Ruttle's Reviews: The Archives

Lifeless Eyes, Like a Doll

"Jaws" (1975)
Directed by: Steven Spielberg (Raiders of the Lost Ark, Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan)
Starring: Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss
Running time: 124 minutes
Rut's Rating: 5/5

It's the original summer blockbuster. The film that made you scared to go in the water, wash your hands under water, or even drink a large glass of water. Decorated filmmaker Steven Spielberg was only starting to get his feet wet (pun intended!) when he made this legendary movie, and it ended up making him a household name. We all know the tale; a huge great white shark terrorizes the residents of a small island community called Amity, and it's reign of terror isn't ending anytime soon.
In what has been described as director Spielberg's "quintessential film", the use of underwater POV (point of view) shots is done very well. Using this technique, we're aware that this is the shark, moving slowly but destructively, looking for it's next victim. The numbing and brilliant score from composer John Williams (DUH DUH......DUH DUH DUH DUH......) only makes these shots all the more suspenseful. We may not actually SEE the beast, but we know it's there, simply waiting.
As for the human side of things, the film stars Roy Scheider as the Amity Police Chief, Martin Brody. He and his family are new to the island, having moved from New York, and ironically, he is afraid of the water. Scheider is a good fit for the role; Chief Brody is a man faced with a horrifying threat, and a community that looks to him for action. But he isn't alone. Richard Dreyfuss is Matt Hooper, a shark expert brought in by Brody to try and identify just how big of a problem Amity Island has. Dreyfuss is a fine choice for the role; a little nerdy, yet knowledgeable. He and Scheider have good chemistry and complement each other well. And finally, there is the hard-edged, moonshine-drinking shark hunter, Quint. He is without a doubt my favorite character in the film, and he is played with scary-good authenticity by the late Robert Shaw. Quint is a man who you can easily see has lived a hard life, yet his character doesn't command a "woe is me" attitude. Just wait until Quint's introduction in the film; you'll see that this man simply commands respect. Also, his story of the U.S.S. Indianapolis, (in which sharks killed over 700 men who were stranded in the ocean in 1945) is haunting and an incredible piece of storytelling.
And so, with the Fourth of July approaching and a town of people that live for the beach, the stubborn, greedy Mayor is dead-set against a full investigation into the shark attacks, for fear that people will run off and go somewhere else instead of spending their tourist dollars in Amity. Murray Hamilton plays Mayor Larry Vaughn, and with his cheesy suits and eyes filled with dollar signs, he is a great antagonist. Chief Brody and Hooper just can't seem to convince him that they have to close the beaches to ensure the safety of everyone. The Mayor only changes his mind when Amity's Fourth of July celebrations get cut short when the shark shows up and kills a man - all in plain view of everyone on the beach. From there, Brody and Hooper track down Quint and the three of them set sail, in search of the killer great white.
From there, it becomes almost a game of hide-and-seek. The three men sit, patiently waiting. Hooper steers the boat, Quint sits in his fisherman's chair, and Brody throws chum in the water for bait. When Hooper and Quint aren't looking, the shark suddenly springs up and shocks Brody nearly to death. Quiet and backing up slowly, he utters to Quint those infamous words that are synonymous with this film, "You're gonna need a bigger boat." At approximately 25 feet long and a weight of three tons, Brody's words ring true. The shark plays mind games with our heroes, showing up whenever it feels like it, seemingly coming from all directions, and dragging the boat further out to sea. It's only a matter of time before the beast does enough damage, ramming the boat and trying to leap onto the back end. When it starts to show signs of sinking, it's up to the three men to destroy the shark quickly before they become lunch, in a dramatic, explosive conclusion that keeps your eyes glued to the screen.
"Jaws" is the definition of a classic film. It may have been released over 30 years ago, but it stands the test of time. Steven Spielberg and crew may not have known it at the time, but they were setting the standard for any filmmaker who wanted to tackle the horror/suspense genre, myself included. For most of the film, you don't even see the shark. It's that old saying, "Less is more." All you need to get that feeling of welcoming dread is that POV shot and the infamous score. I know that for the longest time after seeing the movie, and even sometimes now, I can still hear it whenever I'm near a river or lake.
Duh duh........duh duh duh duh......