Teeth: the film that bit off more than it could chew

WARNING: This review contains words of a frank, anitomical nature. If you are in middle school or still giggle at Summer's Eve cmmercials you may find what follows to be a bit uncomfortable.

Teeth is the story of Dawn (Jess Weixler), an abstinent teenager who happens to have razor sharp teeth in her vagina. The movie (written and directed by Mitchell Lichtenstein) is both an exploration of the stress that comes with teenage sexuality and a look at the misogyny that has become so engrained in the horror genre. The trouble is that it is not an entirely successful exploration of either of these topics.

As Dawn struggles with her dual urges for purity and sex the viewer is reminded of a truism of our culture: there is no established road for females to embrace their sexuality. While boys can find validation in the innumerable “losing it films” (from Porky’s to American Pie), girls are left largely in the dark. It is as if our culture is scared of the consequences of true female sexuality, which is why it takes a horror movie to point this out.

Lichtenstein goes on to critique the horror genre as well. As Dawn’s vagina goes on the offensive, there is a series of mangled penis shots presented in true slasher film fashion. Audience members have a clear visceral reaction to the site of full frontal castration shots. This footage serves to counteract the dozens of bloodied female nudes that have appeared in horror movies in the past few years alone. The shock that we feel when we see dismembered male members on screen should remind us to be shocked when we see similar things happen to women in most run-of-the mill horror flicks.

For all of its good intentions, the fact remains that Teeth is not that great. After viewing the movie, most people will think “I could have come up with a more clever killer vagina movie.” With more thought (not a bigger budget), Teeth could have been up there with Eating Raul (one of the best low-budget-campy-subversive-horror-comedies ever). But sadly, it is little more than a great concept, some nice performances, and tons of wasted potential.

But let’s end on a positive note. Teeth is risky and rough around the edges. It is the kind of work that is a good antidote for the banality found in so many theaters. In a year when star-studded movies like Juno and I’m Not There get nominated for Independent Spirit Awards, it is nice to see a movie with true indie sensibilities. Not only does the film get solid performances out of its cast of little-knowns (particularly Weixler whose facial expressions carry the whole movie) but it also tackles a topic that the studios would run from (I dream of the day when Keira Knightley has the guts to announce she will be starring in a movie about ravenous genitals). Since the “indie revolution” of the early nineties, independent filmmakers have been doing their best to make their work seem more and more seamless and professional. We already have that kind of movie; the studios produce a gaggle of them each year. Though a bit unsuccessful, Teeth does not feel compelled to play by many rules. For this it deserves recognition.


My thanks to Ailey Kato and Katie Haas for serving as editors on this piece. It needed a woman's bite, I mean touch.