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GINGER SNAPS review
Ya know what I love about film festivals? You walk into a theater… you plant your ass down and you watch everything they show you till they close the doors.
Today I saw three films. When I arrived at the Convention Center, the headquarters and one of the impromptu screening rooms of SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, I knew that I would come home and write about one film that evening. MEMENTO.
After seeing that film, I almost wanted to just leave and come home and write because I was in love. I felt that seeing another film this evening would be unfair and unjust to the two subsequent films. Besides… I wanted to write my review.
However, I decided to watch three… get my first day of the festival complete… If the following two films couldn’t survive being placed following MEMENTO then so be it… they die. But that’s the risk you take with every screening of a film fest.
The second film was BARTLEBY, a premiere of this Melville based Crispin Glover performed flick. It had a totally different tone from MEMENTO and put me in a happy mood. A giggly mood.
Two films in a row that I enjoyed… one of them being a GREAT film? What a lucky night!?!?!?!?
The next film scheduled was some ‘teen horror flick with lesbian goth chicks that turn into werewolves.’ Well… whatever, low budget horror is the best usually… but this thing… GINGER SNAPS? Terrible title… Mimi Rogers… It was gonna blow.
Well, tonight I have time to write about one film before going to bed. One film and that is it. I have an early screening of Linklater’s WAKING LIFE and I need to get some rest before that, but I can write one review before these fleshy curtains of mine close till dawn.
GINGER SNAPS - Click for the Trailer
Within the opening 2 minutes you get the following image:
I was delighted and realized that while the movie may blow, at least it looks like they had some good makeup folks making this flick have moments.
I was completely unprepared. I knew it had played up in TORONTO, but I heard no real buzz through the festival. Anton Sirius had mentioned it, was supposed to do an interview with the director, but I never got any real excited vibes from last year’s TORONTO FILM FESTIVAL.
I figured it was probably sub-par or mildly entertaining at best.
First thing I noticed was that LIONS GATE owned the flick now… hmmm… it was picked up… Then the story unfolded. And you don’t get to hear a word about it. I won’t spill the beans, ruin moments or quote lines like I could and did in the hours since seeing the film.
What I will do is this… Remember THE HOWLING and AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON? Remember HEAVENLY CREATURES? This film is EASILY as good or better than those. It plays two more times… and I’m at both screenings.
First off, before writing the review I did a bit of research… dig up some info on this flick. Turns out that at the TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, GINGER SNAPS won Best Canadian Feature Film – Special Jury Citation.
There is a reason.
First off, whatever maroon wrote the description of the film in the Festival Guide seemingly never watched the film. The girls are not lesbians… they’re sisters. They are not GOTH chicks in the fake black wearing manner… they rebel against life. Them against the world, against being a ‘girl’, against being cute and cuddly and all the BARBIE trimmings of life.
They unite in their hatred of normalcy and mediocrity. Boys and their desire to spray their insides in seminal gushings are the furthest things from their minds. Instead they relish being the only two people at the school that count in their eyes.
The girls… over the course of the feature become a pair of the most real… scared… terrified girls I’ve ever seen in a film. Their bodies betraying them, life changing all the real honest moments that you have in HEAVENLY CREATURES or FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH, but none of that film’s absurdity. There are light moments, but only because in reality… these moments would be ironically funny, but this isn’t EVIL DEAD 2… this is closer to Cronenberg’s THE FLY. This isn’t LOST BOYS, this doesn’t have the wink wink cuteness or swarmy coolness that LOST BOYS has.
They don’t pound the latest ROCK-N-ROLL in your ears, this film doesn’t play nice… It hurts. About 9 out of my 10 guesses about what was about to happen were WRONG. But I’ve left out the most important detail.
Towards the end of the film… I was sitting in my seat… my leg twitching in that ‘gotta pee’ manner… but I was riveted by the film. I was all set to wet myself rather than leave this film. The film kept getting more and more tense… choices in direction were being made that I could not friggin believe… and suddenly at a particularly scary moment, I gripped my knee and squeezed. I felt wetness upon my knee. I go to sniff my hand, and I look at it… and it’s covered in blood. I was so scared that I gripped my knee so hard that it ripped the scab off and blood gushed through the pant leg to drench my knee… The shock that my knee was bleeding.. the fact I was one scare from pissing my pants… and the knowledge that the bathroom was very very close… I ran out of the theater, into the bathroom… wrapped my knee in paper, pissed and returned to the theater missing only two minutes…
And when I sat down, I held onto the chair in front of me… white knuckling the bar across the back of the seat and watched the last 15 minutes of the best damn straight horror film I’ve seen in years.
This film killed. The audience was ecstatic… the AICN crew all left screaming about how much they loved it… how the all practical effects work made us the happiest boys and girls on earth. How the uncompromising freaking brutal ending just knocked the air out of us. How at the end of this night all I could think of was seeing this movie again… instantly.
Look, I don’t know what LIONS GATE’s plans are for releasing this film, I have no concept… but if you live within 500 miles of Austin, I’m telling you… get here for either the Wednesday March 14th screening of GINGER SNAPS at the Austin Convention Center at 9:30pm OR get here for the 2:45pm showing on Saturday March 17th at the Alamo Drafthouse. Get in line 3 hours early… bribe someone… hitchhike… but come see this movie with me. We’ll talk and fucking celebrate how great we feel. How this is what horror is missing… How they just don’t make them like this, but they just did so Yip-fucking-aaaaa!!!
I’ll try to get you the other reviews soon, but don’t let this film get by you. And I will definitely be writing about this film some more. In fact I love this film so much I’d host screenings, introduce it at theaters around the country and sit and watch it every friggin time it played.
THIS IS HORROR with all the karo and all the intelligence and heart and realness that the best possible teen films ever get to be. An amazing film, among the best festival film experiences I have ever had and a complete and utter surprise and joy. My film festival has been made. I will always remember my bloody knee and this bloody great film and this bloody SXSW cuz right now I feel bloody great.
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MEMENTO ruled...very cool, "Usual Suspects" kind of flick with a nice twist that was not gimicky just to be gimicky. I didn't even rocognize Guy Pierce....awesome, awesome flick with a great story....not artsy, nor is it a Hollywood re-hash. The Berliner doc THE SWEETEST SOUND was also terrific, and Plympton's MUTANT ALIENS was so fun I pissed my pants....and the 7 beers had nothing to do with that.
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What is SXSW?
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Mar 11, 2001 2:27:37 AM CST
Ginger Snaps has one of the greatest opening sequences ever!
by glippyglipson
GINGER SNAPS played at the Rotterdam Film Festival this january. I went in expecting nothing more than DAWSON'S CREEK meets SILVER BULLET, or something. But man, was I wrong. Everybody in the theatre was totally ecstatic about this flic, myself included. Harry should've mentioned the opening credits though...man, that sequence has got to be one of the most original openings I've ever seen. I personally loved the lawn-mower!
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I saw the movie at a German film festival last fall, and loved it. I so hope Lions Gate are planning something for it (it's on their site in the "International" section). This film deserves more than being a video premiere.
Say, you Australians, is there a DVD? -
...IMDB lists two running times for the movie. Australia is 104 mins, Canada 108mins. I haven't seen the flick but possibly four minutes of dog mutilatin' action might have been cut. Dammit!Going to rent it as soon as I can.
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Unfortunately, as good as Ginger Snaps seems to be, it looks like Fox Searchlight is sending it straight to video shelves as a Blockbuster Exclusive as quickly as March 16th. The good news is we can check it out soon, the bad is that most of us will miss the chance to ever catch this in a theater. A piece of crap like Valentine? Sure! But a really good horror film? Nope! Bastards! www.undertakerslounge.com
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Anybody think it's funny (other than me) that a dog named "Baxter" is getting what's coming to him?
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I remember the controversy when Ginger Snaps was being filmed. The Toronto Star reported that government money was being used to produce a horror film - not any horror film, but one featuring teen violence. Elements tried to stop the production, but once it was screened at the Film Festival, the reviews overcame the naysayers. I haven't seen it yet, but even if it wasn't as good as I'd heard, I'd like to see a little film that could generate so much ink in the papers.
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Geeze - that ain't the first thing I want to see in the morning. And as for your hand. Good Lord - I am all over personalization but that's really gross. Blechy. Other than that, an interesting review. Just Blechy.
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I suppose I'm a horrible older brother, seeing as how my brother is IN this movie and I have yet to go and see it.. You'd think I'd be on top of it. But I haven't had a chance.. Haven't heard anything about a theatrical release and all I want to do is go see this movie that my brother stars in. He plays Tim, Rogers' son (apparently her name is Pam?)
I must see this movie! (I missed it at the film festival this year...)
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As someone who has been working on Ginger Snaps for the last year it's great to hear such an enthusiatic response.
For all you die hard fans out there, GINGER SNAPS will be released theatrically in Canada by TVA International this spring. Lions Gate has the international rights to the film, excluding Canada and the US. A theatrical release in the US is being negotiated... stay tuned to Harry's site for more details.
The website listed in the talkback is not the offical site, but a good fan site. The offical Canadian site is coming soon. -
This movie can't possibly be good, because:
(1) It's Canadian
(2) It was given funding by the Canadian government
The Canadian government hasn't funded any "fun" movies since the tax-shelter days. Oh, maybe David Cronenberg, but that's because he got famous before the tax shelter days ended. If they refused him funding today, there would be an outcry.
Canada doesn't make any "fun" movies anymore. Accept it. -
Mar 11, 2001 10:26:00 AM CST
whoa! that f*cking photo of a chewed up dog was awesome!! sh*
by mooncake
nothing beats a great gory horror film! dam lion's gate pictures is pretty f*cking cool! they brought out shadow of the vampire & now this gruesome horror sh*t! awesome.......^_^
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I hate that misconception. There is a definite difference between the modern street punk goth people that wear black leather, and then there are the ones who wear period clothing. And then there are the ones who look like everyone else only they may wear slightly more subdued clothing. Maybe that is why the last one is unknown to so many people--because they look just like everyone else but have the great devotion to the finer things...I just wish the label was not so connected to the punks that hang out at raves...
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Nobody cares whether these people live or have their ugly little white-painted faces ripped off. I don't see why their clothes should get you PC dipsticks to open your fat yaps.
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Well, that's just grand. I know nothing about this movie, except that it's a mix between "american Werewolf In London" and "Heavenly Creatures", and a dog gets chewed up like stromboli in the first two minutes, and you expect me to see this thing, no questions asked?!?!?.... okay! Hell, if it's half as good as "Werewolf" OR "Creatures", I'll see this thing with bells and whistles. "Werewolf" is great stuff. When I first saw it, and that guy walked into the hospital room with those bloody slashes and half a face missing, and started talking about how hot the girls at his funeral were... man. And when those zombies were sitting in the porno theater, telling the werewolf guy how to kill himself... and how about that nightmare with the Nazi monster things? We need a Special Deluze Ultimate Collector's Criterion Edition for that movie, post-haste. This has been a "Prince Charles is a Fag! Queen Elizabeth is a Man! Shakespeare was German!" Moment with User ID Indeed! See you next Wednesday!
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....until you remember that Harry raved in a similar fashion about 'Hannibal' and 'The Patriot' - Suddenly I'm not so enthusiastic.
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The individual who posted prior to my double post, Jesus Q. Einstein, makes a valid point. How can anyone take Harry seriously when his STARF**KING aspirations cloud his judgement. I was at the Toronto Fest and tried to catch Ginger Snaps at but couldn't score a ticket (on a side note, I did see Memento and it was fantastic... but I digress).
Harry, my question to you is this...
How do you expect anyone to take your reviews with anything but a grain of salt? The entire film industry knows that you can be bought with an invite to a special screening, or a meet and greet with a celebrity. Ask Kevin Smith.... ask Ron Howard. There is a strategy in the industry regarding how to play you and it works like a charm. The problem is that the denizens of this board get the shaft. They never know if a review is biased, or if a "hot scoop" has been planted (and we know the truth here, don't we Harry?).
You had to choose between cutting-edge or a STARF**KER and the latter won out. By selecting the easy path, any sense of journalistic integrity has been lost. Hell, People magazine packs more of a punch than AICN. -
Mar 11, 2001 2:09:21 PM CST
In The Name Of LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT, Please Let This Be The Be
by mrbeaks
Let's drop the self-referential humor and get down to the business of shockin', scarin', and generally giving the MPAA the apoplectic fits they deserve. Oh, and MEMENTO would've been a shoo-in for Best Picture had it been released last year.
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and no, I ain't talkin' Dyan Cannon. It's been too damn long since we fans have gotten a true horror. And with 1000 Corpses on the run-around it may be a while before we get one. I'm going to stock a little faith in Harry and hope that Ginger Snaps is half of what he says it is. Oh, and just out of curiousity, the chewed up dog 'Baxter', any relation to the foreign film of the same name? "The Mad Thespian: is he a violent anti-hero, or is it just an act?"
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Before Ginger Snaps, I can't remember the last time I was this thoroughly terrified in a movie theater. Not terrified in a "fun" way either - there were several moments when I wasn't sure if I wanted to cry or throw up! See it if you can!
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Wyers, if Harry can be bought so easily by a meet with a celeb or a special screening, I guess he should have LOVE Monkeybone since he got to actually be in the film not just meet some director or stars. I don't think Harry can be *bought*, if anything at the worst he can get caught up in the moment just like any of us can. Remember, it's the industry that thinks of him as a critic, but all Harry seems to be (at least to me) is just one of the guys that happens to have a great outlet to spout his geekness. So if you like People so damn much, why don't you get a subscription to them and leave H alone to do what he does best. -Captain Fantasy
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So, you read a page by somebody who puts personal reviews on it. His own subjectiv opinion of movies he watched. And then you get all angry and excited about it when you don't agree? HUH? Hello? Maybe try another page? I go here because I want to read Harry's,Moriarty's etc opinion of movies, NOT to get an objective description of something. Geeez, try another page guys.
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I like horror films. I have no grudge against Harry and maybe I'm jaded. I caught Ginger Snaps on video about a month ago (It has been released here in Australia) and it sucks werewolf nads.
Combine bad "Heathers"-like dialogue, a cool rebel dude who turns out to be a nice guy, massive plot inconsistencies, selfish unlikeable main characters, one dimensional antagonists and a plot that limps along like a dog that should be put to sleep... and you get this mismash of a movie. To compare it to the brilliant American Werewolf and Heavenly Creatures is an insult and simply untrue.
I am all for the resurrection of the horror genre, but this dog ain't it, folks. Aint it cool? Ummm... no. Someone back me up here, am I the only one that thought this flick lacked bite?
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Harry Jesus man, you've got to stop it with those animations in the top left corner of the screen. This new "Basic Instinct" thing is just to frightening to comprehend. "It's horrid, disgusting and crude, yet I can'not look away" (The Harry).
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I have to second the "I can't not look away" sentiment on the Basic Instinct animation. How dare you desecrate such a previously enjoyable mental image with those chunky thighs (and what-not)! Thank the Lord I was driven to write this talk-back. If not, I would either still be entraced or would be cleaning the vomit from my keyboard.
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Well I don't know if it's been said, because I don't usually read much, but ginger snaps has been out on video here for a couple of months now, and it does rule. I was totally hooked on it from the instant I saw the awesome video cover that I hope makes it over there. I'm saying right now all australians reading this need to go get this puppy (sorry bad pun) out from blockbuster or whatnot.
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I seem to remember that you wrote that film a good solid blowjob as well. While it was enjoyable, it was NOT frightening. And that picture? What the hell is that? It looks like some cut-scene from a movie made by two stoned high-school kids who hate dogs and have too many hot dogs and spare carpet lying around. Please, spare us the gushing every time some hack filmmmaker makes a movie with lots of Gore and Goth Lesbians. Also, that animation at the top of the page is just wrong.
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Mar 11, 2001 11:08:54 PM CST
saw ginger snaps when was rather stoned, cant remember much, exc
by quamb
And ginger snaps is already out here on video in australia... kinda weird really. Has been for a month or two.
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Just got back from the SXSW screening of Fox Searchlight's "Super Troopers"....fucking hysterical flick! It's from the Bad Lizard comedy group, and is non-stop laugh your ass off funny! Like "Memento", it's worth all the buzz it's getting, unlike the SXSW bastard child "Journey Man" which sucks ass, but has a slew of Austinites stuffing it's ballot box b/c they're buddies were grips and shit on it.
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Yes GINGER SNAPS has been out on video here in Australia for quite a few months. It was released last November, I think. Anyway, I caught the trailer while it was playing in my local video store and became intrigued right away. I got my hands on a copy a few days after it came out, and was very disappointed. I agree with everything that fabiodeniro commented on. Was the film scary? No. I actually found myself laughing at certain parts which I would mention but WON'T due to being material of the spoiler variety. Neverthless, I don't think it is flat out horror like Harry says. So much of it is comedy. However, the disturbing montage that acts as the film's credits are interesting. Oh, and Scylla is right about the video cover. It's this cool hologram of Ginger changing into the werewolf. I'm surprised that Harry and Monki love this film so much, but then again, it's all subjective.
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OH MY GOD SOMEONE KILLED LASSIE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anyone up for hitchhiking up to Austin with me to see it? -
This post is for that dipshit Wyers and everyone else who's giving Harry a hard time....Harry is one of the only critics I listen to because he is NOT a critic...he just states his personal opinion. Does he get carried away by certain films? Of course he does! He's a F*ckin film geek like anyone who goes to this website should be. For all you dipshits who are bitching and complaing about Harry's lack of reviewing skills...why don't you just remove your head out of your goddamn ass and write your own page! Arent'people entitled to their own opinions! You don't have to agree with them, but don't be a asshole about it. I visit this website every day because it gives me updates on movies I'm really interested in. I'm sure you all have a few films in your little mental favorites video sections that other people would cringe at: Hell, I liked BATTLEFIED EARTH (and no, i'm not a f*cking scientologist, so don't ask....L. Ron Hubbard was and still is an untalented dilweed)....So Wyer and Einstein and all you other goat suckers...piss off!
Wyers -
That looks freaking gross! I like it! I'll thank anyone for bringing gore back to horror films!
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Harry, you forgot to mention that the girl who so momeorably plays the titular Ginger is named Katharine Isabelle, and that while she is a terrific actress she is also THE HOTTEST FREAKIN' FEMALE ON THIS PLANET OR ANY OTHER!!! ARRGGGHHHHH!!! So keep an eye out for her. Star in the making, lads.
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????
if you loved it so much that you wanted to run straight home and write about it, why didnt you? why didnt you write about it at ALL?
I want to hear what you have to say about it dammit... -
Guys, before you wet yourselves--if you want to see the movie because the picture looked gory, don't, you'll only be disappointed. "Ginger Snaps" is not the re-birth of the gory horror film. It has werewolves in it, but it's not a particularly gory movie, and most of all it's not ABOUT werewolves. It's about being a teenager, being uncool, and being a girl. (Heck, it's about menstruation!) Don't say I didn't warn you.
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Oh, and Dellis: I'm sure the movie was not cut (unless they want to make it PG, there's nothing to cut, certainly no "four minutes of dog mutiliation"). The two running times are due to the Australian and European PAL video format being 4% faster than theatrical exhibition or NTSC. 108 * .96 = 103.68. There you go.
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Rue Morgue Magazine did a cover story on Ginger Snaps in their March/April 2001 issue. Good issue to pick up. I have seen Ginger Snaps twice so far, and I have to say that it's the best horror movie I've seen in ages and I'm quite a big horror fan. Glad to see that someone else is picking up on the story in the US.
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to know that ginger snaps is already at the coming soon section of the theater here in INDONESIA.
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At long last a film about female werewolves. Not since the first Howling has there been a decent werewolf movie and this one has a female werewolf to boot. For the longest time this type of horror genere has been domenated stricly by male characters which pardon the pun(has been done to death). Yes I know that there were female werewolves in some of the Howlings but that hardly counts as they were mostly secondary characters and i don't even consider the second Howling a movie as it was more like porno for werewolves.
Hollywood has been domenated by the thought that audiences do not want to see women as werewolves because god forbid a woman should be coverered in hair and have claws and fangs. Female vampires are alright because they exeude sexuality but a female werewolf would just be gross.
Yea well this is a horror movie not some teenage romantic comedy so we don't care about that and besides that the main character does a fair job in the sexiness department. Finally a non- sterotypical horror movie, keep them comming! -
I was first told about this movie by a friend of mine, who told me about how cool it seemed. So, off I went to the official website, and watched the trailer. After watching the rather dull trailer, I searched around the website for something of interest, that being simply Katherine Isabelle's pictures. She's very attractive. Other than that, nothing of value.
So, a few days pass, and my friend continues to pester me about seeing the film. I was fully under the impression that it would be a film very similar to that of Scream, and the subsidiary teeny horror movies.
After days of nagging, and being offered a free ticket, I reluctantly accepted the proposition of seeing a film that supposedly had earned critical acclaim, and that one of the director's influences was the marvellous Sam Raimi.
Well, what followed was two hours of one of the most excruciatingly boring films I have ever seen. It was ridiculous. The film went no where.
It's not just that there was an implausible script, the characters were ridiuclously unbelievable, especially the stereotypcical guidance coucillor and suburban parents.
Now I move on to the two sisters. Nothing really to say about them, but I think the way their relationship sorted itself out in the end was possibly the most disappointing aspect of this movie.
The direction was forced. It seemed like he was trying to give it an independant film look, even though there was obviously enough money for top grade equipment. The string concerto music that gets played almost throughout the film was also very contrived.
The camera work was good, but still, gave me the sense of "Hi, we're trying to make a really top grade independant film", when it came off as a shoddy major motion picture.
Whatever budget they had for this film, they decided to not invest it in makeup (Just before Ginger changes to the werewolf, her face looks so silly...), and rather a gian animatronic wolf. That's the only way I'd recommend this film. If you like animatronic wolves, spend $10, wait 90 minutes, and you'll see a really cool wolf.
Now, I'll comment on the music. Quite often in films of this nature, they always feature some of the current mainstream heavy music. This is no exception. The best scene in the entire film was when you could faintly hear the remix of Demanufacture (Fear Factory). Other than that, the music and score were very subpar. Even John Williams (I think, or was it James Horner)'s score in Gladiator, which was a shameless rip off of Gustav Holst's The Planets, seemed more original and fitting.
A few minor points of displeasure I had:
a) The ridiculous homage to Sam Raimi, with one guy putting a chainsaw in his car. This movie needed Ash to save it.
b) It was too long. Nearly 2 hrs, for something with no story is long. A ninety minute film with no story is almost bearable.
c) The ending wasn't very cohesive with the rest of the film. Nothing was resolved.
d) Katherine Isabelle wore tight clothing for a really small portion of the film. I realise that's not very important, but I was at least hoping for some hot girls.
Anyways, this concludes my "Most useless film of 2000" review.
Have a good one.
The Next Fool Martyr
Happy Camper
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