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Shark movies have become a very popular genre of film in our society today. From The Shallows to 47 Meters Down, audiences everywhere love to see the toothy sea animals in all of their violent glory. It’s impressive to witness how long they’ve been around. Often, it’s all too easy to forget the Spielberg masterpiece that invented the very idea of this monstrous sea battle: the 1975 classic, Jaws. From dialogue to characters, Jaws demonstrated the structure of a good shark movie and created a legacy that still lives on today.
A Shark? In The Ocean?
Adapted from Peter Benchley’s 1916 book of the same name, the film Jaws really came to fruition when young Steven Spielberg was selected to direct what would become a classic of the seventies, and ultimately, the very first summer blockbuster. But how would they create an intense shark movie without making it cheesy? How were they going to capture the deadly essence of this sea monster?
The solution was right in front of them. They needed to shoot the film in the ocean. In the seventies, with limited technology and resources, the crew lugged a giant shark to the middle of the sea to make the film more realistic. Apparently, “Spielberg wanted to shoot in the Atlantic Ocean, off Martha’s Vineyard which doubled for Amity Island, for authenticity rather than filming in a studio back-lot tank” (( “Jaws Anniversary.” Entertainment Weekly, 2015 )). While the troubles that came with this method led to his eventual refusal to direct the sequel, it set a high bar for shark movies to follow.
The aforementioned 47 Meters Down was shot in a tank, as well as large portions of the Blake Lively film, The Shallows. Even The Meg, a recent addition to the long line of shark movies, utilized a tank and a green screen. While these movies are cool, they just don’t look quite as authentic or real. We know it’s fake. Jaws will forever dominate simply due to its location right in the home territory of the beast itself.
The Real Deal
Another dominating factor of Jaws, as mentioned above, is the fact that it included a real, life-size Great White model to serve as the beast in the film. It wasn’t CGI, which is a beneficial technology, but one that tends to take away from the believability of any movie depicting a creature that exists in real life.
The robot shark, named Bruce after Spielberg’s lawyer, “is said to be 25-feet in length” (( “Jaws Spotted.” Fox News, 2017 )). Three detailed models were made, and through all the technical difficulties, they managed to make the heavy thing work for the sake of the movie.
CGI sharks take a lot of work. Animators, computer artists, technicians, and countless others work to perfect the fish for a movie. However, computer sharks don’t look quite as good as the Bruce model. Like shooting in the ocean, the physical shark adds so much to the believability and realism of Jaws. It’s a high bar and one that hasn’t even been touched yet.
It’s Not Just About Bruce
This film is about a giant shark…but it’s also not. What makes Jaws so great is that its characters are the stars of the show. The shark is simply an obstacle that drives the action forward. In many horror movies, the monster becomes the focus of the action. We don’t get to understand any of the characters because all the focus is on the terrifying antagonist. In Jaws, however, we see some amazing characters that allow time for empathizing on a deeper level than fear.
Perhaps one of the most iconic movie speeches of all time is Quint’s famous Indianapolis Speech. This doesn’t take place fighting the shark, searching for the shark, or doing really anything involving the shark. It is because of the shark that he chooses to share this backstory, but it proves that the most exciting moments don’t have to involve Bruce. Unlike modern shark movies that rely on spectacle, Jaws relies on character arcs within the dialogue and action. Think about it: when was the last time you saw a shark movie that didn’t rely on jump scares or gore for the majority of its duration?
Pure Relatability
Relatability is critical to a movie. If the audience can’t relate to anything, they generally won’t enjoy a movie. In Jaws, there are many things that viewers can grab onto.
Characters
The people in Jaws are incredibly realistic. We have Quint, the veteran of the sea determined to take down whatever beast is in his path. He’s rough, he’s tough, he’s up for the job. Hooper is young, determined, cocky, and smart. Martin Brody is a dad, a husband, and a police chief: all he wants is to protect the people.
Brody’s wife wants the best for him and his children, while the citizens of the town are torn between the safety of their citizens and the required revenue that beachgoers bring into the town. Most anyone can relate to these characters. They are all very human, with even more human struggles.
Plot
The plot of Jaws, summarized into a long line, is as follows: “Over the Fourth of July holiday, a resort-island sheriff finds himself in deep water—literally—when his beach is stalked by an aggressive great white shark that won’t go away” (( “Storytelling Basics.” Sean P. Carlin, 2017 )).
While we all can’t relate to a giant aggressive shark, we all know what it feels like to be faced with a seemingly monstrous problem that won’t go away. We all know the importance of teamwork, the bond of family. Jaws embraces that.
Choice
The idea of choice is key in this movie. What would you do if a giant shark started attacking the children of your town? Like the mayor, would you prioritize the town’s income? Like Brody, would you take your own children into mind and seek safety first? What’s the right decision? The embrace of various paths (whether wrong or right) makes everything so much more real and draws the audience in.
Most shark movies, or films in that category, solely rely on instinct rather than the more relatable quality of choice. In 47 Meters Down, the girls must decide what to do when trapped in a shark cage. Blake Lively in The Shallows follows her gut when stuck far from the shore, surrounded by her own version of Bruce. However, this aspect of instinct is one of the only defining features of those films. Jaws, while also employing instinct, relates to a more humanistic quality within its action. It draws in a wider audience with characters and peril that even a child can understand: the ability to choose, whether wrong or right.
Budget And Box Office
While the box office doesn’t necessarily determine how great a movie is, it certainly shows a certain amount of success.
On a budget of nine million, Jaws ended up making “over $470 million in global returns” (( “How Jaws Forever Changed.” IndieWire, 2017 )). By modern standards, and especially by 1975 standards, that’s a massive income! The closest thing to come to that since was 1978’s Jaws 2, created for about twenty million and grossing one hundred eighty-eight million: nowhere near Jaws‘s success. No modern shark film has come even close to that, and it’s hard to believe that one ever will.
The Best Of All Time
Combined, all of these factors make Jaws the best shark movie, one that has set the standard for all that have come after it. Though many have come close, none have quite touched the very high bar that Spielberg set with his 1975 classic. When filmmakers go back to practical effects, authentic location, and real characters, maybe then it will be bested. Until then, Jaws will forever reign supreme.