Ginger Snaps - dvd review

Here is a film that came out way back in 2000, but I'm still fond of it. Its an indie film starring some very quirky Canadian actors.

The film launched Emily Perkins acting career into a cult following. She was the girl Brigitte who tried to save her sister, Ginger, Katharine Isabelle. While Kris Lemche stars as the easy going drug dealer who might be the key to helping her sister.

“I was able to connect with Brigitte because when I was a teenager I saw the process of becoming a sexually mature adult as monstrous. I now understand that it is constructed as monstrous by society (e.g. all the products we have for controlling our natural bodies), and that is the “beast” that attacks every girl when she becomes sexualized by our culture.” — Emily Perkins

True, the film has its flaws. But Emily Perkins is definitely the one who could show true fear. In any good horror film, a definite must. The producers are someone got on a werewolf kick after this movie so they decided to do a pre-sequel and a sequel. Those two just weren't as good even if Emily stared in them(Ginger Snaps back & Ginger Snaps Unleashed).

The central story was about two dreadful sisters (before EMO I suppose). Is becoming a woman analogous, in some deep psychological way, to becoming a werewolf? Ginger is 16, edgy, tough, and, with her younger sister, into staging and photographing scenes of death. They've made a pact about dying together. In early October, on the night she has her first period, which is also the night of a full moon, a werewolf bites Ginger. Within a few days, some serious changes happen to her body and her temperament. Her sister Brigitte, 15, tries to find a cure with the help of Sam, a local doper. As Brigitte races against the clock, Halloween and another full moon approach, Ginger gets scarier, and it isn't just local dogs that begin to die.

Kris Lemche was definitely at his coolest in this film (if he looks familiar to you, he was on the first episode of Joan Arcadia playing God). I kept thinking he was Canada's answer to James Franco. Perhaps you've spotted Emily Perkins in Hiccups. She was the punk receptionist in Juno. She and Katharine Isabelle did a Supernatural episode together. Katherine has made plenty of horror films since this one.

This is a DVD I still have to watch from time to time. I loved the characters in this story. I'm sure you have a few favorite horror films of your own. What's your favorite horror film?

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