Ginger Snaps

There's no denying that certain genres apply to certain metaphors better than others. Horror in general is the most common genre up for interpretation, focusing on real-life things the average person fears. Death, grief, the unknown -- all subjects no one wants answered.

Another topic serving as a metaphor in horror is puberty, which makes perfect sense. Changes, hormones, increased emotions -- all make for an ideal monster movie. And that's just what John Fawcett's Ginger Snaps is. (It helps that this was written by a woman.) Like Jennifer's Body nine years later, it proved monster movies weren't just for boys.

Sure, some might view the "menstruation as werewolf" metaphor as heavy-handed but writer Karen Walton makes it work. In the hands of someone else (read: someone who doesn't menstruate), it would come off as clumsy. Frankly, more women should write horror.

Released in a post-Columbine society, it had to have been daring to have Ginger Snaps make its presence. (Better that than, say, Heathers.) But at the same time, it was practically an ideal time to release it, what with Gen-X angst at an all-time high. Then again, it's a matter of opinion.

Ginger Snaps shows that horror benefits greatly from being told from a woman's perspective. With a genre often filled with misogyny, it's vital to have women tell these stories. (Mostly because they can handle certain subjects better than men.)

My Rating: ****

I Married a Witch

You know how some actors just need the right script to showcase their talents? Sometimes it involves playing against type, other times the role itself may parallel aspects of the actor's own life. But more often than not, it all boils down to taking a chance.

That's what's on full display in René Clair's I Married a Witch, courtesy of Veronica Lake. A year after the success of Sullivan's Travels, she shows a comedic panache that shows there was more to Lake than her glamor girl image (an image she was none too fond of). It makes one wish she had more opportunities.

Anyway, Clair only worked in Hollywood for a short while (he was more established in his native France) but even then, his touch is on full display in I Married a Witch. As an uncredited writer, he made Lake's character Jennifer more likable than her literary counterpart. As director, he plays the various practical effects beautifully.

Speaking of those practical effects, let's talk about those for a bit longer. In this day and age relying on green screens and computers, it's almost a breath of fresh air to see something more mundane being used. Makes one wish filmmakers would go back to basics.

I Married a Witch loses steam towards the end but Lake and Cecil Kellaway keep it afloat throughout. Clair may have only spent a handful of years in Hollywood but his impact was felt with the few projects he made there. And the same can be said of Lake.

My Rating: ****