Jaws (1975): Only in words.
I was eight years old, bundled tightly in a sleeping bag, sitting close to my friends, watching a small television screen in front of us intensely. It was the first time I laid eyes on Jaws. At that time, I would never have imagined that Jaws would have such a profound effect on my life.
We dubbed it “Jaws Night.” We rented the whole collection of the Jaws films (on VHS at the time) and intended on staying up as late as possible to watch them all. I was only able to watch the first film before slowly dazing off, chasing away dreams of giant man-eating sharks. But what I watched was wonderful. It scared me, yet I was along for the ride the whole entire time.
Six years passed before I watched Jaws for the second time. This time it was being played on television, in regards to the anniversary edition that was being released. I watched the film, and something was sparked inside of me. I couldn’t stop watching it. TNT has been known for playing Jaws over and over again, and every time they played it, I watched it. I watched it religiously. Some may consider that too much, but I didn’t care, I loved it. I craved it. I embraced it.
And now, after all of these years, I finally voice my opinion regarding this great piece of cinematic history.
If Jaws was a woman, I’d make sweet love to it.
Okay, maybe not, but you get my point. By reading the former paragraphs, there is absolutely no doubt in your mind that Jaws is my all-time favorite movie, and in my opinion, the greatest movie I’ve ever seen.
Now here’s where you might possibly conclude that I’m going to be a little bias regarding the film, as I hold it so highly. I’ll do my best and not to act like I am.
Peter Benchley was the first screenwriter to pen the script for Jaws. He stayed true to his novel, but the draft was rejected by Stephen Spielberg. Benchley re-wrote the script two more times, both rejected by Spielberg. Carl Gottlieb was then called in to help co-write the script.
The story is simple, and it always has been: a Great White shark plagues a small island community, and three men set out to stop it. There is more beneath the surface (pun not intended) to this movie. The script has the basic pillars and foundations any movie needs: friction. Man versus man, and man versus nature. This is one of the biggest things that I’ve always noted when watching Jaws.
Although Roy Scheider does a fantastic job as Martin Brody, the new police chief, Robert Shaw ousted him as the best actor of the film, playing the rough and vulgar shark hunter, Quint. All of the characters are fleshed out throughout the story, but only does Quint carry the air of reality to him. It is in the second act of the film where the three protagonists sit around a table, sharing stories about their scars. Quint concludes with the tale of the USS Indianapolis, blowing the others out of the water (again, pun not intended) ... you’ll see what I mean.
Spielberg did a great job directing the actors and the movie, no matter what Jason says. It may have been by sheer luck that Spielberg shot the film the way it was. Had “Bruce” (the mechanical shark) actually worked, I’m sure the movie would have been vastly different. Because of the technical failures “Bruce” suffered, Spielberg then shot the film from the point-of-view of the man-eater. It created a ghostly ambiance: the monster swimming below the surface; its victims blissfully unaware what lies beneath.
There’s nothing I can say about John Williams that Jason hasn’t said. Williams is my second favorite composer (coming up behind Joe Hisaishi), and by only switching from two keys, E and F.
At one point in time, Jaws was only a scary movie to me. Now it is something vastly more. It was the catalyst that made me see how wonderful films are (even if they're horrible). It showed me that the audience remembers those movies they took a moment out of their life to sit down and watch. I yearn for that same goal, to have a movie be remembered by the audience, as I strive to be a great screenwriter. I can't imagine my life now had I not found Jaws so captivating.
Now, only in words, can I hope that you understand why and how much I cherish this film.
10/10
We dubbed it “Jaws Night.” We rented the whole collection of the Jaws films (on VHS at the time) and intended on staying up as late as possible to watch them all. I was only able to watch the first film before slowly dazing off, chasing away dreams of giant man-eating sharks. But what I watched was wonderful. It scared me, yet I was along for the ride the whole entire time.
Six years passed before I watched Jaws for the second time. This time it was being played on television, in regards to the anniversary edition that was being released. I watched the film, and something was sparked inside of me. I couldn’t stop watching it. TNT has been known for playing Jaws over and over again, and every time they played it, I watched it. I watched it religiously. Some may consider that too much, but I didn’t care, I loved it. I craved it. I embraced it.
And now, after all of these years, I finally voice my opinion regarding this great piece of cinematic history.
*****
If Jaws was a woman, I’d make sweet love to it.
Okay, maybe not, but you get my point. By reading the former paragraphs, there is absolutely no doubt in your mind that Jaws is my all-time favorite movie, and in my opinion, the greatest movie I’ve ever seen.
Now here’s where you might possibly conclude that I’m going to be a little bias regarding the film, as I hold it so highly. I’ll do my best and not to act like I am.
Peter Benchley was the first screenwriter to pen the script for Jaws. He stayed true to his novel, but the draft was rejected by Stephen Spielberg. Benchley re-wrote the script two more times, both rejected by Spielberg. Carl Gottlieb was then called in to help co-write the script.
The story is simple, and it always has been: a Great White shark plagues a small island community, and three men set out to stop it. There is more beneath the surface (pun not intended) to this movie. The script has the basic pillars and foundations any movie needs: friction. Man versus man, and man versus nature. This is one of the biggest things that I’ve always noted when watching Jaws.
Although Roy Scheider does a fantastic job as Martin Brody, the new police chief, Robert Shaw ousted him as the best actor of the film, playing the rough and vulgar shark hunter, Quint. All of the characters are fleshed out throughout the story, but only does Quint carry the air of reality to him. It is in the second act of the film where the three protagonists sit around a table, sharing stories about their scars. Quint concludes with the tale of the USS Indianapolis, blowing the others out of the water (again, pun not intended) ... you’ll see what I mean.
Spielberg did a great job directing the actors and the movie, no matter what Jason says. It may have been by sheer luck that Spielberg shot the film the way it was. Had “Bruce” (the mechanical shark) actually worked, I’m sure the movie would have been vastly different. Because of the technical failures “Bruce” suffered, Spielberg then shot the film from the point-of-view of the man-eater. It created a ghostly ambiance: the monster swimming below the surface; its victims blissfully unaware what lies beneath.
There’s nothing I can say about John Williams that Jason hasn’t said. Williams is my second favorite composer (coming up behind Joe Hisaishi), and by only switching from two keys, E and F.
At one point in time, Jaws was only a scary movie to me. Now it is something vastly more. It was the catalyst that made me see how wonderful films are (even if they're horrible). It showed me that the audience remembers those movies they took a moment out of their life to sit down and watch. I yearn for that same goal, to have a movie be remembered by the audience, as I strive to be a great screenwriter. I can't imagine my life now had I not found Jaws so captivating.
Now, only in words, can I hope that you understand why and how much I cherish this film.
The Final Call:
10/10
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