If you haven't seen the film Jaws, go watch it. If you have seen the film, go watch it again. As I watch Steven Spielberg's 1975 classic for the third time in two days, I realize this is the peak of American cinema. The film's brilliance did not go unrecognized as it was the highest grossing film of all time until Star Wars. Jaws won three Oscars at the 1976 Academy Awards. The film revolves around a sleepy island community whose economy relies on summer tourism. The sleepy town becomes more restless when a big white shark begins to terrorize the island. The film follows the island's police chief, an oceanographer, and a salty sea captain's attempts to solve the problem. Shot on location in Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts, Jaws scared viewers into avoiding the ocean. The film hinges on its score, stellar acting performances, and its brilliant young director.
Jaws was composed by John Williams. The man is easily the most well known film composer of all time. His track record includes scoring the following films; Superman, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, Three Harry Potter films and all seven Star Wars films. The classic Jaws theme song is often replicated but never duplicated. The theme is a haunting string section accompanied by aggressive brass sounds.
The acting performances in Jaws are top notch. Roy Schieder plays Chief Martin Brody, a family man who fears anything involving the ocean. Brody's fear is best illustrated when questioned by Hooper.
Brody: It doesn't make any sense when you pay a guy like you to watch sharks.
Hooper: Well, uh, it doesn't make much sense for a guy who hates the water to live on an island either.
Brody: It's only an island if you look at it from the water.
Hooper: That makes a lot of sense.
Best Actor Oscar Winner Richard Dreyfuss portrays Matt Hooper, a successful oceanographer. The final star is British actor Robert Shaw. Shaw plays my favorite film character of all time, Captain Quint. Watch my favorite scene in the film below, Quint at his best:
Throughout the film, Quint tosses out one-liners right and left. Keep an eye out for that sort of thing in your second and third viewings. Also, the film's most memorable line is "We're gonna need a bigger boat", despite the fact that the correct line is "You're gonna need a bigger boat."
Steven Spielberg, the director of E.T., Raider of the Lost Ark, Schindler's List, and Saving Private Ryan was just 26 years old when he began the filming of Jaws. That's one of those facts that makes everyone feel like a piece of sh*t for not doing anything with their lives. He was only 26 years old and created the all-time highest grossing film! That's incredible. What have you done? Spielberg's greatest triumph is not only Jaws- it's not Orson Wells-ing himself, and not turning himself into a piece of sh*t like the rest of us.
