The Throwback Film: Jaws

Illustration by Beth Alice

This Year’s Classic to Watch (or Re-watch): 'Jaws' (1975)

The term blockbuster was invented because people would line up outside the theatre for tickets, and queues would go all the way down the block and then around it, so they'd bust the block. Even though the term blockbuster was around way before 'Jaws' hit cinemas in 1975, it is justifiably credited as the first modern blockbuster, as it became the prototype for every summer blockbuster since. From the way it was marketed to the box office numbers to its ground-breaking filmmaking techniques, the DNA of 'Jaws' can be traced in everything from the 'Star Wars' franchise to the ever-present Marvel Cinematic Universe.

I know what you are probably thinking, “Why would I watch a movie from 1975? How can it possibly hold up?” Trust me I’ve been there. 'Jaws' was released years before I was born, and growing up, I would steer clear of anything remotely scary. Any time it came on TV and the family would sit down to watch it, I would excuse myself and go play with my action figures instead. But even then, 'Jaws' was so entrenched in the cultural zeitgeist that everything from cartoons to TV shows would often use the iconic “Duunnn Dunn…Duunn Dunn” theme with a visual of a shark fin speeding through the water, so much so that those of us who had not seen the movie would still very much get the reference.

It wasn’t until the film’s 25th Anniversary DVD was released in July of 2000 that I thought I needed to finally give this movie a try. By this point, I was a self-proclaimed cinephile who had conquered his fear of “scary” movies and was fast building an impressive DVD library containing movies from every genre and year. Truth be told, I wasn’t particularly excited about it, despite seeing the movie constantly ranked in the top 10 greatest movies ever lists in various movie magazines and despite knowing it was a Steven Spielberg movie, I mean, the man probably had the best track record of any director at that point, I was still doubtful if a creature feature from 1975 would still hold up. Thankfully, I could not have been more wrong. There may not be such a thing as a perfect movie, but there are a handful of movies that are probably as close to perfect as it gets, and 'Jaws' is definitely one of them.

Quick plot summary for the uninitiated: There's a killer shark picking off people left and right off the shores of Amity Island, Roy Scheider (the new Sheriff in town), Richard Dreyfuss (Oceanographic expert), and Robert Shaw (insane fisherman) go out on a hunt to find this terror and kill it.

If I were to give a score for every aspect of filmmaking 'Jaws' would get a 10/10 across the board in every department. Firstly, let's talk about Spielberg's masterful direction. Spielberg created an atmosphere of tension, fear, and anticipation that resonates with you on a visceral level. Less is more when it comes to the shark, which funnily enough was actually something that was forced upon Spielberg, as the animatronic shark was constantly breaking down but instead of wasting precious time and money, Spielberg improvised and employed innovative techniques, such as the use of the shark's point of view shots, which when aided greatly by John Williams' iconic, pulse-pounding score, resulted in creating an intense cinematic experience. The shark's hidden presence lurking beneath the water's surface heightened the suspense, captivating the viewer and instilling a sense of dread.

But where 'Jaws' really shines is its focus on character development. Unlike many creature features of the time, Spielberg spent considerable time building the relationships and personalities of his protagonists. Chief Brody (Roy Scheider), Quint (Robert Shaw), and Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) became three-dimensional characters with distinct motivations, conflicts, and quirks. Their interactions, fuelled by sharp dialogue and natural chemistry, added depth and emotional investment to the story. You connect with these relatable characters, elevating the film beyond its monster movie origins. Even Steven Spielberg has stated his favourite scene in the movie is when all three protagonists are on the boat at night where they sing a song together and show their scars, and the scene ends with Quint talking about the Indianapolis Sharks; it's a scene that has everything in it from comedy to drama to suspense all wrapped up into one great scene.

But the character work is just not reserved for the main protagonist, as everyone from Chief Brody’s wife and son to the townspeople, all feel like authentic, realistic human characters, and credit for this must also go to the fantastic script by Peter Benchley and Carl Gottlieb. I particularly love the way Peter Benchley and Carl Gottlieb establish the characters and their growth in such a subtle and effective way, the same for various important situations and scenarios in the movie, like the way the propane tanks play a pivotal part in the climax are subtly introduced and integrated into the action, nothing is on the nose, yet it is all still extremely effective.

Another vital part of the movie is its cinematography, shot by Bill Butler, who, much

like Spielberg, had the task of crafting a gorgeous piece of cinema under immensely challenging conditions, and much like Spielberg, he too rose to the occasion. From the very beginning of the movie, we see a beautiful shimmering magical ocean, only to then cut to a POV of the shark stalking its victim, to later on using several interesting techniques to escalate the tension leading up to another death, like keeping the foreground and the background in focus when Brody is talking to someone while still watching out to sea, and of course, the famous dolly zoom when Brody sees the shark attack. Aided superbly throughout by Verna Fields' masterful editing that keeps the movie going at a wonderful pace and the amazing sound design, all of which help craft what is still my favourite jump scare in a movie ever.

And last and perhaps most importantly, it's the famous score from John Williams that really elevates the movie to another level. From 'Star Wars' to 'Superman' to 'Indiana Jones', Williams has a remarkable list of famous scores to his credit. But, in my opinion, no other movie benefits as greatly from his score as 'Jaws'. The 'Jaws' theme is perfectly simple yet fear-inducing. It creates an instant feeling of dread. As Spielberg himself said, “When the Shark didn’t work, John Williams's score did.”

So, who do I recommend this movie to? EVERYONE!

If you love great movies, watch 'Jaws'.

If you want to make a great movie, watch and study 'Jaws'.

If you are planning a trip to the beach…then maybe wait until you get back home safe and then watch 'Jaws'.