7/29/2019 Review- Jaws (1975)

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WrittenbyEmilyClarkson

Jaws(1975)

(Fig1)

Jawsisahorrorfilmthatwasscreenedin1975anddirectedbyStevenSpielberg.Thefilm

isabouttheattackofaformidablepredatoroftheocean,aGreatWhiteSharkasittargetsatourist

hotspotattheheightofthesummerseason.

Oneofthesubtlemasterpiecesofthisfilmwastheminimalfeaturingofthesharkandbuild

upshotsbeforeanattack.Despitethepuppetsharkthatwasusedbeingamechanicalfishthatjust

wouldn'tplayball[it]wassensiblykepthiddenuntiltheveryclose. (Empire,N/A)Snippetsofthe

formidablegreatwhiteandlazyunderwatershotsoftheswimmersforcetheaudiencestogriptheir

seatsinpreparationforthesharpteethandthescreams.(Fig2)Asimilarsnippettechniquewas

alsousedtodisguisethefullformoftheAlieninRidleyScottsAlien,whichfollowedfouryears

laterin1979.Againthetechniqueworkedwondersinfrighteningitsaudiences,howeverinthecaseoftheSharkfromJaws,theaudiencehavenoclueastotheSharksactualsize,leadingto

shudderingthoughtsoutexactlyhowlargethoserazorsharpteethanditsyawingmouthmightbe.

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WrittenbyEmilyClarkson

(Fig2)

InatrulyHitchcockfashion,Spielbergdragsoutthesuspense,blanketingtheentire

audienceindreadandanticipation.However,toaidthevisuals,JohnWilliamscomposedthe

infamousJawsscore,claimedbyTheGuardiansPeterBradshawtobethecreepiestsince

Herrmann'sPsycho(Bradshaw,2012)

ThekeycastofJawsbouncewelloffofoneanother.Theirrolesinthestorylinearewell

developedandtheircharacterizationisconvincing.ThewaterfearingPoliceChiefBrody(Playedby

RoySchieder)isimmediatelyacharactertobelievein.LookingforaquietlifeafterworkinginNew

York,Brodyfindshimselfinhotwaterwhenhehastodealwiththepublicandthepoliticsofa

resorttownwhentheattacksbegin.RichardDrefussplaystheyoungOceanographerHooper,sent

intodotheresearchintotheattacks,detailwhatthetownisupagainstandhelpinthecounter

attack.Thepersonalityandtherealisticfactthatinspectingtheremainsofthesharksfirstvictim

wouldbeagagworthyexperience,Dreyfusscompletelyconvincesaudiencesheknowssharksand

theonetargetingAmityIslandneedstobetakenout.Last,butnotatallleast,RobertShawdelivers

athoroughlycredible,crazedfisherman.ThecharacterofQuint,withhispenchantforannihilating

sharks,initiallylooksasifhecouldbeasmuchaproblemasanallyuntilheeventuallyexplainshis

reasonsforhunting.Itisheretheaudiencearefinally,completelyengagedwiththethreemaincharacters.Unfortunately,itisnotallthatlongbeforetheshowdownwiththebeastaboardQuints

ricketyoldvessel,theOrca.(Fig3)

(Fig3)

Theplot,thoughasimpleone,comestogetherbrilliantly,andisnoteasilydismissedas

purelyfiction,whichiswhatmakesitallthemorefrightening.Thisisafilmthathasbeenrenowned

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WrittenbyEmilyClarkson

forgivingswimmerstheheebiejeebies,agenerationofholidaymakersstillthinkstwicebefore

steppingintothewater.(Huddleston,2012)AfterSpielbergspredatoryunderwatercamerawork,

framingupswimmersaseasypickingsnoonecanevergooceanswimmingwithoutfeelinglike

sharkbait.Youneverknowwhatlurksbeneaththesurface.

Bibliography

Bradshaw,Peter(2012)Jaws-Review

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2012/jun/14/jawsreview?INTCMP=SRCH

Empire(N/A)Jaws

http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?DVDID=6087

Huddleston,Tom(2012)Jawshttp://www.timeout.com/london/film/jaws

Images

Bfi(2012)Jaws

http://explore.bfi.org.uk/4ce2b6ad82ff5