Written on the 40th anniversary of the birth of "Jaws"

Kallie 2022-03-21 09:01:02

If you look at "Jaws" from a modern perspective, especially when you see the shark model that is too fake to be fake, I believe that many viewers will definitely sneer at it. This is a matter of course. The more technology-based movies are, the more likely they are to be eliminated by the times. However, if we use the mood when we saw "Avatar" as a reference, then we can understand the reactions of those audiences at that time. The release of this film caused many viewers to dare not go to the sea anymore, and even caused a significant reduction in the number of beach tourists in 1975, and triggered a long-term fear of sharks. Such a wide range of cultural influence, I am afraid that only a few movies can compare with it.

Similar to the "French Drug Network" reviewed in the last film, "Jaws" is by no means an impeccable and perfect work, but it occupies a very important position in the history of film. First of all, this is the first film to be released using the concept of "large-scale release", with a large number of marketing activities and TV commercials, setting a global box office record of 470 million, in the history of film distribution and establishing a Hollywood business model The above has far-reaching significance; secondly, the film set a model for future horror films or thrillers, opening the era of high-cost, high-tech and high-speed thrillers, and more and more lucrative high-cost works that are easy to promote and describe The more welcomed by the studio. Therefore, like "French Drug Network", "Jaws" has also been included in the list of protected films under the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

As a thriller, the first priority for survival is naturally "thriller" or not. In this regard, Steven Spielberg, who was still in the leveling stage, did quite well, and his talent for storytelling has begun to emerge. Although "Great White Shark" is the protagonist of the film and the source of horror, in fact the model of this shark named "Bruce" appeared in the film very limited shots. Most of the time the director used suggestive methods to construct it. The atmosphere of suspense and terror, the psychological impact of the shark on the characters in the film is far greater than the horror of the shark itself, Spielberg's grasp of this is just right. Of course, "Jaws" can become a classic, and the soundtrack of composer John Williams is also indispensable. The theme music surrounding the two notes of bass and bass conveys a strong sense of oppression, simple but direct, in his own words It means "like a shark, approaching you unrelentingly and unstoppable."

In addition to fear, the shadows of Moby-Dick and The Old Man and the Sea can be clearly seen in Jaws. The professional shark hunter Quint is just another Ahab or Santiago. On the surface, Quint’s motivation for accepting tasks is for rewards, but his subconscious desire to challenge monsters and nature is the source of his behavior. In him, we can not only see the hatred of the prey like Ahab, as well as the greedy desire to kill and conquer, but also the indomitable and tenacious qualities like Santiago. Quint is the best portrayed character in this thriller. "Empire" magazine selected the 100 most outstanding movie characters in 2008. It is not easy for Quint to be ranked 50th.

The sensational effect of "Jaws" at the time also caused various interpretations by academic critics. For example, the film retained the thought of cynicism about politics after the Watergate incident (represented by the mayor who cared about human life and profited only); "Idealism" (represented by Gwent), "science" (represented by Hooper), "common people" (represented by Brody) are regarded as three different methods of solving problems, and so on. Personally, these insights are reasonable and interesting, but there is no need to over-interpret an entertainment movie. When the film loads more metaphors, its attributes appear to be cheaper. "Jaws" is just "Jaws". That's it.

Forty years have passed, and the biological thrillers represented by "Jaws" have obviously been played badly. When sharks, crocodiles, and pythons appear in second and third-rate thrillers over and over again, we are no longer afraid. . Thriller (horror) movies are one of the genres that most need to keep pace with the times. Compared with the prevalence of new horror elements such as "ecological catastrophe", "cyber crisis", and "artificial intelligence", turn your head back and look at the "Great White Shark". "When I was born, I couldn't help but sigh that the era was so simple.

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Extended Reading
  • Lucie 2022-03-24 09:01:02

    Due to production disasters (frequent failures of mechanical sharks, sudden increase in production costs, and 159 days delay in working hours), forced to use hints (John Williams' music, floating buckets, etc.), becoming more like Hitchcock than Ray Harryhausen's unexpected artistic achievements . In the first half, the threat (the principle of death for prostitutes), the existence of evidence, believe it or not, mainly focus on the conflict between the sheriff (from New York) and the mayor (local), with realistic criticism (strengthening the economy to ignore the threat, fundamentally 2020 Trump), but not too mean (the mayor finally said that my child is also on the beach); the second half focuses on the conflict between the sheriff, the captain, and the scientist on the ORCA ship: family man/"The Old Man and the Sea", "Moby Dick" style Elders (but more negatives such as discriminatory language) and USS Indianapolis survivors of World War II (rather like the paranoid Vietnam war veterans of the New Hollywood style, the pig teammates broke the ship and were eaten)/the rich college student technical house (hidden on the bottom of the sea and did not die) = =). The classic editing of the split-focus period. Is the suggestiveness of music too significant? For example, there was no music in the scene where a child fitted a shark dorsal fin.

  • Holden 2021-10-20 18:58:51

    It can be regarded as watching this movie... Richard Dreyfus is alive in Spielberg’s style at that time. The film is also a smashing technology house, the incarnation of the director (because the stuntman and the shark are not filmed) The underwater scene has changed the ending hahaha). More than a hundred days later, Shengsheng turned a B-level film into an A-level production. Because of the troubled mechanical sharks various strikes and a blessing in disguise, the film caught up with Hitchcock’s psychological horror ("Invisible" It's the most terrifying"), and don't forget to use a dolly zoom to pay tribute to Hitchcock's [Victoria]. As the first studio film to shoot marine shots in real scene, although the marine shots are not available, they are not noticed if you look closely. The film should also be used to explain Tom Ganning’s "attractive movies". Good example. In addition, the end of the film is still a bit anxious. In addition, today, what the town government tried to conceal the truth is so familiar...

Jaws quotes

  • Hooper: [Hooper attempts to wet his mask before Quint and Brody lower him in the shark cage] I got no spit.

  • [Hooper is examining the remains of the first victim, describing the post-mortem into his tape recorder]

    Hooper: The height and weight of the victim can only be estimated from the partial remains...

    [He lifts the sheet covering the remains, inhales sharply, then regains his composure]

    Hooper: The torso has been severed in mid-thorax; there are no major organs remaining... May I have a glass of water, please?

    Medical Examiner: Sure.

    Hooper: Right arm has been severed above the elbow with massive tissue loss in the upper musculature.

    [takes water]

    Hooper: Thank you very much.

    [sips the water and continues]

    Hooper: Partially denuded bone remaining...

    [to the M.E]

    Hooper: This was no boating accident.

    [to Brody]

    Hooper: Did you notify the Coast Guard about this?

    Brody: No. It was only local jurisdiction.

    Hooper: [continues post-mortem] The left arm, head, shoulders, sternum and portions of the rib cage are intact...

    [Brody begins to light a cigarette]

    Hooper: Do not smoke in here, thank you very much!

    [lifts up the severed arm]

    Hooper: This is what happens. It indicates the non-frenzied feeding of a large squalus - possibly Longimanus or Isurus glauca. Now the enormous amount of tissue loss prevents any detailed analysis; however the attacking squalus must be considerably larger than any normal squalus found in these waters.

    [pulls off his glasses]

    Hooper: Didn't you get on a boat and check out these waters?

    Brody: No.

    Hooper: Well, this is not a boat accident! It wasn't any propeller, it wasn't any coral reef, and it wasn't Jack the Ripper!

    [splashes water on his face and takes a deep breath]

    Hooper: It was a shark.