JAWS
A film review by Jim S
Copyright 1996 Jim S
Just watched the new Laserdisc version celebrating the 20th anniversery of JAWS - the film that started the summer blockbuster craze. The LD contains a 2+ hour documentary on the making of the film, plus hundreds of still photos and promotional trailers. The film is in wide screen and THX enhanced. The quality is superb. It's easy for people to dismiss JAWS, now that years have passed and the inevitable sequels have somewhat tarnished the JAWS name. Watching this film, however, I am awed at what great filmmaking this is. Sure, it is not exactly "deep", but that's beside the point; JAWS is pure escapist/ adventure filmmaking, and it is that genre at it's absolute best. The pacing of the film is perfect; there is no fat needing to be trimmed. All scenes either advance the story or develop character. And the characterization in JAWS may very well be what seperates it from other action films. These are no cardboard characters, but real people you care about and root for. All three principle performances (by Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss and the late Robert Shaw) perfectly compliment the action. Shaws' recollection of the Indianapolis tale (in which a WWII ship sank and nearly all its' crew was devoured by sharks) is an astounding scene; it is so flawlessy acted and developed that you forget you are watching an adventure/suspense film. Steven Spielberg was a 27 year old unknown when he began filming JAWS. The film went over 100 days over schedule and doubled its original budget. Spielberg came very close to being fired on more than one occasion. In hindsight, it is amazing that Spielberg was able to get the film made at all. That he made a terrific film is nearly unbelieveable. But he did. Sit back and watch JAWS again, and take in all its pleasures. The final 40 minutes, when the three men head out to sea to confront the great shark, is the best action/adventure/suspense filmmaking you may ever encounter. See how seamless the Oscar-winning editing is. Marval at the atmosphere Spielberg and John Williams' classic, Oscar-winning score create. Root for the three heroes in the ultimate confrontation between man and beast. See Scheider find redemption, Dreyfuss get humbled and Shaw meet his fate. And remember, just because the film became part of our popular culture doesn't lessen what a cinematic achievement it was.
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