Jaws
“You’re gonna need a bigger boat.” – Chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider)
This is one of the most famous, and hilarious, understatements in the history of cinema. This oft-quoted line has become synonymous with anytime something goes wrong (which I think we all can appreciate right now) and is part of the charm and wit that has made Jaws (1975) an icon, or representative of those captivating elements it takes to make a film a true ‘blockbuster.’ Summer, and cinema, has never truly been the same since the summer of 1975. People spent more time outside, flocking to the beaches, and studios often dumped lackluster films into the theater knowing that there was not nearly as large of an audience during those warmer months, but all that quickly changed with the release of one film.
Celebrating its 45th Anniversary this month, Jaws is a film every film student should see, at least once, if for no other reason than it changed the way we think about summer film releases. Love the film or hate the film, this blockbuster has something for everyone, a little comedy, a whole lot of drama, some good scares, and some pretty epic (and shark-filled) cinematic moments. The first time I saw Jaws was on the big screen in June of 2015 when TCM presented the film in theaters for its 40th Anniversary. The theater was packed, and the audience was very engaged with the action taking place onscreen. There were collective chuckles at certain lines (“That’s some bad hat, Harry.”) and plenty of gasps and reactions to the jump scares (particularly the head in Ben Gardner’s boat). I remember enjoying the film and my experience of seeing it in the theater, but found Jaws to be less enjoyable when watching this movie on a much smaller screen…
With a repeat viewing, I found too many issues with the film and became bored by the toxic male ‘pissing contest’ between Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and Quint (Robert Shaw). One thing that bugs me is the abrupt cut between the scene where the shark enters the pond (or estuary), killing a man, and scaring the boys who are dragged out of the water, particularly Brody’s son, Michael, who appears to be in a state of shock after this incident. Based upon the DVD commentary, this scene had more substance to it, including Michael being thrown around and saved by the male boater, as the boater is being eaten by the shark, but director Steven Spielberg felt this scene was too “gruesome” and cut much of it from the film. This missing idea and piece of action is needed to create better continuity within the scene and explain Michael’s extreme state of shock (especially where the other boys were not depicted as being quite so traumatized).
Most of the action (and shark attacks) within the film, takes place on land and within the first two-thirds of the movie, whereas the entire last act takes place on Quint’s boat. The minute the three male leads are offshore, there is a decided shift in tone and the film changes its focus. From the very start of the film, there are homages to earlier cinema, particularly the below water shots looking up towards the female swimmer, which are reminiscent of the swimming scenes from Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954). There is also a cheeky sort of Hitchcockian flavor to the comings and goings of the beachgoers as Brody watches for signs of shark activity. The quick cutting in this early scene, as passers-by flash across the scene, intercut with shots that zoom in progressively closer to Brody’s face, as he watches the swimmer with the cap emerge from the water, resembles some of the same tension building techniques that Alfred Hitchcock uses within his films, particularly some of the cutting sequences found in Vertigo (1958). The playfulness of these earlier scenes is in sharp contrast to the action found in the last third of the film, almost jarringly so.
The minute Brody, Hooper, and Quint set off in Quint’s boat, to hunt down the great white shark, much of the humor of the film ceases. (Granted Brody’s repeated utterings of ‘needing a bigger boat’ act as minor comic relief for this portion of the film.) We are quickly introduced to Quint’s world aboard the Orca, a world of an awfully specific kind of masculinity. Quint would view himself as a ‘man’s man,’ complete with the machismo that is often associated with literary figures like Ernest Hemingway, or characters such as Captain Ahab from Herman Melville’s “Moby-Dick” (1851). This part of the film became decidedly unenjoyable to watch, so much so, that I found myself rooting for the shark, aka. Bruce. Seriously, there is something almost poetic about Quint being eaten by the very beast that he is hunting. Even Quint’s livelihood, his fishing boat (the Orca), is destroyed by his zealous behavior and relentless pursuit of proving his masculinity. Our survivors, the seasick Brody and nerdy Hooper, had been attacked every step of this journey, not just by Bruce, but by Quint too. This is particularly true of Hooper, who Quint looks down upon and attacks mercilessly for his “city,” or un-calloused, hands. Even their minor moments of ‘male bonding,’ comparing ‘war wounds’ and scars, does little to change Quint’s attitude. By the end of the film, you cannot help but feel at least a little bit sorry for the shark…
If one positive thing has come out of Jaws, it is the increased awareness of how misunderstood sharks truly are. Televisions programs for events like Discovery channel’s “Shark Week” and nature documentaries like The Blue Planet (2001) have played upon the fear and curiosity we have cultivated surrounding sharks, since the release of Jaws in 1975, but have attempted to mitigate those fears and expand people’s knowledge and appreciate of the bio-diversity within our oceans. Other recent mainstream horror films, like The Shallows (2016), 47 Meters Down (2016), The Meg (2018), and 47 Meters Down: Uncaged (2019), are simply capitalizing upon the success of the “Jaws” franchise and people’s irrational phobia and fascination with all things sharks. One thing is for certain, our interest for the things that live deep within the depths of our oceans is sure to spark continued cinematic fodder, which will owe a portion of their success to the chum-filled waters that started it all: Jaws and the underwater villain that can be identified from two simple notes on a piano (thank you John Williams!)… “duunnn dunnn... duuuunnnn duun…” – Sarah 👙📢🏊
Believe it or not, I had never seen the film Jaws until preparing for this review. Some film buff, huh? Overlooking well-known works is a situation I run into with many films by director Steven Spielberg. His work is a constant presence in pop culture to such a degree that, thanks to clips, references, and memes, actually watching the film felt unnecessary. I'm familiar with the shark’s musical theme; I know, "You're gonna need a bigger boat;" is there anything else to this movie? It turns out, yes. I was pleasantly surprised that there's more to enjoy from Jaws than the mechanical shark and the Williams score. Indeed, I found some pretty compelling characters, exciting turns in the story, and a message that we certainly should hear today.
I was surprised to find the writing and direction to be more creative and slightly less blockbuster-y than I had anticipated. I enjoyed the Hitchcock-esque practice of hiding the monster (for the most part) and the elements of the film that the camera decides are too gruesome for the audience to witness, but what I wasn't expecting was the hints of oddness to the film. There is an uncanny way that the inhabitants of, and visitors to, Amity Island are shot, particularly in the beach scenes. In their joy and relaxation, and even with the audience knowing the imminent danger they are in, there lurks an extremely subtle, sinister quality that works well to implicate them in the damage of their mob mentality. The music also contributes to this feeling. I was surprised to hear, in addition to the foreboding iconic shark theme, musical cues during moments of genuine peril that were oddly light and playful. They were so strange that I couldn't help but love them. Additionally, I loved the practical effects, even the mechanical shark. While not the most realistic-looking, for some reason I found it to be more believable than most CGI effects, even today.
Speaking of effects, I couldn't help but be a bit confused by the segment in which the scientist Matt (played by Richard Dreyfuss) descends into the ocean in a cage to attempt to inject the shark lethally. He eventually escapes, not reappearing until the end of the film's conclusion (spoilers for a 45-year-old movie). I didn't understand why he wasn't dangling at the end of the cage when they pulled it up, and why the film was continuing as if Matt wasn't still alive, and how the heck he didn't die that entire time he was hiding underwater with a killer shark on the loose. When I finished my viewing, I looked at some of the behind-the-scenes details of the movie. I learned that the underwater footage in which the shark attacked the empty cage containing Matt was initially unusable, as Matt was supposed to be inside the cage as the shark attacked. If you're wondering why the cage was empty when they were shooting, suffice it to say that their original vision put a stunt double in some serious peril. In any case, Spielberg loved the footage with the empty cage so much that he rewrote the ending of the film, keeping Matt alive with protagonist Martin Brody (Roy Scheider). While the decision leaves that section of the film a little clunky, I love that a production situation made such a significant impact on the final film, and I also am glad that Matt (a fun character to watch) survives. I'm especially pleased that there are two survivors at the end of the film, rather than one "hero" left standing, a trope that I can rarely ever stand, especially in a movie with a male protagonist.
I further enjoyed the elements of the story that aren't necessarily 'meme-ified' or are otherwise less-pervasive in the general popular culture. For instance, if you had asked me last week to explain the movie, I would have said that a shark attacks people at a beach, and some guys go on a boat and eventually kill it. I had no idea that the last third of this movie is a quasi road trip (or, rather, boat trip) movie where three men spend time getting to know each other, monologuing for a good stretch, and, of course, singing sea shanties. If I had known there were sea shanties in this movie, I would have watched it decades ago!
Finally, I'd like to mention, if it isn't incredibly obvious, how relevant Jaws is now, and not because of the Fourth of July setting. This movie has COVID-19 written all over it, from the economically-driven figures of power ignoring and lying about the facts of a dangerous situation in favor of financial profit, to the mayor's (Murray Hamilton) frantic attempts to save his skin as he mutters potential press conference responses to himself. I couldn't help but feel an uncomfortable familiarity as I watched the scene in which the beach opens. Everyone is remaining out of the ocean, until the mayor talks a family into entering the water. At that point, all of the beachgoers, seeing that someone has already done it, eagerly rush into the ocean. There is also, of course, the shark expert who goes completely unmarked by anyone except Martin. Most devastatingly, there is the outrage of the people who put their trust in these authorities. Mrs. Kitner, the mother of a child who was killed by the shark, reproaches Martin with a quote that hit home: "I just found out that a girl got killed here last week, and you knew it! You knew there was a shark out there! You knew it was dangerous! But you let people go swimming anyway? You knew all those things! But still my boy is dead now. And there's nothing you can do about it. My boy is dead. I wanted you to know that." I can only imagine how many people would like to look a person in power in the face and say something in a similar vein.
Jaws would be a fun movie any other summer, and outside of the context of our current times, I think I would have immensely enjoyed it anyway. Nevertheless, I watched Jaws on this particular summer and, while I can appreciate it as a good movie, it might leave you thinking a bit more this time around. I highly recommend giving it a watch this summer. - Bailey 🦈
What are your favorite moments in Jaws? Who were you rooting for by the end of the film? Share your thoughts in the comments below and check back soon for our July Film Club Pick!
Copyright © 2020 Sarah Crane & Bailey Lizotte
