Ginger Snaps – Vestron Collector’s Series 4K UHD #39

I am an unabashed fan of John Fawcett's Ginger Snaps, a splendid Canadian film featuring a werewolf plot with serious bite, which sadly is somewhat of a rare treat in movies. My love for this little flick, which has quickly grown in cult status over the years, extends from the characters and performances down to its modest production value and a story Fawcett co-wrote with Karen Walton (Orphan Black) about modern adolescence. In fact, there's a great deal more going on within the film that's worth further study and critical analysis, touching on various feminist ideas about a teenage girl and themes of sisterhood. But that's a discussion for another time where space is a bit more forgiving.

With that said, the film remains, even on a surface-level viewing, ingeniously entertaining and clever, starting with believable performances by Katharine Isabelle (Freddy vs. Jason, American Mary, Hannibal) and Emily Perkins (Prozac Nation, Juno). The two star as socially withdrawn, death-obsessed sisters Ginger and Brigitte Fitzgerald, outcasts who whisper gruesome fantasies on the demise of the popular kids at their high school. Demonstrating Fawcett and Walton had their thumb on the pulse of a cultural zeitgeist fueled by gravely doomed teenage angst, the production is coincidentally marred by two school shootings that occurred at around the same time. The Fitzgerald sisters, who are shown as talented and artistically creative, interestingly give voice to the fear and anxiety of kids who feel unwanted and detached by peers.

Showing just how smart a horror flick this is, the title aptly and perfectly reflects this theme of apprehension and malaise reaching an intensely violent boiling point. At once, the name is an obvious pun on the ginger-and-cinnamon-flavored biscuits, but it also refers to when Isabelle's Ginger suddenly loses her sense of self to the confusing and difficult-to-manage hormones. Deeper still, it suggests the character's mental breakdown and her drive towards acts of violence. Despite being teenagers at some point in their lives, the adults in the film are completely oblivious. The school counselor (Peter Keleghan) talks to her like a juvenile delinquent while mom (a great Mimi Rogers) is detached, perhaps deliberately ignoring her daughter's individual problems in favor of gaudily celebrating cultural norms, and dad (John Bourgeois) is an uninvolved observer.

Wonderfully entertaining as the movie is, the story is not without a couple drawbacks, most notably the use of the lycanthrope mythology used as a metaphor for adolescence. Not that it's a bad metaphor because it's actually rather ingenious. Instead, the problem is that Fawcett turns it into a blatantly literal conceit that leaves little room for the audience to discover the connection on their own. Nevertheless, part of the trope's genius is that in spite of being obvious, it is also a clever and refreshing twist because the werewolf metaphor has traditionally been used for male puberty and aggression. Here, Ginger is at a point in her life where she struggles with the challenges of being a woman and of discovering sexual empowerment, even as society still frowns upon it. Even the sisters view this stage with disappointing disgust.

Making Ginger Snaps all the more wickedly delightful is Fawcett and his team injecting the tale of contemporary teen angst with a bitingly dark sense of humor. The popular girl at school (Danielle Hampton) is continuously snubbed by the town's hot throb Sam (Kris Lemche) for the awkwardly timid Brigitte, and the sexually promiscuous Jason (Jesse Moss) receives his comeuppance when his hormones go into overdrive. The plot itself often feels reminiscent, almost homage-like, of David Cronenberg's body-horror style, and a few scenes genuinely disturb. Fawcett smartly refrained from CG imagery in favor of on-screen practical effects, giving the film an added feel of a classic horror movie. Made on a modest production budget, Ginger Snaps is a terrific and intelligent horror flick that lends itself well to both analytical viewing and pure entertainment.

Vital Disc Stats: The Ultra HD Blu-ray
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, Lionsgate Home Entertainment brings Ginger Snaps to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray as a two-disc combo pack under their "Vestron Collector’s Series" label, spine number 39. The package also includes a flyer for a digital copy, granting access to the Dolby Vision HDR version with Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 audio. The triple-layered UHD100 disc sits comfortably opposite a Region A locked, BD50 disc, which is identical to the 2014 Blu-ray release. Both come inside a black, eco-cutout case with a glossy slipcover and reversible cover art. At startup, the disc goes straight to a menu screen with clips from the movie while music plays in the background.

The cult teen horror classic takes a vicious bite out of Ultra HD, transforming a previously less-than-satisfactory HD picture into a great-looking and attractive 4K video. It may not be a leaps-and-bounds difference, but the HEVC H.265 encode nonetheless offers a notable step-up, revealing sharper, finer details in the clothing, furniture and daylight exterior. However, the transfer also seems to have been cleaned up to the point of grain being almost non-existent, possibly the result of DNR being very mildly applied, but it's not to the extent of leaving waxy faces behind. Contrast balance wavers a bit from scene to scene, sometimes creating a mostly flat, overcast picture while other times looking vivid and lively with energetic specular highlights. Black levels are nicely improved, supplying the 1.85:1 image with richer, deeper shadows, but delineation remains about average with low-lit sequences occasionally obscuring the finer aspects within the darkest corners. The Dolby Vision HDR presentation also arrives with a bolder, accurately rendered color palette, but facial complexions are not very consistent with the young cast sometimes looking pale and near anemic (and not just the Fitzgerald sisters) but healthy and natural in others. 

In spite of these small inconsistencies and given its modest production and history, this 4K transfer is a welcomed upgrade with a lovely film-like appeal and the best it has ever looked on home video. For now. (Dolby Vision HDR Video Rating: 80/100)

Ginger comes to home theaters with a Dolby TrueHD soundtrack that delivers a meaner and sexier growl than its DTS-HD MA counterpart, making it the superior and definitely preferred choice. Imaging is broad and welcoming with plenty of discrete activity in the background and well-balanced channel separation. Dynamic range is clean with strong, distinct definition throughout although the design never really pushes or extends far into the upper ranges. Nevertheless, Mike Shields's score and song selections exhibit excellent acoustics and lots of warmth. Rear activity is surprisingly busy but very subtle with several ambient effects bleeding into the surrounds to generate an enjoyable and satisfying soundfield. The low-end is accurate with an appropriate, deep response when called upon, furnishing the few action sequences with appreciable weight. All the while, dialogue is precise and pristine from start to finish, making this an excellent lossless mix. (Audio Rating: 84/100)

For this UHD edition, Lionsgate simply ports over the same set of bonus material as the previous Blu-ray, which includes a host of featurettes and two very amusing short docs. However, they also entice the fans with a brand-new, entertaining interview that is also exclusive to this release. 

• NEW The Pact: Ginger Snaps Forever (HD, 21 min) is a recent interview with director John Fawcett reflecting on the production, crew, and cast, and sharing his thoughts on the legacy and cultural impact of the movie, while BTS footage is interspersed throughout.
• Audio Commentaries 
• Featuring director John Fawcett
• Featuring writer Karen Walton
• Ginger Snaps: Blood, Teeth and Fur (HD, 67 min)
• Growing Pains: Puberty In Horror Films (HD, 27 min)
• Cast Auditions & Rehearsals (1080i/60, 18 min)
• Featurette (HD, 5 min)
• Creation of the Beast (1080i/60, 5 min)
• Being John Fawcett (1080i/60, 2 min)
• Deleted Scenes (1080i/60)
• Promotional Material (HD)

As an unabashed fan, John Fawcett's Ginger Snaps is wildly entertaining with enough brains and gore to amuse a wide audience. Featuring a werewolf plot with serious bite, the splendid Canadian cult film comes with amazing performances from the two main leads and an intelligently clever story that uses the lycanthrope myth as a metaphor for the challenges of adolescence. Lionsgate celebrates the movie's 25th anniversary on 4K Ultra HD with a lovely, great-looking Dolby Vision HDR presentation and an excellent Dolby TrueHD soundtrack. The same healthy assortment of supplements is joined by a new, exclusive featurette. The overall UHD package is Recommended and makes a great addition to the cult 4K library. 

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