When you hear anybody say that you are going to need a bigger boat either literally or figuratively in life, you can thank “Jaws” and Steven Spielberg for that.
Also, you can probably thank Spielberg and the film for the many shark film copycats, interest in modern shark nature shows, and a “less is more” approach to thrillers and horror.
And 80s’ kids like me can thank the film and director for nightmares and not wanting to swim at not only the beach or even, illogically, the local swimming pool. (I forgive Spielberg because he brought back the heart with films like “E.T.” a couple of years later.)
I was one of those kids who saw the film too soon. Though others who did and I would play shark and prey in the local swimming pool, we would also find it unnerving. I watched it way too early in life around age five or so in 1980 or thereabouts on satellite television. (By the way, I was born the year the film came out, and it is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.)
In fact, many of us should be prepared to relive some childhood or adolescent trauma when “Jaws” comes to The Miller Theater Sunday, July 13 at 2 p.m. It’s also being shown at the Aiken County Public Library at 1 p.m. Monday, July 7. For the brave of heart, stick around for “Jaws 2” immediately following at 3:15 p.m.
In the film, vermillion billows suddenly surround a boy not much older than I was when I watched it. And ironic signs blast to the audience’s ears and eyes the whole time with the music and visuals below the water’s surface. The boy cannot see or, of course, hear them. And I was terrified because there on the TV screen (not big screen) was a kid not much older than me in true peril. Trips to Edisto Beach in South Carolina became all the more ominous at that point.
Also, “Jaws” emulates the slasher horror scenes horror or thriller fans want to scream at. -Much like we want to yell at the beauty who runs straight toward the killer’s lair in traditional horror movies, we want to scream at the swimmers, “Get out of the water!’
Another relatively subtle scene that scared me and made me very sad was one with a dog. As a lifelong dog lover to the present day with my second Corgi, Moochie, and my late shelter-adopted Corgi of 10 years, Ziggy, and past shared dogs with my family such as: a Shih tzu, Misty; a Pekingese, Chi-chi; and “bird dog” pointer, Trey, this one still hurts my heart and definitely hurt it as a sensitive kid.
By 1980, I had already endured what were supposed to be various feel-good films about dogs and their owners. And those ended in death. So, I should have expected Spielberg would go for the jugular with the dog scene in “Jaws.”
In fact, though the scene evokes tears, what my creative colleague and friend, Tom Hutchison, said about “Jaws” is true. He stated (and I paraphrase… this is a column, not hard news or a feature) that what made “Jaws” so great was that with minimal practical effects that the director still created great suspense with the shark. And, as I have observed, all it takes in this scene (spoiler alert) is to see the black Labrador retriever swimming at one point in the ocean (fetching a stick if I recall), to hear and see his owner calling her, and then to see its stick floating on the water’s surface with no sign of the dog. Even a kid can draw an inference from that.
In several sources, however, in the past decade or so, Spielberg has tried to soften the blow by stating that it is possible that the dog was not the stick thrower’s, grew tired of the game, and went home. But I think that was just to appease sensitive folks like yours truly.
(By the way, it’s a good thing Spielberg did not show the shark a lot because some have stated how fake it looks. In fact, a sequel to one of my previous column subjects, “Back to the Future 2,” has Michael J. Fox state upon being scared by a 3-D holographic shark from a marquee ad in “futuristic” 2015, “The shark still looks fake.”)
Next, because I was partially raised by my grandmother, I never thought about age much – especially as I watched the film on satellite television. I pretty much lumped kids into one category, teens into another, and adults in a big category from ages twenty to septuagenarian. When I saw the film as an adult, though, I could not help but notice that the mother of the little boy looked closer to the age of my grandmother versus mother. She didn’t seem too senior when she slapped law enforcement in the face, however. And who wouldn’t react in such a way at the loss of a son? The actress, Lee Fierro, playing Mrs. Kintner, did a great job at conveying rage and grief at the same time.
Speaking of acting, Roy Scheider as Sheriff Martin Brody emotes a good mix of exasperation at the political situation and the situation with the shark at the beach as well as a tough quality along with real emotions about those who are lost. Next, Murray Hamilton plays the smarmy Mayor Vaughn well. He almost acts like he believes in the delusions he is selling about the beach being safe. In addition, Robert Shaw plays Quint, a fisherman who wants to catch the shark for a fee, to the hilt with a traditional sea-saltiness and swagger. Also, Richard Dreyfuss as Matt Hooper from the Oceanographic Institute plays the part with his signature mixture of neurosis, condescension, and a little humor. In addition, though perhaps not a principal player, Lorraine Gary as Ellen Brody shows a balance in wanting to give the young Brody son freedom while also being concerned about her husband and others confronting the menacing shark attacks.
Speaking of something I did not think about much as a kid but referenced when I mentioned the mayor above, the politics of “Jaws” can perhaps be better appreciated by some with experience.
Having observed a mayor or two spout company lines or P.R. lines for years regarding various situations, now it does not surprise me that the mayor lied to the citizens about the safety of the beach so that the area could continue to bring In money on the holiday weekend. When I was a kid, it perplexed me. But, in my adulthood, having observed small town politics, it did not surprise me at all.
It’s not just the subtle visuals and themes of “Jaws” which strike me. It’s the music. The music basically becomes the character of the shark when one does not see the shark on screen.
Just as Bernard Herrmann’s score for “Psycho” emulates the mental disorder of Norman and his horrific actions through a punchy use of strings, John Williams uses low strings, brass, and percussion. Though not a band geek, I was a choir geek and have always appreciated music. Like with many films, “Jaws” could not exist without its brilliant score. Williams’ score starts with a two-note motif on a tuba. And the tempo of this score increases more and more as the shark approaches. Then, other instruments are added to convey additional peril, and they start to crescendo as attack ensues. Also, at times, during the score, to me, when the shark is not directly attacking, an oceanic tranquility is incorporated. And this makes it all the more unsettling when the “shark theme” starts back up again.
Anyway, we certainly used the two-note theme when we were playing shark and prey at the pool when we were kids. And the basic thrill of that will probably make you want metaphorically to swim over to the Miller or the Aiken County Library, safely away from the big beach July 4 weekend.
Barnwell, S.C. author Ron Baxley, Jr. is a social media manager for Paula’s Family Restaurant in Bamberg, South Carolina, a correspondent for Augusta Good News, and a graphic novelist and screenwriter who is currently writing a series set in a small Southern town which he has codenamed “Project Neon.” Reach him at ronbaxleyjr.com
