Cutting Edge Film Programme: Jaws (1975)

Figure 1: Movie Poster [Still Image]

Jaws (1975) is an American thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg. It was based on Peter Benchley's novel bearing the same name. It is a story about an enormous man- eating great white shark that attacks beachgoers on a hot summer Amity Island, a fictional summer resort town. The attacks have prompted the local police chief, Martin Brody, to take action by going out to sea to hunt for it. This was possible with the help of a marine biologist, Matt Hooper and a professional shark hunter, Quint. After their brief encounter with the beast, they knew they needed a bigger boat to counter the attacks and kills it.

Figure 2: Hooper, Brody and Quint On The Boat [Still Image]

A context from this storyline that is prominent is the struggle between the past and the present. Brody is afraid to be in the water since he was a child, Quint had a recollection of his terrible adventure in the ocean during the Second World War and Hooper became a shark specialist because a shark attacked him when he was a child. These past events that the characters were associated with makes them ‘broken’. This can be shown visually when broken things are shown throughout the movie. Examples would be the broken fences along the dunes, which looks like the shark’s teeth, broken windows, close-ups of torn legs, skins covered with scars, pictures of bodies bitten by sharks, and so on. These ‘broken aspect’ of Spielberg's movie was accurately portrayed when the composer, John Williams was able to come up with a score that are made up with a harsh and 'decomposed music'. This can be supported by a statement made by Haflidason when he says “If ever there was an important example for how music can enhance a film it is "Jaws". John Williams' memorable score is used sparingly but its tone of impending terror is more responsible for the power of the film than the sightings of the beast itself." (Haflidason, 2001)

Figure 2: Broken Fences Along The Dunes [Still Image]

Apart from the brilliant music score, the camera technique that his film has been highly associated with is the Dolly In and Zoom Out technique. It is a technique that has been used by director Alfred Hitchcock to suggest the sensation of vertigo. A dolly is when the camera is fixed to a platform and raced onto a track during film production.  In a scene when Brody sees swimmers panicking in the water and fears a shark attack, the camera produces a disorienting effect using the rapid "dolly in, zoom out" technique. The cameraman moves the camera along a track towards the character while simultaneously zooming the camera lens backwards, creating a feeling of dizziness. As Ebert mention in his review “The shark has been so thoroughly established, through dialogue and quasi-documentary material, that its actual presence is enhanced in our imaginations by all we've seen and heard.”(Ebert, 2000) The fearless use of this kind of shot was a success as it has helped to convey both the isolation for the victims and endows the shark with seemingly god-like hunting powers.

Figure 3: Dolly In And Zoom Out Shot Of Brody At The Beach [Still Image]

In conclusion, Jaws is a film that has a well thought concept and incredible screenplay that remains timeless as it is still able to successfully scare audience even after 30 years from its release date. A review from Eggert endorses this statement when he states “Every scene shows a master at work to create something uniformly consumable and visually distinct, amounting to a purity assembled through an incredible technical and narrative artistry. It is a cherished picture of unrelenting suspense. Thus, Jaws will never lose its potency, no matter how many times one sees it.” (Eggert, 2012)

List of Illustrations:

Figure 1 Jaws (1975) [Poster] at http://www.couchdown.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/jaws.jpg(Accessed on 5 February 2014)

Figure 2 Hooper, Brody and Quint On The Boat (1975) [Still Image] at http://www.knowthemovies.com/wp-content/uploads/jaws-movie-still-7.jpg (Accessed on 5 February 2014)

Figure 3 Broken Fences Along The Dunes (1975) [Still Image] at http://www.empireonline.com/images/features/jaws-101/jaws-imagery-3.jpg (Accessed on 5 February 2014)

Figure 4 Dolly In and Zoom Out Shot Of Brody At The Beach (1975) [Still Image] at http://oi51.tinypic.com/2dmfip5.jpg (Accessed on 5 February 2014)

List of Bibliography:

Ebert, Roger (2000) Jaws At: http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-jaws-1975 (Accessed on 4 February 2014)

Eggert, Brian (2012) Jaws (1975) At: http://www.deepfocusreview.com/reviews/jaws.asp (Accessed on 4 February 2014)

Haflidason, Almar (2001) Jaws (1975) At:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2000/07/14/jaws_review.shtml (Accessed on 4 February 2014)