection on a genre that had gripped the 80’s so strongly.

Audiences loved it – so much so that the 14 million dollar film would go on to gross over $103 million dollars in the U.S. and over $173 million dollars worldwide.

As is often the case when a film is successful, several imitators came soon after – mimicking the quippy, self-referential style found in Scream. Until the mid 2,000’s, self-aware teen slasher after self-aware teen slasher poured into theaters – some good… but mostly… not so good.

One of the few worthwhile films to come out during this run was released just a year later. In 1997, an adaptation of Lois Duncan’s novel, I Know What You Did Last Summer, was released in theaters. Starring Jennifer Love-Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar (who had just launched to superstardom with her hit show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Ryan Phillippe and Freddie Prinze, Jr – the film nearly recouped its entire production budget during its opening weekend.

The film may not reach the heights of Scream, but it is a satisfying thriller with plenty of memorable moments. On today’s episode of Gut Reactions, I’ll be discussing I Know What You Did Last Summer.