Cinemixology is a loosely defined series where I analyze booze in pop culture. Click here for a full list of drinks identified in the Scream series. Follow me on social media at the links below.
Note: This post contains affiliate links that help fund this site at no extra cost to you. For more information see my disclosure policy.
While I usually do film analysis in Cinemixology, we’re not doing that for Scream. The drinks don’t really have much deeper meaning beyond being a vice. If a character does a vice they aren’t innocent and can therefore be stabbed. You could argue about what that kind of puritanical message that sends, but I don’t really care.
But there are some fun connections and possible clues hidden in the drinks of the Scream franchise, so let’s dig in.
- The Climax (almost) Always Takes Place During a Party
- Scream (1996) and Scream (2022) Reference Each Other
- Scream II Hints at the Killers
- Product Placement
The Party Scene Climax
The Scream series started providing meta-commentary on horror movie tropes and eventually developed tropes of its own. With the exception of Scream 2 and Scream 6), the climax featured a (typically underage) party with all or most of the guests drunk and in danger of being stabbed.
Unsurprisingly these party scenes typically involve fake brands of beer and booze made by prop departments since real brands don’t want to be associated with underage drinking and/or being a murder victim. Although given that real brands are used in Scream III, where everyone is by now a legal adult, the murder thing might be less of an issue.
Scream (1996) and Scream (2022) Reference Each Other
Given the meta-commentary about hard and soft reboots, it’s no surprise there’re so many callbacks in Scream V (2022) to Scream I (1996). (It’s also becoming increasingly obvious Screams V-VII are going to be a remake triolgy of Scream I-III.)
Mindy Meeks-Martin (Scream V) Mimics Her Uncle Randy Meeks (Scream I)
Mindy Meeks-Martin (Jasmin Savoy Brown) watches Stab, which is of course the in-universe fake movie based on the events of Scream I, but it is canonically shockingly accurate to the first film. In Scream V, Mindy watches the fake version of the iconic scene where her uncle Randy is stalked from behind by Ghostface.
Mindy manages to barely survive by realizing she was living in a remake/reboot just in time.
What you might not have noticed is Mindy and the fake Randy in Stab are drinking the same fake Light Beer in this scene.
The Light Beer is a fake brand made by the prop department, but it is now canon that Stab features this fake light beer. Read more about the fake prop beer used in Scream V (2022) here.
Dewey Riley (Scream V) References Tatum Riley’s Death Scene (Scream I)
This subtle callback happens early in Dewey’s (David Arquette) reintroduction.
Okay, so maybe you’re thinking opening a fridge with a beer in it isn’t much of a callback. A similar thing happens in many movies after all.
What further connects these two scenes are both feature the product placement brand of beer for the film. Scream I (1996) features a full display of Mendocino Brewery Red Tail beer and Scream V (2022) has a close up a six pack of Racer 5 IPA being carried by a party guest.
In both films the product placement is only shown when not being actively engaged with by the characters and then showed side label (but still obviously the beer advertised) in the drige of the Riley siblings.
Scream II Hints at the Killers’ Identities
Scream II didn’t have much drinking, but it did feature one party scene with two noticeable drinks.
Syndey’s boyfriend Derek (Jerry O’Connell) is shown drinking a labeless Mickey’s beer and the sorority sisters (Portia de Rossi and Rebecca Gayheart) are shown drinking martinis with olives.
The killers is Scream II are of course Mickey and Nancy Loomis aka Debbie Salt. Mickey’s beer, Mickey’s the killer. Salty martini olives, Debbie Salt. Eh? EH?! *head blown emoji*
Okay, the second one *might* be a bit of a stretch but I still think showing the classic Mickey’s grenade bottle was definitely Wes Craven giving the audience a hint about the killer.
Product Placement
Again, product placement for alcohol is sparse in the Scream franchise because brands seem to shy away from muder and (especially) underage drinking. However, there are a couple of incidents and the new films especially seem to be ramping up the product placement.
Beer Product Placement
As mentioned above, Dewey and Tatum Riley both (almost) interact with the beer brand product placement that has product placement in their respective films.
Of course the underage potential murder victims never actualy drink beer, they drink the fake beer made for them by the prop department. The clear shots of the logos and swag corners suggest these beers probably gave a kickback to have their product featured in the film.
Booze Product Placement
Most of the booze bottles in the Scream series have their label obscured and don’t really count as product placement. This changes in Scream V (2022) and Scream VI.
Products from the Campari group begin popping up in Scream V with a bottle of Grand Marnier clearly visible in Dewey’s kitchen. Why I think they have an agreement with the producers is during Scream VI bottles of Grand Marnier (orange liqueur) and Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur) are visible at the bar Mindy Meeks-Martin works at.
We’ll have to wait for Scream VII to see if this brand partnership continues, but given that we’re definitely in a full blown sequel trilogy now and the characters are aging into legal drinking age, I expect it to become more prominent.
*this post will updated as new Scream films come out. Be sure to follow me on social media to see updates*
Let me know if you have a suggestion for a Cinemixoloy feature or if I missed something in the comments below.
This site relies on readers like you to run. Please consider tipping your bartender at the links below and/or whitelisting my list to see some light ads.
More Stories
“Adore” – The Ultimate Homemade Pink and Blue Margarita Inspired by Adore Delano
“Tronksy Montell” – Pink Dragon Fruit and Strawberry Cocktail with Edible Glitter Strawberry
Thoughts and Insane Predictions for Scream VII