JAWS the film - at 50 years old

[Downunder Dolphan]

Growing up here in South Australia where a few locals filmed some of the (real) shark footage for the film, there's been a bit of media here about the 50th anniversary.

It's become iconic and has aged well, not because of the horror aspect, but because of the story, the acting and the direction, all equally superb.

So like the Critical Drinker, I thoroughly recommend looking back to this piece of past history and enjoying the film, when movies used to be this good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1O9E311Vs9Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWisXdtYfrU
 

[Dave Gray]

My favorite thing about Jaws is the guerilla filmmaking of it all and that their stuff was broken and janky, which forced them to not show as much.  The lack of Jaws in Jaws is a huge reason why it's as good as it is.

Another thing, in terms of watching films, I have evolved over the years to not care as much about "things making sense" in terms of realism.  If something occurs and it captures a tone or idea, that sometimes it's OK to bend reality or logic.  Spielberg helped me understand that -- in an old interview, he was talking about modifying the book for the screen and the whole part about the shark eating the oxygen tank, then shooting it an it blowing up.  Well, oxygen tanks don't work like that.  Spielberg was specifically told that and he said something like "by the time we get to this point in the movie, if I've done my job, nobody will care."

So, that kind of sat with me.  The spectacle and what the scene represents is more important than the real-life physics of compressed oxygen.  That has helped me a lot with movie criticism and enjoyment over the years and is why I give certain directors (Christopher Nolan at the top of that list) a ton of leeway when telling a story.

There's a lot to learn from Jaws, for sure.

[Phishfan]

It was good back in the day but I don't think I will be rewatching it anytime soon.

[CF DolFan]

I watch Jaws at least once a year. It's one of those movies I can't get sick of. If it's on tv I will at least stop and watch a few scenes. I saw it at the theatre when I was about 6 or 7 so it's just kind of ingrained, I guess.

Like Dave said ... Spielberg thought it was a flop and was embarrassed by it because nothing seemed to work. He experienced panic attacks and nightmares after filming wrapped, even waking up in cold sweats. He admits it took years for him to process the experience.  In retrospect almost everything worked and the movie quickly blew up. he now looks back on it with fondness.  

Smokey and the Bandit is my other childhood guilty pleasure. Hahaha

[Pappy13]

Another thing, in terms of watching films, I have evolved over the years to not care as much about "things making sense" in terms of realism.  If something occurs and it captures a tone or idea, that sometimes it's OK to bend reality or logic.  Spielberg helped me understand that -- in an old interview, he was talking about modifying the book for the screen and the whole part about the shark eating the oxygen tank, then shooting it an it blowing up.  Well, oxygen tanks don't work like that.  Spielberg was specifically told that and he said something like "by the time we get to this point in the movie, if I've done my job, nobody will care."

So, that kind of sat with me.  The spectacle and what the scene represents is more important than the real-life physics of compressed oxygen.  That has helped me a lot with movie criticism and enjoyment over the years and is why I give certain directors (Christopher Nolan at the top of that list) a ton of leeway when telling a story.

The problem that I have with people poking holes in plot lines this way is that they'll mention something like that (compressed oxygen doesn't explode), but then they're fine with people being blown across the room when shot from a handgun. You can't have it both ways. Either it's all silly or none of it is. Choose.