Ginger Snaps
The horror genre has a rich history of utilizing monsters as metaphors. We see it often today with filmmakers like Guillermo Del Toro’s fondness for humanizing creatures, but the tradition dates back to the beginnings of the genre. On the surface, Dracula is just a blood-sucking fiend. Beyond that veneer, the story is also about repressed sexuality. Bram Stoker did not invent the vampire. Its origins are in European folklore, though different versions of the creature can be found in numerous cultures around the world. What Stoker did was to morph countless tales of vampires into one iconic character. Through that creation, others have brought out the more sexual aspects, such as in Anne Rice’s novels. There is a tragic romanticism to this immortal being that people still find alluring.
Werewolves are a somewhat different matter. They too have their origins in ancient folklore. Unlike vampires, they don’t have a distinct classic literary character that everyone knows. There are certainly books about werewolves, but none come close to the legendary status of Dracula. The most well-known werewolf character is the Universal monster movie classic, The Wolf Man. There are many fantastic films about this monster, Dog Soldiers being one of my favorites. They usually do not have the same romantic affiliations as vampires. You can make a sexy vampire film filled with gothic seductions and swooning women. You can’t really do that in the same way with werewolves. Well, unless you count the wolves in the Twilight series which I am choosing not to.
Now we get to Ginger Snaps. I can’t remember how I found this film. It may have been at a video rental place I frequented as a kid, or it may have just been on cable late at night. It takes a different approach to werewolves, one that is steeped in their lore while also introducing a more modern approach. The film is about two sisters, Brigitte (Emily Perkins) and Ginger (Katherine Isabelle). They are both obsessed with death and are considered outcasts in their suburban town. Their fixation with mortality stems from their childhood when they formed a pact to either move out of their suburbs or die together by the time they turn 16.
Their morbid fascination is set up effectively in the film’s opening credits, which showcases the various ways they stage their own gruesome deaths. Ginger Snaps is a product of its era. The early 2000s were a haven for angsty emo bands and edgy teenagers trying to shock their parents. Ginger and Brigitte lean more in the Goth direction, but I can imagine they listen to bands like Dashboard Confessional and The Used as well. What with the resurgence of the emo/scene style today, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Gen Z crowd discover this film and act like they were the first people to find out about it. I’m all for people uncovering previously unfamiliar films, so I hope it does find a new audience. It could be seen as dated, depending on your tolerance for the early 2000s aesthetic. Heck, I’ve seen Dashboard Confessional and The Used live multiple times, so clearly, I have a fondness for that era.
The suburb where Ginger and Brigette live has been dealing with a sudden series of dog killings. During this panic, the sisters try to kidnap a dog from a local bully. During this escapade, Ginger starts getting her first period. The scent of her blood draws out the creature that has been doing these attacks on dogs. Ginger is bitten, but the creature is soon killed by a van as the girls try to escape. Not long after this happens. Ginger’s behavior starts to spiral out of control. She becomes increasingly aggressive and sexual. Her wounds heal alarmingly fast, and her body gradually develops to become closer to a wolf than a human.
Using werewolves as a metaphor for puberty and menstruation is a unique way to tackle a classic movie monster. If it was mishandled or portrayed in a cheesy insincere way, then it would fall flat. What makes the film work so well is the relationship between Ginger and Brigette. Their bond which grounds the film is a real emotional reality, rather than getting too sidetracked by horror cliches. Though there are certainly some classic horror tropes in the later part of the film. Emily Perkins and Katherine Isabelle are wonderful at bringing these sisters to life and making them feel authentic. Their social alienation is brutal to watch.
Most of us have known social outcasts in high school. Maybe they were seen as weird and bullied by others. My high school experience was unusual since my school had fewer than 50 students. Kids will always find a way to revert to tribalism. I was bullied by a few people from middle school to early high school. I can’t remember exactly why, other than how I was a tad socially stunted and had glasses. I guess those are all the reasons they needed. Interestingly, I ended up becoming friends with two of the main bullies I knew. Sadly, Ginger and Brigette did not share that luxury.
As Ginger’s transformation progresses, she pushes herself further and further away from her sister. Brigette has no idea what to do now their dynamic has shifted. She sees her sister lose control of herself and twist into a primal being. The film is far from subtle when it comes to comparing turning into a werewolf to menstruation. Some would argue it is too on the nose with the metaphor. To me, a film does not have to be subtle to be effective. Ginger Snaps fully commits to the theme and heavy emotions. That overrides any potential issues with the bluntness of the ideas. Ginger’s mutation into a werewolf is a grueling process. We see her body change in frightening ways. Hair sprouts from her scars and she even grows a tail. The low budget is visible the more she transforms. The practical effects are effective throughout most of the film, but they start to look a bit rubbery towards the final stages.
Ginger Snaps is a fantastic and harrowing tale of the bond between sisters being torn apart. It would have been a great standalone tale with no need for elaboration. This was not to be. There are two follow ups: A direct sequel and a prequel. The second film, Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed, does not fall into the trap that many horror sequels do, which is trying to replicate the original. It brought in a new director, Brett Sullivan, and a new co-writer, Megan Martin. It kept one of the two writers of the original film, Karen Walton. Unleashed is a deeply strange film that focuses on Brigette’s deteriorating mental health and her newfound friendship with an odd young girl, Ghost (Tatiana Maslany). It is a good film overall, though it does not entirely justify its existence and feels unnecessary after the ending of the original.
The prequel film, Ginger Snaps: The Beginning rewinds the tale to the early 1800s in the Canadian wilderness. It also brings in a new director, Grant Harvey, and two new writers, Christina Ray and Stephen Massicotte. Walton did not return as a writer unfortunately. Here we follow the ancestors of the sisters. It is a solid werewolf film, but again it does not feel needed. Fun side note, the director and co-writer of the first film, John Fawcett, would later co-create and direct many episodes of Orphan Black. A show starring Tatiana Maslany. If you are looking for a hearty dose of teenage angst and you love movie monsters, then I highly recommend Ginger Snaps.
