It's been a long time since I've been impressed by a movie centering on lupines. Some titles come to mind immediately; An American Werewolf In London, Wolfen, Howling, Teen Wolf (Yes, Teen Wolf!). However, these titles are from a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far, away. The time has come to add another title to that list. The title I am speaking of, is Ginger Snaps.

Ginger Snaps is not your typical teen horror film, nor is it your typical by the numbers werewolf movie. Sisters Brigitte (Emily Perkins) and Ginger (Katharine Isabelle) are very close, so close that they have had a suicide pact since they were 8; dead by 16. They are morbid young girls, that can't seem to be given a place in society. They aren't goths or geeks, they're just outcasts. Their current school project consists of death photos of each other, including hangings and impalings. Brigitte just turning 15 and Ginger now 16, and neither have begun to go through puberty. There is a beast lurking around their small town, killing local pets and leaving bloody carcases where they are sure to be found. On the night that Ginger "becomes a woman" she is attacked by said creature, and things only get worse for the girls, from this point on.

After the attack, Ginger's changes are very gradual. Ginger sprouts sometimes barely noticeable fangs, and her gashes start to grow unusual hairs. Ginger starts to exhibit an air of sexuality that was not present prior, and Brigitte is not the first to take notice. Ginger connects with a local boy and infects him after a night of passion in the backseat of his car. Brigitte, with no place left to turn, enlists the help of another local boy, Sam (Kris Lemche) to find the cure.

I don't want to give too much away, because the fun has truly, only just begun. I do want to mention however, that Mimi Rogers is awesome as Pamela, the girls mother. This film is the perfect mix of casting, writing and directing, which is truly a rare experience these days, and such a treat when it works to this magnitude. Ginger Snaps consists of some very smart writing, and doesn't succumb to the self referential quips like all those post Scream knock-offs. Lastly, Ginger Snaps has a true theatrical score, and a really good one at that. You won't find the latest songs from Creed and Blink 182 here, and I can't even begin to tell you how much of a relief that is.

Such a great film, and a great presentation on DVD and we still haven't even gotten to the best part yet. The extras. Not only a huge amount of extras, but all worthwhile and extremely enjoyable. First off, we are treated to 2 audio commentaries. One with director, John Fawcett and the other with writer, Karen Walton. Both commentaries are fascinating pieces, full of technical information, and incredible personal anecdotes from both of these talented individuals. We now move on to 24 minutes of deleted scenes, that can be viewed with the original audio, or once again, with individual commentaries by the writer/director. We get to see exactly where and why the scenes were cut, mostly for pacing reasons. At times Director John Fawcett, seems distraught that some of these fine moments had to be discarded to the cutting room floor. The experience, of watching a true talent discussing his/her personal work including edits/additions is truly a film lovers wet dream. We now move on to 10 minutes of audition footage and 10 minutes of rehearsal footage, very cool indeed. Also included are talent bios (cast and crew), 2 featurettes (general behind the scenes, and one on the creation of the beast), and tons of production stills. Lastly, there is a section where we can view all of the death photos the girls took for their school project. The photos can be viewed in thumbnail versions, 4 at a time, or enlarged to fill the screen, neato!

Picture and sound presentation are both top notch. Colors are stable and grain is at a minimum, quite a surprise for a film of such low budget origins. The 5.1 soundtrack is quite pleasing and never overpowering. Surrounds are kept to a low key minimum, but when they kick in, boy is it worth it. All around, the audio and video presentation are both top notch, and there is absolutely no room for complaints.

In case you haven't already surmised, I love this film, and even more so, the presentation of this film on DVD. This is easily one of the best special editions ever produced. The film looks and sounds outstanding, and the extras, well, what can I say. The extras are awesome and each piece is as worthwhile if not more than the previous. Ginger Snaps has found its way into horror film history, kudos!

Note: This review is for the Canadian release of Ginger Snaps. If you live in the US, this disc will play on your system. Your best bet is to pick it up from one of the many online Canadian retailers, for about 20-25 US dollars, shipped. If you pick it up from an import retailer in the states, you may have to pay up to $10.00 more. The US edition is bare-bones, full-screen and there are NO extras. Stay away from the US release at all costs!