Jaws 1975

Fig 1 Movie Poster

Spielberg’s 1975 epic action thriller Jaws follows Sherrif Martin Brody on this mission to protect the town and his family from the deadly white shark that lurks in the water killing people. Martin teams up with oceanographer Matt Hooper and ex soldier Quint and head out on Quint’s boat to hunt this shark which they succeed in doing.

Fig 2. (Left to right) Quint, Martin and Hooper.

Spielberg ticks all the boxes in story telling in this film: we get to know these characters individually and that is an asset to making this story a good one. “Spielberg is very good at presenting those characters in a way that makes them individuals.” (Ebert, 1975). We have Martin, who is the most realistic character, he is the one most audience members would identify with and he brings that sense of humanity. Hooper brings the knowledge to the team, he is the one who educates Martin and the audience, he teaches us what equipment is which and just how powerful they are. Quint is the one with a vendetta against sharks and is more than happy to kill one, he brings the aggression and confidence required to take down a shark something Martin and Hooper lack. It is all these traits that make the audience invest in them, we are intrigued in their adventure and how each individual responds to it. (see fig 2).

Fig 3. Shark POV Shot

Fig 4. Isolation Long Shot.

From the start, from the very first killing we know this story is going to be about this shark and stopping it. The shark is the star of the show and Spielberg uses the camera to justify why he is. The shark is portrayed to have strong and powerful senses, we see through the shark’s eye the people swimming above, (see fig 3), naïve and vulnerable, not knowing what is below them and just how much danger they’re in. When the first killing takes place it is displayed through many long shots (see fig 4) which exaggerates the victims isolation with its killer. It’s a highly likely possibility that this shark is too superior and mighty to be stopped which makes the story all the more intriguing to find out its ending. Now we know just how strong and mighty this shark is without actually seeing him tensions are built and only rise with the extra power John Williams’s music score contributes; a score made iconic by this film. “The music for Jaws is neither John Williams' best nor his most rousing score, but the shark theme, which has been used in countless spoofs, is one of the most recognizable cues in movie music history. The reason is simple - it is singularly effective. Combined with the "shark's perspective" camera shots, Williams' music is enough to evoke the approach of the creature, even when we don't see it.” (Berardinelli, 2010). Williams has done music scores for films such as Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, Star Wars and Superman.

Fig 5. Shark Surprise.

Throughout the film until the last third, there is a lack of shots showing the shark, due to mechanical malfunctions, which worked in his favour because when we do see it properly in a memorable scene where Martin is chucking bait out a bucket, he and the audience are caught off guard when the shark does make a sudden unexpected shock appearance (see fig 5) and again Spielberg has frightened his audience. The shark has been now exposed to the camera - to the characters and us. This is the one of the many foreshadows that the tables are turning and its the sharks turn to be hunted and killed. Other foreshadows are during the beginning and middle of this adventure Hooper warns Martin how dangerous the canister is, the camera displays some close ups of weapons and equipment. The exposure of the shark which results in him getting tagged with barrels accelerate the tables turning, the shark makes some strong attacks too supported by the music score to build up that tension, three men with weapons vs strong superior killer shark. 

Fig 6. Shark Wreckage.

Just as we think they might succeed in killing this shark, Quint tells the story of how he got his scar from a shark attack, he was out with many men in battle in the sea and by the time help had come, sharks had killed the majority, we are reminded just how much of a difficult task this is and the tension returns. Then the shark makes many damaging attacks which leads to Hooper going under in a metal cage to kill the shark by injecting it with a long pole which then leads to the sinking of the ship (see fig 6), Quint being swallowed and Martin being the one to kill it just as he’s about to go in all the while the audience are put at unease not only because of the visuals but the music too and their grown attachments to the characters. “If ever there was an important example for how music can enhance a film it is “Jaws"." (Haflidason, 2001). The camera reminds us throughout the last third of the film in a long shot just how far from land they are and like other victims how isolated they are with their potential killer. In addition to that, although we do get frightened it’s the fun kind of fright which again keeps the audience engaged with this story.

Fig 7. Mechanical Shark.

Spielbergs use of camera, character, music, plot and how he’s worked them together is what makes Jaws a film that goes down in cinema history, in addition to the legendary shark which was an animal electronic (see fig 7).




Bibliography:

Berardinelli, J. (2010) Jaws | Reelviews movie reviews. At: http://www.reelviews.net/reelviews/jaws (Accessed on 18 February 2017)

Ebert, R. (1975) ‘Jaws’. At: http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/jaws-1975 (Accessed on 18 February 2017)

Haflidason, A. (2001) ‘Films - review - jaws’. At: http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2000/07/14/jaws_review.shtml (Accessed on 18 February 2017)



Illustration List:

Figure 1. Movie Poster. (2014) [Poster] (2014) Gossip/Controversy. Slashfilm. At: http://www.slashfilm.com/original-jaws-poster-art-missing/ (Accessed on 18 February 2017)

Figure 2. Martin, Hooper, Quint. (1975) (2015). jaws. At: https://sitizainabjaws.wordpress.com/2015/01/24/jaws/ (Accessed on 18 February 2017)

Figure 3 and 4. Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. (1975) Camera Shots. [Film Still] (2012) YouTube. YouTube. At: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMaCt-ednjE (Accessed on 18 February 2017)

Figure 5. Shark Surprise. (1975) (2015). jaws. At: https://sitizainabjaws.wordpress.com/2015/01/24/jaws/ (Accessed on 18 February 2017)

Figure 6. Sinking Ship. (1975) (2016) The Guardian. The Guardian. At: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/jun/14/jaws-review (Accessed on 18 February 2017)

Figure 7. ScreenPrism. (1975) Mechanical Shark. (2016) At: http://screenprism.com/insights/article/problems-with-mechanical-shark-in-jaws (Accessed on 18 February 2017)