It’s interesting how much this one divides people. If there’s anything that I respect about Zombie’s HALLOWEEN, it’s that the people who like it seem to really like it, and the people who sincerely dislike it seem to have genuine reason to do so. It’s divisive, and horror should be. It’s not a genre about making the entire audience feel good, so even if I dislike a horror film, when I hear that it’s causing such passionate reactions, that’s a good thing. It means people are at least talking about what they’re watching and not just treating it as disposable.
It’s mid afternoon and Leicester Squares ‘alternative’ Odeon cinema is close to packed. And no, this is not the screen for the new HARRY POTTER, so if you’re expecting a film about a wizard, you are in serious trouble. Let’s replace the good looking lad with magical powers, for a good looking girl with…… A TOOTHED VAGINA!
This is teeth.
A huge hit at SUNDANCE this year, Teeth definitely caught my eye while I was researching some films to review for my course. As it happens, the star of Teeth, Jess Weixler, picked up an award at Sundance for her in role in the movie. And boy, does she deserve it.
The thing that really strikes you about Teeth is the way it juggles genres. It starts as you’re typical teen comedy, a definite theme of sex which is making the teenagers a little uncomfortable. However, there is a sinister score which is accompanying these scenes, something terrible is building. You see Dawn [Jess Weixler] is in great demand. She is blonde, she is in great shape, and, she is a known ‘good girl’ [this isn’t Everybody loves Raymond, She’s a FUCKING VIRGIN]. Take yourself back to high school, and you’ll remember that good looking virgins are an easy target for horny, over developed boys. Despite having guys [literally] thrown at her in the corridor, there is really only one who catches Dawns Sweet eye, Ryan [Ashley Springer]. As the friendship grows and the sexual tension builds, it doesn’t take a genius to see what is going to happen between Dawn and Ryan. However, we see a major character twist, which leads to what everybody has been waiting for….the first act definitely leaves most people in the audience with there mouths wide open. Think of a circumcision performed by Kathy Bates character from Misery, and you’re almost there.
To delve into the plot any deeper would ruin it. There are so many little twists, that it’s much nicer to watch this movie without any idea of where it’s going. To watch it evolve from a teen comedy, into a gross out horror is a spectacle to say the least, but it’s the drama which really holds the attention.
Jess Weixler manages to enhance the comedy scenes with subtlety, something which you don’t expect from the premise. However, when it comes to the reality of the situation, Jess does a fantastic job of making the viewer sympathise with her. It’s not just her ‘growth’ which is the problem; it’s her life in general. Her mother is ill, she’s pretty much living and sleeping on her deathbed. Her father, a great bloke, but he is obviously under pressure and strain. He seems to be the most distanced character. Then we have her step brother, Brad [John Hensley]. Any nip/tuck fans will recognise Brad as Matt, the sweet teen who has an affair with a much older woman. Brad is most definitely not Matt. Brad is a stoner who seems to live in his room, lugging bongs and screwing his poor girlfriend up the arse with all the emotional of a pit ball terrier. He is nasty, selfish and almost soulless. But, he does have a weakness. He is in love with Dawn. Does his idea of love extend any further then wanting to screw her? That’s for you to decide, I’m not too sure. However, while he is not with Dawn, he makes her [and the rest of his families] life a misery.
Looking at this film in terms of script, structure, dialogue and acting, Teeth is sound. It doesn’t rush into any of the ‘nasty’ scenes, it develops all of its characters, and it follows the three act rule without feeling too formulaic. Writer/director Mitchell Lichtenstein obviously knows how to entice and reward an audience. Looking at him on imdb, he has done very little, which gives me even more reason to praise him. Lichtenstein is a confident ‘genre juggler’ and I hope this shines through in future projects. From a technical point of view, Teeth looks mainstream. Vibrant colours and some fairly exotic locations [shot in Austin, Texas, Harry] give this little movie a BIG look. I’m not sure of the actual budget, but it looks like it’s had $30 million put into it… at least!
So, how did this little gem go down at the UK’s elite horror festival? [We should also bear in mind that this film turned up on the day; it only played because there was a technical fault with the other movie]. After 1408, I watched a man head for the exit with his friend saying,
“I’m off to get some food, I’m well hungry.”
“What about teeth?” the friend replied.
“Nah, a film about some girl with teeth in her minge doesn’t do it for me.”
I was shocked. I thought a film about vaginal teeth did it for everybody. Luckily, this mans opinion was not shared by the rest of the festival goers, Teeth was an unexpected hit. From the moment a confused Dawn researches ‘Vagina Dentata’ on the internet, to the much praised gynaecologist visit, the horror fans were cheering and occasionally clapping. In the US, this is fairly normal. However, UK audiences are famously stiff during movies. Our anal retentiveness must come down to all that tea we drink or something, who the hell knows? All I know is, I have never seen an audience that active during a screening before. Teeth’s unusual subject matter seems to animate everybody who watches it.
Teeth is everything you want and expect it to be. It’s hilarious, daring, and Painful. Think Buffy the Vampire Slayer, battling teenage boys, with a new and concealed weapon.
If you use this, call me BIG DAVE. Although, I’m not that big.
