Ginger Snaps is one of those underground horror movies that will surprise you. I mean, surprise you in a positive way, of course, especially with all these crappy horror movies coming out. Since its release, it has become a cult classic with fans all over the world loving this authentic werewolf tale. This attention brought us both a sequel and a prequel to this movie, both released in 2004. So, if you like this one, you might wanna check them out. Those Canadians sure do love their independent productions, eh? And I don’t want you to think that this movie looks bad just because of its relatively small budget. This is a competently shot and visually appealing horror movie on par with any other. Well, apart from those big blockbusters. It’s got that nice, vintage vibe going on.
So, what do we have here? Not only is Ginger Snaps a very effective werewolf movie but it’s also a coming of age story told from a female perspective! It’s refreshing and a different type of teen horror movie, an oddity in the sea of commercial blunders. I mean during the eighties we had an onslaught of these movies and Teen Wolf was especially popular. Although, I have to admit I did love it as a kid and I am yet to check it out as an adult. Anywhoo, that was a completely predictable affair while here you’ll be dealing with the unknown. It’s hard to guess what’s going to happen next as weird shit just keeps piling on. And I would love to talk about it but I don’t want to spoil anything for ya.
Welcome to the small Canadian town of Bailey Downs, a place where nothing much happens. Well, nothing much apart from recent dog killings that have the community worried a bit. Brigitte and Ginger Fitzgerald are not too worried. These sisters share a fascination with death and everything related to it. However, one night something is going to happen that’s going to scare the shit out of them. And nothing will ever be the same.
If you are expecting some mainstream dialogues and script made that even the 7 year-olds can watch, you are in the wrong place. The story and events are very dramatic and without censorship, exploring what it means to be an outsider (and a werewolf). Our two homegirls have a fascination with macabre stuff and they ain’t too shy about it. The whole thing reminded me of the goth subculture. On top of all this, there’s a decent amount of humor, especially black humor present, making this an instant cult classic. It’s also really funny to compare Ginger Snaps to Twilight or Underworld since they have such drastically different approaches.
Finally, as someone who was just a little bit older than Ginger, I have to admit that this movie offers a lot nostalgia. The music, editing and fucking fashion just take me back to that glorious turn-of-the-century time when I was young and the world was just opening up. Complete with naval rings and hairstyles, Jesus Werewolf Christ!
Director: John Fawcett
Writers: Karen Walton, John Fawcett
Cast: Emily Perkins, Katharine Isabelle, Kris Lemche, Mimi Rogers, Jesse Moss, Danielle Hampton.
Fun Facts: Director John Fawcett refused to have CGI effects in the film, opting for all of the special creature effects to be done with prosthetics and makeup. Respect.
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IMDb Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0210070/
