Review- Jaws (1975)
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Transcript of Review- Jaws (1975)
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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