‘Ginger Snaps’ 4K UHD Blu-Ray Review – Cult Favorite Horror Film Wrestles With The Beast Within

The cult favorite returns, in hair-raising 4K! Ginger Snaps is the story of death-fixated teenage sisters Ginger and Brigitte, who are attacked one night by a creature drawn to Ginger’s first menstrual period. Bitten by the creature, Ginger soon exhibits sudden aggression and bizarre transformations that convince Brigitte her sister is turning into a werewolf…and that Ginger’s embrace of her liberating new condition may be terminal.

For thoughts on Ginger Snaps, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:

Video Quality

Lionsgate presents Ginger Snaps with a decent, yet unremarkable 2160p/Dolby Vision transfer derived from a 4K master. This release is a Lionsgate Limited exclusive presented under the Vestron Collector’s Series imprint. This film was previously released on Blu-Ray by Scream Factory in 2014, and this presentation is an improvement in many respects.

The biggest benefit of this format is the implementation of Dolby Vision/HDR. This process brings out the nuances of the moody, low-budget photography, yielding a more well-rounded experience. The color saturation on this disc unlocks deeper hues in all of the background elements. The balance of light and the dark is admirable. Highlights offer greater stability without veering into blooming, especially when it comes to light sources such as candles. Black levels likewise maintain an ideal amount of depth and detail in darker environments. Skin tones look natural to their disposition, with plenty of cuts, bloody gashes, and lupine makeup as the plot unfolds. The encode runs at a high bitrate with nothing in the way of compression artifacts, banding, or other anomalies. 

While there is virtually nothing in terms of print damage, the transfer has a very soft appearance that does not deliver your typical 4K UHD “wow” factor. Detail and clarity are pleasing enough, but the transfer does not seem to be extracting information that couldn’t be found on your average, well-done Blu-Ray. There does not appear to be much in the way of DNR applied to it, which at least allows this to look a bit more natural. The texture revealed in the clothing, within the backgrounds, and in the makeup effects is agreeable. Certain details stand out more than ever, but it is not an astounding uptick in this respect. Nevertheless, it is still the best the film has looked to date. 

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with an all-new Dolby TrueHD 7.1 track, which does a fine job in lieu of the original audio track. The only slightly disappointing aspect is that the mix is strangely quiet, leaving you to crank up the volume a bit louder than your normal listening levels. The actual fidelity of the track is quite strong, though. The environmental sounds are rendered effectively alongside competing noises.  Dialogue avoids any traces of sibilance or other forms of distress.

 The track avoids most of the age-related pops that you might conceivably hear from an independent production from this era, as things hold together quite well. The low-end response adds some welcome texture to a few moments in the surround sound channels. The memorable score flows through the room with a confident fidelity. This track handles it without missing a beat throughout the film. While the volume issue is a bit unfortunate, the track is effective when you get it to comfortable levels. Optional English and English SDH subtitles are provided. 

Special Features

• The Pact – Ginger Snaps Forever: A new 21-minute interview with director John Fawcett in which he reflects on his entry into filmmaking, the conception of Ginger Snaps, why he felt the genre was ripe for reinvention, the design work, the shooting locations, the legacy of the film, and much more. 

• Legacy Special Features

• • Audio Commentary #1: Director John Fawcett

• • Audio Commentary #2: Writer Karen Walton

• • Ginger Snaps – Blood, Teeth and Fur: A terrific 67-minute retrospective in which Fawcett, Walton, actors Emily Perkins and Jesse Moss, and other key creative figures reflect on the making of Ginger Snaps. 

• • Growing Pains – Puberty in Horror Films: A 27-minute panel with journalists and filmmakers Kristy Jett, Axelle Carolyn, Heidi Honeycutt, and Rebekah McKendry, in which they reflect upon the depiction of female puberty in horror films, how the topic has been explored in creative ways, how it impacted their interest in the horror genre, and more. 

• • Deleted Scenes: A 25-minute selection of unused footage is provided with optional commentary from either director John Fawcett or writer Karen Walton.

• • Featurette: A five-minute archival promotional piece in which the creative figures briefly discuss the movie. 

• • Cast Auditions and Rehearsals (17:46)

• • Creation of the Beast: A five-minute look at the design work that went into the werewolf. 

• • Being John Fawcett: A two-minute fly-on-the-wall look at the filmmaker communicating with his performers. 

• • Theatrical Trailers (3:45)

• • TV Spots (1:01)

• • Production Design Artwork (1:14)

Final Thoughts

Ginger Snaps feels like a product of its time, but there is much to admire with its focus on the bonds between women and the messiness of adolescence. The two leads are particularly great, easily creating a convincing bond between these two sisters, which is punctuated by healthy doses of dark humor that would become even more prevalent in the decades to come. The film is a little shaggy thanks to its low-budget roots, and the runtime makes the experience feel a bit sluggish at points. While it may not go down as an instant favorite for this reviewer, it makes complete sense why this film is beloved by so many. Lionsgate has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray with a pretty good A/V presentation and an impressive array of supplements. If you are a fan of the film, it is worth adding to your collection. Recommended  

Ginger Snaps is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray exclusively from Lionsgate Limited.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Lionsgate Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.