Known for being the film that set the standards for Hollywood Blockbusters, Steven Spielberg’s Jaws (1975) tells the story of a town’s beach where several reports of shark attacks have been made. Mayor Vaughn (Murray Hamilton) at first refuses to close the beach due to it being a tourism spot, but finally sends fishermen after the shark. After they bring back home who they think is the shark that’s been attacking people, ichthyologist Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) is certain that they have the wrong one, and along with Police Chief Brody (Roy Scheider) and local fisherman Quint (Robert Shaw), they set out to find the Great White.
When thinking of Jaws, it is not uncommon to think of its music first. Spielberg made great use of the iconic tune, composed by John Williams, that viewers heard when the shark was closing in on its prey. Even today we associate the tune with terror, danger and desperation. Another thing that stands out in the film is the camera work. Spielberg chose to show parts of the shark, but not the entire animal, which made viewers wonder how big the Great White really was. He managed to make it seem massive, like a giant beast, even without showing us the entire animal. He did this through a combination of choice of shots and of course, the terrifying music that indicated to the viewers that danger was approaching.
Director Steven Spielberg’s film did not disappoint, as usual. Even though he was very young when he directed Jaws, he created a masterpiece. From the music he chose which still instills terror in the viewers, to the camera angles and choice of shots, viewers today can watch it and still be afraid to go in the water. He managed to create a tension in the film that carried on until its end, which is not an easy thing to achieve. All of these make Jaws an incredible film that is still known today as one of the best.
