Volume 39
In this volume of Cut Culture, we’re dealing with revival, where the undead walk, and Hollywood resurrects whatever it can from a dusty pile of DVDs.
28 Years Later takes “shot on an iPhone” to cinematic extremes and nods to a grim post-Brexit Britain. And with remake upon remake, we have to ask, has originality finally tapped out?
We also sit down with styling force Josh Eyitayo and take you behind the scenes of our Tortilla shoot, where the fits were cold, the food was hot, and yes, we ate the props.
EDITOR’S PICK
This month’s 28 Years Later may have been one of the most bizarre and dare I say… touching Zombie films to be made. It’s a feat of production, but beyond that, it’s a mirror held up to a Britain that’s spent the last decade marinating in fear and nostalgia.
First let’s address the elephant in the press kit: the iPhones. Parts of the film were shot using iPhone 15 Pro Maxes, mounted to massive custom-built rigs and paired with cinema lenses. But is this really innovation, or just a glorified PR flex? The original 28 Days Later used DV not because it was trendy, but because it was accessible, raw, and weirdly intimate. The grime was the aesthetic. Here, the so-called "handheld 2.0" approach feels more like a marketing effort.
What’s the point when you’re strapping extremely expensive lens to the iPhones anyway? If you're going to go gritty, go gritty. If you're going to go sleek, own it.
The themes of the 28 franchises, however, have always been timely and poignant. Where 28 Days Later was a nightmare of terror and societal fragility, and 28 Weeks Later turned toward institutional failure and foreign intervention, 28 Years Later is about isolation and nostalgia for a bygone time.
It’s hard not to watch the film’s quarantined wasteland of a Britain, paranoid, hostile, and completely cut off from the outside world, without thinking of Brexit. It’s a country locked in with its own monsters. Not to mention the flashbacks to lockdown panic and infection.
Talking of the infected. The zombies in 28 Years Later aren’t your sluggish, arms out, Frankenstein-esq drones. They’re rage incarnate, and this time around, they’re freakishly real. You can practically smell them through the screen.
The prosthetic and makeup teams have evolved the franchise’s infected aesthetic into something visceral, textured, and horrifyingly believable. Some looking bloated and decayed, and others hollowed out by hunger.
Then there’s the sound. Departing from the previous films' scores, 28 Years Later features a soundtrack composed by Scottish band Young Fathers. Their sound features both instrumental and vocal tracks, incorporating warped lo-fi textures, layered chants, off-kilter synths, and heavy percussion to create a disorienting and desperate soundscape. Just beautiful.
And just when you think you’ve got your footing after watching a pregnant zombie give birth, the final five minutes slap it right out from under you. No spoilers, but let’s just say it’s weird and surreal.
Did you see that coming?
PRODUCTION NOTES
Fast and Furious 32? Jurassic Galaxy? Frozen 6? Let It Go Already.
Reboot remake, repackage seems to be the current Hollywood strategy. Are they stuck on repeat?
They say if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. And while some reboots offer fresh perspectives, others risk diluting the essence of the originals. It’s like printing a stamp on paper multiple times and watching the ink slowly fade each time.
In an industry increasingly driven by risk aversion, studios are leaning heavily on familiar stories to ensure box office success. This approach has led to a surge in reboots and remakes.
This year may be the most tired one yet, we have a live action remake of How to Train your Dragon that no one needs. We have Jurassic World: Rebirth and Freakier Friday (believe it or not). The cinematic landscape seems populated with titles that evoke a sense of déjà vu.
In an interview with BBC’s Front Row, Gareth Edwards, director of the seventh instalment of Jurassic Park revealed his intentions “The goal was that it should feel like Universal Studios went into their vaults and found a reel of film, brushed the dust off and it said: Jurassic World: Rebirth.” He goes on, “I wanted it to feel like a film they’d discovered from the early 90s.”
These films aim to tap into the nostalgia of older audiences while introducing classic stories to new generations. However, this reliance on the past raises questions about the industry's commitment to original storytelling. It may be why people are turning to international, foreign language productions and indie films more than ever. Because they’re telling stories that feel new and aren’t a part of a 30 year franchise.
IN CONVERSATION: JOSH EYITAYO
Meet Stylist & Curator Josh Eyitayo, the creative force behind the looks in our Tortilla campaign. With their own label, Thrifty Towel, Josh continues to inspire us with a distinct eye and effortless flair.
HSF: How did you break into the industry?
Josh Eyitayo: I don’t think I really broke into the industry to be honest. Thrifty Towel started in my bedroom, just me sourcing pieces that for some reason resonated with the aesthetic and world I naturally saw. I like deep diving into things, but it’s more instinctual than strategic. Instagram became an outlet, not just to show clothes but to build a world around them. Old, new and the conversation between the two. Over time, people who get it, got it.
HSF: How would you describe your style as a creative?
Josh Eyitayo: I’d say my style as a creative is instinctive, intentional, and rooted in sprezzatura capturing a feeling without making it look forced. Someone said recently they love my page because it could be from New York, London, or Tokyo. And I hear it to be honest, the community that follows Thrifty is literally from all over.
HSF: What inspires you?
Josh Eyitayo: I’m drawn to storytelling, subcultures anyone that can make something out of nothing and the ones figuring it out as they go.
HSF: What did you enjoy most about working on the Tortilla campaign with us?
Josh Eyitayo: The creative freedom, but also the reassurance and support from the whole crew. It didn’t feel forced at all. I was putting cold fits together and everyone trusted the vision. It felt like we were all painting the same picture. I looked at the final edits and just thought, yeah, this is cold.
HSF: What is the biggest challenge you face as a stylist?
Josh Eyitayo: Sometimes models might look at an item and think, this isn’t really me, or feel unsure about the selection, but 9 times out of 10, once they try it on, they’re fully messing with it. Outside of that, I don’t really see challenges like that. I see it like composing music. You can keep tweaking a fit forever, but eventually you’ve got to stop and say, this is it.
HSF: What is one thing we should be talking about more?
Josh Eyitayo: Something close to my heart is youth development. Whether that’s youth clubs or business coaching, stuff like that. If it weren’t for the people around me who helped or guided me, directly or indirectly. I don’t know if I'd be here blessed to give my insight on anything. So yeah, big love.
THROUGH THE LENS: TORTILLA
Burritos & banter. Our shoot with Tortilla brought the heat, and we’re not just talking about the food. The hardest part? Not eating every single prop before the camera rolled. Catch the behind-the-scenes chaos, the flying coriander, and the food that looked almost too good to shoot. Almost.
CAMPAIGN: TORTILLA
That’s a wrap. No, that’s a tortilla...
Crispy edges, flashbulb flair, and salsa that slaps. For our latest shoot with Tortilla, we dished up a photo-led campaign that captures the fresh, fun and craveable spirit of the brand, with a visual style as punchy as the jalapeños.
Set inside a Tortilla shop. We threw together a lively crew of mates, some genuinely great food, and the master’s behind the magic.
Capturing the rhythm of the kitchen, we shot chefs prepping in action intercut with candid, joy-soaked moments of friends sharing bites, passing tacos, and getting guac on their hands. The flash photography gave it that fast, fun, caught-in-the-act energy.
The vibe is upbeat, communal, and deeply edible. Just try not to lick the screen.