Jaws (1975)

Jaws is the original blockbuster and in its 50th Anniversary year I took the opportunity to see it on the big screen and for some reason it was in 3D. It’s probably been 15 years since I saw a film in 3D and there were a couple of times I took the glasses off (that I had to wear over my normal glasses) and the picture was a bit blurred and it did look a lot nicer with the 3D glasses on. 

The thing about this film that I always know but forget until I see it is that it is effectively two films in one. The first half is on land and is dealing with the threat of a shark eating the tourists  in a town where tourism is vital and then the second half is about three blokes  trying to kill the shark. Both halves are very good. The Mayor has always been portrayed as someone who will do whatever it takes to keep the beaches open even when people are being killed because and this time I sort of understand why he does what he does even if I don’t agree with his methods. 

The second half is the better half and it works so well because of Roy Schneider, Robert SHaw and Richard Dreyfuss. They are people who don't really get on but are forced into this situation to help save lives. I always think that Quint is the most interesting character although Hooper comes a close second. I do think that Scheider’s Brody is fine but does fall into third place because once they leave the land he sort of becomes superfluous. I do like the scene where they are comparing scares and then start singing ‘Show me the way to go home’. 

This is nowhere near the best Spielberg film but it is the first one that shows why he is one of the greatest directors of all time. He manages to make sharks scary which is even more impressive when you realise that the shark in this film (nicknamed Bruce) is never really seen apart from some brief shots and half submerged in the sea (like you would expect from. A shark). The film is also helped by John Williams who is one of my favourite composers and manages to make an iconic score with just two notes. Again, this isn’t the best Williams score but like Spielberg, it shows how he would become one of the greatest at what he does. 

When I saw The Goonies on the big screen, there were a couple of shots which looked worse compared to the smaller screen. That wasn't the case this time as they have gone to the trouble of giving this the 4K treatment. We got a lovely little video from Spielberg himself explaining that they wanted to produce the best possible experience for the 50th Anniversary. Out of the 4 Jaws films, this is obviously the best and there should never have been any more. simple story and manages to make it engaging with a trio of characters that all have something different. The film also shows (or even created) the old adage that sometimes less is more. This film probably wouldn’t have worked had they shown more of the shark but we’ll never know. 

Jaws deserves to be seen on the big screen. I have never been a big fan of 3D especially as I have to wear the glasses over my real glasses but the experience overall was lovely. There was about 40-50 people in this screening which for a Friday night during the summer holidays when there is Fantastic Four and Superman still on shows the appeal that this film still has after half a century.