Today was my very first time actually sitting down and watching Steven Spielberg’s Jaws. This is one of those movies I’ve avoided for years just because I’ve always just assumed I’m not a creature horror person. I’m never drawn to the Anacondas and Piranhas of the world. But I submit today: Why not? What has my aversion been to having the Big Bad be an unrelenting force of nature?
First impressions: God, Richard Dreyfuss was a BABE! I’m sorry, I can’t ignore a dorky little short king and I can’t ignore those dorky lil Keds. Social skills might not be Hooper’s strong suit, but he’s such a unique personality within this film. One of the most refreshing aspects of the horror genre is how frequently we get goofy little weirdos among the main protagonists. Think Evil Ed, Agent Dale Cooper, or Dr. Herbert West. These lil’ guys are inevitably doomed to become my faves, and Dreyfuss as Matt Hooper is no exception.
My other thoughts: John Williams’ scoring really is a class above the rest. There were moments where I would realize what was pulling me along on this two-hour journey was the music itself, anchoring me to the action and emotion of every moment. He is a treasure. I loved the use of cross-dialogue as a tension building device early in the movie. It really illustrated how the island was going to chug along unaffected around Brody as he frantically tries to rally any meaningful response to this mystery murder-fish.
It is clear why this movie remains a classic – the stillness after our first victim goes under is haunting, and even with all of the issues Spielberg’s animatronic shark gave the production team, those barely-perceptible glimpses of Jaws gliding by just below the surface are truly chilling. The crabs all over the washed-up body? An amazing foreshadow of nature as the “evil force” at play. Even though the movie was two hours, it didn’t feel like a slog. Rather, the pacing allowed the tension and suspense build and build and build until it all finally comes to a head at the end.
In looking up a few things for this post, I found that Robert Shaw’s son, Ian Shaw, has wrote and is starring in a three-man show called The Shark Is Broken examining tensions among the cast during the shooting of the final scene. Shooting went 100 days over schedule because the mechanical sharks caused so much trouble. According to Shaw’s drinking diary from the time of recording, the claustrophobia and exhausting shoot led to some drama among the film’s protagonists. I might be doing a little rabbit hole deep-dive into that play later!!
What are your favorite moments from Jaws? I’d love to know your thoughts!! And while you’re at it, who’s your favorite horror movie “lil’ guy”?
Until next time, Dear Reader, the horrors may persist, but Summer’s over. You’re the mayor of Shark City.
The Horrors Persist 
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