Ginger Snaps (2000)

Like Carrie before it, Ginger Snaps uses horror-movie conventions as an inspired metaphor for puberty. When beautiful but reclusive goth teenager Ginger (Katharine Isabelle) is attacked by a monstrous wolf on the eve of her first period, her body starts changing in a big way, as do her suddenly lusty, feral appetites. Director John Fawcett masterfully balances the expectations of teen horror exploitation (blood, bodies, sex, smart dialogue, and good old-fashioned monster-movie scares) with clever black humor and tender sisterly solidarity. Only devoted sister Brigitte (gloomy Emily Perkins) knows the truth, and even as Ginger's abrupt transformation threatens their once unbreakable friendship, bonds of blood and love keep them together: Brigitte disposes of Ginger's victims while searching for a cure. Mimi Rogers costars as their dotty but unexpectedly sensitive mom, ready to sacrifice all to protect her daughter. Blood and blood ties have never been more evocative. --Sean Axmaker Amazon.com

Awesome movie!!!

This movie is so awesome, has humor, plus horror, what more can u ask for!!! June 19, 2008

Teen agnst with a bite

I admit I love this movie. It's dark and gothic and has a lot of teeth for a teen horror movie. The ending is a bit of a bummer, but there is a lot of fun along the way. June 5, 2008

"We're almost not even related anymore . . . . "

Ginger (Katharine Isabelle) and Bridgette (Emily Perkins) are two misfit sisters whose favorite "bonding" activity is to take pictures of their own fake (gory) deaths, some of which they submit as a slideshow for a school assignment, much to their teacher's horror. They have a pact that they will be "out by sixteen or dead in the scene" but "together forever" regardless. Needless to say, no one at school - teachers, students, BOYS, quite know what's up with them or what to do with them. But they get each other.

In Bailey Downs, where our two heroines live, something - and it is definitely a SOMETHING, not a SOMEONE - is killing locals' pet dogs. This mysterious creature has been dubbed, appropriately, "The Beast of Bailey Downs".

And Ginger and her sis are about to meet him/it.

You see, they are out to play a nasty prank on a particularly snotty female classmate, Katrina, making her think her own dog is a victim of the Beast. But in the process, Ginger discovers that she just got "the curse", her first menstrual period, and, almost immediately upon noticing this, is attacked and wounded. She manages to get away, and, while running for their lives, the girls cross a road and the Beast is hit by the van of none other than Sam (Kris Lemche), a local drug-dealer and Katrina's sometime boyfriend.

They manage to get home, their parents gone, and Ginger's wounds, which looked quite severe, seem to be healing rapidly - TOO rapidly, thinks Bridgette, but Ginger convinces her not to call 911, or tell their mother what happened.

Time goes on, Halloween approaches, and Ginger starts to change in ways that may not be explainable as "just part of becoming a woman", unless that normally involves thick white hair growing out of her healing wounds, growing fangs, long nails, and a tail. That's right: Bridgette realizes that it may be time to start looking for a cure for lycanthropy that doesn't involve a gun and a silver bullet.

She enlists the help of Sam as she and her sister grow farther and farther apart and Ginger becomes more and more monstrous - in every way.

The ending is not to be given away to anyone who has not yet seen the film. Just know that this is a top-notch horror film: Acting, music, makeup, it's all there. Highly recommended for fans of the genre.

Cheers. March 28, 2008

I've seen this movie way too many times...

I won't get into an intricate plot outline, because other reviewers have done that so well. The things that I love about the movie are: acting, setting, costumes, music, story, and I could go on. Sometimes everything comes together in a movie, and this is one of those. It is a perfect for comparing getting the "curse", something all girls go through, to getting the CURSE, the mark of the beast, which few people have. I love the similarities between the two. February 9, 2008

Help...I can't stop watching this

This movie hasn't left my DVD player in about two weeks. I just pop it on for the hell of it even if I'm doing other things. Yes, it's my newest obsession and I'm not even into horror films. Emily Perkins is amazing and Katharine Isabelle is too good for words. Do yourself a favor and get the Collector's Edition. There are deleted scenes that fill in some serious plot holes and the audition tapes are great as well. Plus, it's in widescreen format. January 13, 2008

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