Menstrual Monsters: The reception of the Ginger Snaps cult horror franchise

Abstract

How quick can a scary movie establish a devoted fan following that turns a desired cinematic object into a contemporary cult classic? Pretty quickly, judging by the reception trajectory of Ginger Snaps. Less than five years after the release of the first of the off-beat Canadian low budget horror gems, Ginger Snaps (Fawcett 2000), and hardly a year after the sequel and prequel, Ginger Snaps II: Unleashed (Sullivan, 2004) and Ginger Snaps III: Ginger Snaps Back (Harvey, 2004), the series has become a b-movie buzz word for horror reviewers and fan communities alike. Critics have been quick to note the cycle‟s a-typical traits, claiming that the films focus on two teen sisters fighting off fur lined infection represents a “genre busting sensation” (Vatnsdal, 2004: 216), that extends horror mythologies to a new range of viewing groups.