The Female Empowerment of ‘Teeth’ [Horror Queers Podcast]

Take a bite…

After closing out January with a trip to the prom in Carrie (listen) and kicking off February with a look at Tom Ford’s Academy Award-nominated thriller Nocturnal Animals (listen), we’re feeling festive for Valentine’s Day as we check out Mitchell Lichtenstein‘s vagina dentata-centered horror comedy Teeth!

In Teeth, high school student Dawn (Jess Weixler) is an active member of her high-school chastity club, but when she meets Tobey (Hale Appleman), she finds it more and more difficult to resist her sexual urges. When a date goes horribly awry, Dawn suddenly learns that she is a living example of the vagina dentata myth and must learn to control her naughty gnashers before they can claim another classmate’s penis.

Episode 320: Nocturnal Animals (2016)

Put on your abstinence ring and head over to the local swimming hole because we’re discussing Mitchell Lichtenstein‘s 2007 horror comedy Teeth!

Join us as we go all in on this seemingly forgotten relic of the aughts, praising its handling of some admittedly difficult subject matter while masterfully balancing the tone without sacrificing sincerity.

Plus: digging into Teeth‘s mishandled release, its 2024 off-Broadway musical adaptation and wondering why lead actress Jess Weixler never became the Parker Posey of her generation.

C/W: Sexual assault

Cross out Teeth!