Jaws

Film Review

Figure 1: Jaws Poster

Jaws directed by Steven Spielberg in 1975 blew the box office apart grossing over $500 million and
changed the Hollywood movie industry forever with what is now known as the summer blockbuster.
Based on the novel of the same name by Peter Benchley, Jaws tells the story of a mammoth man eating
Great White shark that terrifies and torments Amity Island, devouring its citizens while three
protagonists go on a quest to try and slay the beast.

There are many theories about the semiotics of the shark in Jaws, One theory is that the shark
represents a capitalist money making machine and that it shows when Hollywood started to turn dark
as Jaws was marketed phenomenally the industry started to become corrupt as it was understood that
a lot of money can be made from these blockbusters, not just from ticket sales but from merchandise
and promotions, Graeme Turner writes of the merchandise surrounding Jaws, stating that it had
probably the most elaborate array of tie-ins of any film to date, This included a sound-track album, T-
shirts, plastic tumblers, a book about the making of the movie, the book the movie was based on, beach
towels, blankets, shark costumes, toy sharks, hobby kits, iron-transfers, games, posters, sharks tooth
necklaces, sleepwear, water pistols, and more Turner (1999)

If in fact the shark in Jaws does represent these massive monetary conglomerates it could fit with the
towns Mayor in the movie as he is seen as only caring about money from the tourists, he does not
want to close the beach after the first victim of the shark was killed which was Chrissie.




It is also argued that the shark in Jaws is seen as the male sexual energy and is misogynistic as Chrissie
is the first victim from the shark she is attacked and killed as she is in the water while a man chases
after her for sexual relations, Chrissie serves nothing other than a victim, Cory explains The shark
here could represent the lust of a man Spielberg shoots the scene in a way that heightens its sexualized
content: the camera beneath Chrissie, with the shark gazing voyeuristically up at her through the murky
blue of the water and the heavenly, ethereal moonlight from above this opening scene is nothing less
than a coveting, with the female (Chrissie) an object of hungry, violent lust. The shark here illustrates the
subtext. Her death is punishment for her wanton sexuality Cory (2012)















Figure 2: Chrissie


Spielberg uses many methods to add suspense to Jaws, air canisters are purposely shown early in the
film to add suspense and hint to the viewer that they will be used to kill the shark, A lot of impressive
camera work is used to add mystery and instill unease when the shark is on the prowl. Point of view
shots are used coupled with the murky muddled water when the shark is stalking its pray adds a lot of
suspense and terror to many scenes. A Hitchcock trope dolly zoom is used when Brody thinks the
shark is about to attack, which shows the background distorting and gives a glimpse into Brodys
panic.

The score by John Williams has been pastiched many times and is incredible at adding suspense
coupled with the Point of view shots for when the shark is in attack mode the foreboding deep sounds
made from six basses, eight celli, four trombones and a tuba makes the score in Jaws one of the most
terrifying scores in film history. John Williams rightfully so won the Academy Award for Best Original
Dramatic Score and is ranked sixth on the American Film Institutes 100 Years of Film Scores for his
flawless score in Jaws.

The shark in Jaws were made up of three mechanical sharks that were massive plastic puppets and
they were a nightmare to work with on set as they kept breaking down, the shark was nicknamed
Bruce after Spielbergs lawyer, the website filmmakerIQ describes the three sharks sea-sled shark, a
full-body prop with its belly missing that was towed with a 300-foot (roughly 100-m) line, and two
platform sharks, one that moved from camera-left to -right (with its hidden left side exposing an array of
pneumatic hoses), and an opposite model with its right flank uncovered. Their construction involved a
team of as many as 40 effects technicians, supervised by renowned mechanical effects supervisor Bob
Mattey, best known for creating the giant squid in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea




















Figure 3: The Shark Puppet




Without jaws the massive summer blockbuster would have never existed, it has revolutionised and
reinvigorated the film industry and Hollywood as a lucrative industry. Spielbergs genius eye for
camera movements and angles couple with the stunning score by Williams make Jaws a classic and
one of the most impressive films in history.


















Illustration List

Spielberg, S. (1975) Figure 1: Jaws Poster
http://jaws.wikia.com/wiki/Jaws
Accessed on (4-3-17)

Spielberg, S. (1975) Figure 2: Chrissie
http://www.pajiba.com/seriously_random_lists/mindhole-blowers-20-facts-about-jaws-that-might-
make-you-want-to-scream-shaaark.php
Accessed on (4-3-17)

Spielberg, S. (1975) Figure 3: The Shark Puppet
http://filmmakeriq.com/lessons/film-screening-jaws/
Accessed on (4-3-17)



Bibliography

Turner G, Cited in Filmakeriq.com ,(1999), http://filmmakeriq.com/lessons/film-screening-jaws/
Accessed on (4-3-17)

Cory, Unknown (2012) difficultyofseeing.blogspot.co.uk
http://difficultyofseeing.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/ocean-of-hatred-misogyny-in-steven.html
Accessed on (4-3-17)