Until recently, I never saw Jaws. Now you might find that odd, or you could argue that since I was born and raised in Hawaii, this made perfect sense. We don’t fear the water over here; we respect it. I grew up listening to the surf report on the radio. Our islands have good warning systems in place to inform the population of strong surf or any other hazards. Lastly, I never heard of shark attacks.
So on the one hand, while it’s crazy that I never watched this epic film, it wasn’t as if I didn’t see many clips and pop cultural references throughout my life. (SNL’s land shark anyone?) It’s one of those movies where I knew, at least on the very surface level, what happened. But of course, it was about so much more that a shark terrorizing the small town of Amity. In fact, “in 2001, it was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry as “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.
- Interestingly, Steven Spielberg, a mere 26 years old, thought he would never be able to make another movie again because he was grossly over budget.
- It also didn’t help that he was told by a very well-known actress while at a party, ‘I just came back from LA and everybody says this picture is a complete stinker. It’s a total failure and nobody will ever hire you again because you’re profligate in your spending and you’re irresponsible. Everybody’s calling you irresponsible!’
- Producers wanted Spielberg to hire someone to train a great white.
- The mechanical sharks used malfunctioned frequently and caused many problems but this serendipitously allowed for the now iconic music score to “step in and fill the gaps” where the shark was supposed to have performed.
- This also forced Spielberg to get creative, build suspense with hints of shark, and use real footage, all of which resulted in box-office gold.
- Prior to Jaws, there was no such thing as summer blockbusters. Traditionally, Hollywood concentrated their movie releases during Christmastime, but Jaws (and later Star Wars) changed that.
- And once producers realized they had a hit with the test audiences, they threw copious amounts of advertising money into promoting the film, also unheard of at the time.
- Jaws went on to win three Academy Awards for best film editing, original dramatic score and best sound.
- Jaws became the new model for horror films after its release. Ridley Scott even pitched “Alien” as ” ‘Jaws’ in space.”
For a thriller, the acting is impressive, as is the fact that you could probably watch the film multiple times and get something else out of it. Funnily, there are debates as to what the movie really means, from Watergate to masculinity to capitalism to my favorite “three different approaches to solving an obstacle: science (represented by Hooper), spiritualism (represented by Quint), and the common man (represented by Brody).”
And you thought it just had to do with a shark.
I’m participating in Film Fridays hosted by Darren and Sarah. Care to join? Just hashtag that post.
I saved the best for last. We watched the film on the exact day of its release June 20 but we had no idea until afterwards. How crazy is that?
Have you seen Jaws? Do you prefer to swim in the ocean or the pool?
Life, the Universe, and Lani 
I have seen jaws quite a few times. I can’t remember how young I was when I first seen it. But I remember being on the edge of my seat, gripped and heart racing.
I am not a good swimmer, so you won’t see me too far out. I usually just paddle in it.
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Isn’t that funny. Usually I do end up seeing old popular movies many times too, but for some reason this one escaped me. I could see it being scary at the time.
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Ha! I almost wrote about Jaws this week myself – so you helped me decide 🙂
I watch this at least once a year. It is a masterclass in movie making and, for me, marks the start of a golden era of movies led by Spielberg, Lucas, Cameron, Scott, Carpenter et al.
Each time I watch it I find something new to enjoy – you are so right about that.
Funnily enough – I was 9 when I first got dragged to see it by my mother and it scared the hell out of me and I refused to watch it again until well into my 30s.
Oh – and I learned to swim only 3 years ago at 51!
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What? That’s crazy! What made you decide to learn to swim after all these years?
Glad I could help 😉
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Always wanted to and had an ambition to Scuba dive but not being able to swim was a slight disadvantage. The lessons I had were run by a hopeless company who would cancel with no notice or switch venues but I managed to swim a length on my final lesson and then felt confident to practice in the pool at my wifes gym at quiet times.
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Well done! and good for you for sticking with it. Maybe hold off on the scuba diving for a bit… 😛
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Did you enjoy it? It’s been so long since I’ve seen it — I can’t remember if I did.
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There are definitely movies I have forgotten if I have seen it, but even movies that I have seen I tend to forget a lot and get lost in the moment.
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I THINK I’ve seen it all the way through, but with all the clips and spoofs, etc., I may not have. I do love to swim in the ocean, but (because I don’t surf) I prefer my good ol’ Great Lake, Erie. Small waves, nice beaches (and yes some crummy beaches, too) and not so cold. I would, however, love to visit HI–never have. Much easier trip for my family that live on the West Coast (WA), where it’s too cold to swim in the ocean–huh?
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I know what you mean, I’ve seen so much of Jaws I knew how the shark died, but it became apparent that I hadn’t seen it once the film started. It’s nice to appreciate the past, how much things have or haven’t changed, etc.
Since I’m an island girl, I’m actually not a fan of lakes and rivers. Rivers are too scary and unfamiliar, and it was on my first lake trip that I got my first sunburn! 😛
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Terrifying! Like Hitchcock’s “The Birds.” Brilliantly done, but now I’m afraid of sharks!
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Heheheheh. No surprise. You could always watch Shark Week on the nature channel? 😛
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I read the book first in my teens. Later I saw the movie at a Drive-In. Scared the crap out of me. I always think I can see sharks hiding in the shallows when I go to the beach, which I haven’t now for about 30 years. Maybe the movie has something to do with that! :O Or it could be because I am not taking my clothes off in public. Beached whale being the correct description. On reflection, it is probably the former.
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Hahahhaa. I’m actually not much of a beach person myself which is why even though I live near one I never go. I’d rather walk along than get in the water and it’s not fear or anything, it’s just I’m not a beach person. I’d rather hike in the mountains.
Ah, drive-ins. Post COVID revival please!
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Most drive-ins have closed here. The few that are still operating in Australia are doing a roaring trade during this pandemic.
I’m not a beach person either. Probably makes me not Aussie enough.
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I saw Jaws as a child and couldn’t sleep for a couple of nights after! 🙈
As an adult I found it far less scary and a lil unbelievable. But I’m sure for its time, all the effects and the mechanised shark must have thrilled the audience!
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Yes, as an adult it didn’t scare me, if anything I found it amusing, but for mid-70s movies, it must have been so realistic. 😀
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I haven’t seen Jaws in a while. I remember being in a house share back in the 90s, and Jaws was on atV, it must have been the 20th anniversary. We all dissed the film before it started but settled down to watch it anyway. Two silent hours later we all could breathe again and now were saying what a good film it was. In my teens I went to see Jaws 3 in 3D. That was not a good film.
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Oh really? Interesting. You didn’t like the 3D effects? I’m guessing it took away rather than added to the film?
Yeah, I don’t like 3D in general. It gives me a headache. Hahahhaha.
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It wasn’t the 3D effects so much as the laughable plot, which if I remember correctly the main protagonists got on a plane at some point and the shark was magically able to divine not only that they were leaving but also where they were going and swam down to meet them. Poor plot and none of the tension and suspense of the original.
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Oh, it was a completely different movie then? I didn’t know that. Got it.
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I think I’ve watched some parts of Jaws but not the whole thing. There’s so many classics I haven’t watched, like Alien which is also mentioned in the post. And I only watched Indiana Jones when I was like 26, because a friend forced me to, hahaha.
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OMG. You haven’t seen Alien? Wow, that needs to be part of your homework. What a great film!!! You should do a classics marathon 🙂
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I knew Jaws’ place in cinematic history, but I had no idea people were debating it to the point of an existential crisis, it seems. Guess you learn something new everyday!
And I understand respecting the water since the country I was born in faces the Pacific Ocean as well. The ocean is wild. We don’t tame it; it tames us.
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Yup. Funnily, I’m more comfortable in the ocean than rivers or lakes. I suppose it’s what you know, what’s familiar.
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Interesting, me too! Lakes in particular scare me; something about not seeing the bottom. Which is funny since it’s not like we can see the ocean bottom either.
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Hello there. Spielberg has been working on a new version of West Side Story. Because of the pandemic, who knows when it will be completed and released. Take care.
Neil Scheinin
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Really? Not sure if we need another West Side Story though 😛 What’s up with our fascination with remakes!
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Yeah, it seems odd to do WSS again, unless this version has a unique vision.
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Agree. WWS meets Jaws? 😛
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That’s super crazy that you watched it on its anniversary, Lani!! 😁 And I have watched it multiple times and got something out of it each time! It’s an amazing classic, and those first two musical notes? Brilliant if you ask me. Everybody who hears them knows exactly where it’s from. 😀 All the different posters are amazing! Where do you come up with then?! Great post, Lani! 🖒💙
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You’re too kind. I just search online. After finding the Graduate ones, it seemed natural to look for Jaws – and since HTTYD is more recent there’s a lot of fan art which is great.
Movie posters are like album covers, I like the art work and appreciate it when some intelligent effort has been made into them. 😛
Yes, the score is out of this world iconic. Thanks, Sarah! xoxo
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Oh, how I miss album covers! I mean, they’re still out there I know but I can’t even remember when I bought my last album on CD 😂
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I know, right?
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