Don't Stroke It..... It Bites!!! (Teeth (DVD))

Member Name: spencer_hawken

Product:	Teeth (DVD)
Date:	16/09/08 (166 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Subtle and sick

Disadvantages: Nik Nak makes it into movies

I have been awaiting the arrival of Teeth for almost a year now, I first got to hear about the movie in the summer of 2007 when while touring festivals from Sundance to Frighfest is received notable acclaim. Now at last the movie is getting select screenings across the world, and hopefully to a cinema near you soon.

As young children Dawn and Brad are in a paddling pool, these step siblings are playing a game there parents cannot see, suddenly the tip of Brad's finger is cut off. Neither child ever being able to explain exactly what happened. Now as a young adult teen virgin Dawn (Jess Weixler) travels the land preaching to kids the value of waiting before having sex, ridiculed by her school mates, but seemingly worshipped by men around her Dawn sticks by her values, maybe she has to.

As Dawn becomes interested in boys, in a strictly non sexual manner of course it's only a matter of time before the inevitable sex issue raises its head. And when her boyfriend Tobey (Hale Appleman) finally decides it's time for the two of them to break the bond they have sworn by the response for Tobey at least is remarkably unexpected. It seems that something rather unexpected waits inside Dawn's sexual organs, and its biting to get out.

Now this might seem like something that stems from a low budget horror flick, but Teeth is remarkably not a low budget offering. It's well set, well budgeted, and has some terrific stars in it; this is no small fry movie that is designed for a cult audience; this movie is very much mainstream stuff. Teeth aligns itself in no genre, it's not quite horror, not quite comedy; it has drama in it and a touch of revenge that was evident in a lot of early 80's movies.

Teeth does contain some rather amusing laughs, that I suspect the female audience will enjoy a lot more than the men. I guess anyone who enjoys people who try to exploit others in general will get a lot of satisfaction with this movie, because all those that cross Dawn in one way or another get their comeuppance. I personally was most pleased by the outcome of the visit to a gynaecologist, in which Dr. Godfrey (Josh Pais) having conveniently forgotten to apply gloves during an intimate inspection is left screaming "Vagina Dentata" in a most hysterically pleasing way. And hopefully if you have not understood the subject of Teeth to this point, my last comment may have either cleared things up or left you naively in the dark for the present time.

Teeth is pretty well handled, more so than a similar British style movie of the late 1990's called Penetration Angst which pales in comparison to this superior offering. Whereas that movie Angst was very up front and in your face about the goings on with its main character, Teeth is a little more subtle. Considering the subject matter and the frequent use of sex there is no nudity in the piece, and although we do see the odd male "member" these are prosthetic and usually lying on the floor.

Teeth features Electric Dreams and Twin Peaks star Lenny Von Dohlen who rather like his character in both aforementioned offerings is uniquely likeable. On the other side of this however is John Hensley best known for his character of Matt in Nip/Tuck. UK readers might well understand the reference I give to this actor as resembling a Nik-Nak (a crisp) because of his rather unusual looks. Her as step-brother Brad he is particularly unpleasant, his encounter with Dawn leading him very much down the path that anal sex is the only acceptable form of love making. Hensley looks downbeat and dirty desperately in need of a bath, and is ultimately the movies villain.

Jess Weixler a relative newcomer to acting is both stunning, and incredibly good at playing the victim. As the character Dawn goes through a life changing series of events you genuinely believe the actress is experiencing the same things. And with a series of big budget movies waiting round the corner expect to see the name Weixler to become America's next big thing having all the attributes needed to really excel in Hollywood, the ability to act and act well.

Teeth is a great movie, that due to its subject matter will never be appreciated by the wider audience, this may or may not be the making of Teeth, because while few may see it; those that do will still be talking about it 10 or even 20 years from now.

It's a sad fact of life that everyone that Dawn tries to approach for help over her situation is out for themselves, seeing an opportunity to exploit her vulnerability..... More fool them.

Teeth is due on DVD shortly.

Summary: A young woman discovers she should have kept to her no sex vow!