Jaws marked the beginning of a new dawn in American cinema. But the harrowing legacy, left in the wake of its seismic wave, continues to incite terror in its most uncensored form.
Unlike any film before it, Jaws somehow tapped into our deepest, primordial fears. So impactful was Steven Spielberg's sea-faring voyage of suspense that its subaquatic scares would manifest from the silver screen into the real world.
Upon release, generations of sea lovers would think twice about stepping foot into shark-infested waters. Speaking as someone psychologically scared by Jaws, despite being a keen swimmer, the concept of treading water within oceanic depths would haunt my former years - flooding my consciousness with fear.
I still swim, but with razor-sharp wits and an open eye about me.
At the forefront of Spielberg's infamous blockbuster, action-adventure is, of course, the shark - a titanically-sized 25-foot monster hellbent on terrorizing the humble holiday resort of Amity Island.
In scale, it was as much a colossal freak of nature as it was an impressive feat of production, requiring a hydraulic crane to haul through the water alongside other novelly-crafted mechanical components.
Based on Peter Benchley's best-selling novel and baring hallmarks of Herman Melville's celebrated fictional work Moby Dick, Spielberg would employ ambitious, practical effects, a rousing musical score suspensefully composed by John Williams, and an engaging story, ushering in the exciting age of blockbuster film.
But somewhat surprisingly, it is in the art of suspense where Jaws delivers its most ferocious bite.
Spielberg's Homage to Alfred Hitchock
Future Spielberg films would be known for employing full-bodied orchestral scores and sweeping symphonies to impact mood. Jaw's, however, would take familiar sound bites from legendary horror aficionado Alfred Hitchcock.
Much like Psycho's notorious shower scene, where screeching chords accompany each dynamic thrust of the blade, John Williams would dull down the orchestral noise.
The result is a dreaded, sinisterly methodically thudding. A darkly ominous foreshadowing melody symbolic of the encroaching beast's elevated heartbeat.
In short, John William's tension-breeding composition is perhaps the most chillingly iconic musical motive, alongside Hitchock's shower scene, in horror history.
Comments