GINGER SNAPS: UNLEASHED
Canada, 2004, 94 minutes, Colour.
Emily Perkins, Tatiana Maslany, Eric Johnson, Janet Kidder, Brendan Fletcher, Katherine Isabelle.
Directed by Brett Sullivan.
Ginger Snaps: Unleashed is a sequel to the 2000 thriller Ginger Snaps. There was also a prequel made in 2004, Ginger Snaps: The Prequel.
The original Ginger Snaps, written by John Fawcett (The Dark) was a commercial and critical success. The sequel is not bad at all – as far as werewolf films go.
The original film focused on Ginger, who was destroyed as a werewolf. Brigitte, her sister (Emily Perkins) was responsible. This film focuses on Brigitte, now a werewolf herself, trying to find a cure for her blood before the next full moon, hiding in a rehabilitation clinic from a werewolf which is pursuing her.
The gaunt Emily Perkins is effective in an unglamorous role (and appeared in the prequel as well). She is supported by Tatiana Maslany as a precocious and curious young girl – with sadistic tendencies. Eric Johnson is a rather creepy institution attendant.
The film capitalises on suspense, the audience not quite knowing what is happening to Brigitte, the machinations of Ghost, the intrusion by Tyler, the supervision by Alice, a former addict in the institution. Ginger keeps reappearing. Brigitte goes from cold turkey to desperate need for a remedy, desperate means to find them, and the final confrontation in Ghost’s mother’s house. Good as sequels go – and an interesting werewolf film in itself.
1.The impact of Ginger Snaps? Small budget, from Canada? No stars? The use of the werewolf themes?
2.This film as a sequel, focus on Brigitte, the presence of the ghost of Ginger, the special effects, the suspense, the horror, the violence? Brigitte’s torment? Ghost and her personality?
3.The dark colours, the night, Brigitte and the opening, her cutting herself, her needing medicine, her healing? Her collapse, in the institution? The institution itself? Ghost? Her mother? The escape, the hiding in the house, the final confrontation and the werewolf? The musical score?
4.The character of Brigitte, desperate, her imagining her sister, confronting her sister? Her cutting herself, her trying to heal, the wound’s closing up? The need for the medication? Her collapse, with Alice in the institution, meeting Ghost and talking with her, Tyler and his advances, harassment, not giving her the medicine? In the discussion sessions, her attitudes and attempts to escape? The final escape, with Ghost, in the house, the werewolf outside, the confrontations, her fight, Ginger’s appearance? Ghost and her trapping Brigitte at the end?
5.Ghost, the story of her mother’s burns, her telling stories, her age, precocious, eavesdropping? At the meetings? Telling everything to Tyler and her telling her everything? With Alice? Her attachment to Brigitte? Helping, the escape, the truth about her mother and her killing her? In the house, her control over Brigitte? The werewolf, its destruction? Her trapping Brigitte in the cellar? A morbid personality?
6.The institution, Alice, reformed addict, trying to help? Coping with the clients, with Ghost, with Brigitte? The phone call, her coming at the end, her being destroyed?
7.Tyler, at the institution, his advances, sexually harassing people? Talking with Ghost? Finding Brigitte, the advances, Ghost and her lies about his advance and Brigitte’s believing her, destroying him? The other members of the staff?
8.The supervisor of the discussion groups, the women telling their stories? The nightmare and sexual imagination in the group by Brigitte, her waking up? The linking of sexuality, blood and violence?
9.The conventions of the werewolf film – and the variations presented here?
