A Rape/Revenge Film Feminists Can Sink Their Teeth Into...

When I first heard about Teeth a year ago (it premiered at last year's Sundance) it sounded like a dream come true. The film, which literalizes all of the horror theory I've been researching, features a teenage girl with the mythical vagina dentata, prevalent in folklore the world over. Everything I heard suggested that the film not only explicitly explored the issues of sexual difference that have always been implicit in the horror genre, but the early descriptions of Teeth also suggested that the film did not simply make its protagonist into a freak show who loses control over her body.

Having sees the film tonight at a sneak preview, I am happy to report that these rumors were true. While what follows is merely an initial reaction and not a thoroughly vetted reading, I suspect that even as I revisit Teeth, I will still find it to be a prime example of how rape/revenge should be done. The often-maligned subgenre, which includes the famously exploitive I Spit on Your Graveand the more artfully rendered and chilling Ms. 45 receives a welcomed update in Teeth.

***Spoilers follow***

The primary way that Teeth deviates from rape/revenge is in its delicate treatment of its protagonist's body. Part of this modesty lies in the character herself, the perky yet sensitive Dawn (played perfectly by Jess Weixler), who enthusiastically champions waiting until marriage. As a result, Dawn's style of clothing and dress tends to avoid the provocative that so often gains the attention of men--in fact, it is Dawn's chastity that draws attention to her, with several boys looking at her. The camera, however, avoids taking on an objectifying gaze, never fetishizing her body; of course, there is a bit of voyeurism in the film, since the camera enters Dawn's private space during scenes of masturbation and, of course, during those moments when Dawn's "gift" makes itself known, but even these moments typically position the camera in the least possible fetishizing manner--in other words, not a ton of t or a in this film.

Also fascinating: the film's treatment of sexual assault avoids the stranger scenario so often employed in the r/r sub-genre. Dawn's violators include two boyfriends, a doctor, and a step-brother, reflecting the more common reality of date rape, incest, and violation by authority figures. Furthermore, the assaults represent a spectrum of sexual assault, from the most obvious rape by force to manipulation to the inappropriate abuse of power to verbal harassment.

What's more, Dawn's resistance to all of these acts seems logical and her actions never suggest that she has invited this behavior. True, her naivete seems to contribute to some of these situations (particularly with her boyfriends), but I doubt many will question Dawn's sincere "no" in the first situation and genuine "yes" in the second. This honesty makes Dawn instantly likable and ultimately heroic.

Finally, the most important element that enables a feminist reading: Dawn's increasing agency and self-awareness throughout the film. The dentata, we discover when she engages in an act of consensual sex, only castrate when Dawn does not desire these advances. By the final act of the film, Dawn has gained control of the mechanism, so much so that she premeditates an act of castration.

These elements lead me to believe that Teeth might just warrant the label of "feminist" film. Of course, it's important not to jump to conclusions too fast, but I suspect the film will hold up incredibly well to scrutiny.

Easily, I would say Teeth is the most inventive American horror film of the 21st century so far. Go see it!