"Jaws" was a frightening movie to watch 25 years ago, when it was first released in the theaters. That fright, and the suspense and horror that are also part of the movie, can still be experienced today.
"Jaws" was not only frightening because of the explicit and graphic gory action, but also because of the ominous, disturbing score; it was enough to make your skin crawl then, and it does so now. Moreover, the score emphasized the relentless and unstoppable nature of the killer shark; no resistance could be offered, and any resistance was futile.
Curiously, the efforts of the "heroes" in the movie to defeat the shark are almost an accident. The shark is portrayed as a perfect, silent, killing machine, while the three men (the marine biologist, the sea captain, and the sheriff) are flawed, quarrelsome and ineffective. In one of the most interesting scenes, the shark slowly circles the stalled boat with the three heroes; while they argue hysterically among themselves, it glides slowly past, impervious to their fear, their anger, their terror, and even to the bullets the police chief fires into it.
The shark's total instinctive drive for cold-blooded killing is the most effective aspect of the movie for causing fright. Since killing is just what the shark does, and has nothing to do with emotion, prejudice or forethought, the shark kills anyone, without regard for the most sacred human taboos. Women, children, and the elderly are all devoured or dismembered. In one especially bloody scene, a small boy on an inflatable life raft is pulverized in a spray of blood and water; his destruction is so complete that there is nothing left.
Naturally, the shark is the star of the film, and it should be noted that all close-up scenes of the shark were actually a mechanical "stunt double", named Bruce. Still, the movie does have solid performances from each cast member, and it's also interesting to see how some of them, like Richard Dreyfuss, have matured as actors since then.
By all means, get the movie and check it out, especially if you've got one of the new, wide-screen televisions with Dolby stereo. That will do justice to the musical score, and set a perfect mood for watching the movie.
Spielberg pits three mena against a Great White Shark that has been attacking swimmers at an island resort in New England. The film redefined the word...More at HotMovieSale.com
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