Sep 30, 2010

Oct. 20th Ginger Snaps + American Psycho

Mayfair Theatre,  Halloween Double bill  $10

Ginger Snaps, 2000, Directed by John Fawcett, 108mins, 1.85, 35mm print, Rated R



A darker Canadian counterpart to Buffy the Vampire SlayerGinger Snaps, directed by John Fawcett in the year 2000, explores the darkness lurking in the Canadian suburbs where teenagers know that things are not all well. If you ever thought adolescence had a monstrous side, Ginger Snaps is for you. A tale of two sisters, and the things go bite in the night, Ginger Snaps is both an effective scary movie and smart social commentary, exploring the world of the modern teenager with a wit  seldom seen outside of the films of John Hughes. It's a biting wit, and to its credit, it's a film that's not afraid of the horrific underbelly of high school.  


American Psycho, 2000, Directed by Mary Harron, 101mins, 2.35 Cinemascope, 35mm print, Rated R




Bret Easton Ellis’s best selling novel is transformed by Canadian director Mary Harron into the first cult classic of the 21 century. Set in the 80’s world of big business Patrick Batemen (Christain Bale) takes no prisoners and whips out all competition in his strive for power and perfection in the corporate world. Mary Harron puts a female spin on the story and adds a lot of humour to this serial killer romp. 

 “The film regards the male executive lifestyle with the devotion of a fetishist. There is a scene where a group of businessmen compare their business cards, discussing the wording, paper thickness, finish, embossing, engraving and typefaces, and they might as well be discussing their phalli. Their sexual insecurity is manifested as card envy". Roger Ebert.

The cinemascope photography, shot in Toronto, also perfectly suits the film. The Director of Photography used the lowest speed film stocks and almost all the lights available to him on set to give the film a deep focus, sterile look. The end result is a film that is visually stunning on the big screen. Also starring Willem Dafoe, Reese Witherspoon and Jared Leto.


For a more detailed review by collective member John Yemen go here.