Comments on: Opinion: Jaws – The Unseen Monster

By: Dan Grant

Dan Grant — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 19:54:19 +0000

Jaws is my favourite movie. It’s not even close. I too have not seen it on the big screen, but that is going to chance on February 6th. The local Cineplex is having a week of classics. JAWS is one of them.

Watching it on BR, you so much that you couldn’t before. It is the single best BR transfer I have ever seen and well worth the $25.00 I spent on it.

Great article Dan.

By: Scott Lawlor

Scott Lawlor — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 07:43:23 +0000

Fantastic article matey. I really enjoyed the read. I love the earlier Spielberg films much more than his recent fare.

I am jealous you got to see this on the big screen!!

By: The Gore Report – Evil Dead, REC 3, Jaws, Cloverfield and More | French Toast Sunday

Tue, 24 Jul 2012 16:38:55 +0000

[...] Top 10 Films contributor Daniel Stephens has an excellent write up on the classic Jaws. He discusses how well the film’s ‘unseen’ moments work in creating the terrifying atmosphere and includes loads of great photos to help illustrate the point. Read the write up on Jaws over @ Top 10 Films. [...]

By: Raghav

Raghav — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 09:51:53 +0000

Great write-up Dan. Although I did not see the re-release in a theatre but I think it is a great thing that classics are being shown again in theatres. Like you said we have grown up watching and admiring and talking about these movies, but in many cases we have only seen them on VHS and not in theatres. Jaws remains one of the very first summer blockbusters probably starting the trend and it’s great that you featured it.

By: Pete

Pete — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 17:51:33 +0000

Thank the movie lord for misfiring props and constant malfunctions. Might have given Spielberg a nightmare on set and the money men heart attacks but without it, this film could have potentially been a laughing stock! Must be great to see on the big screen. Hope that one day you will get top see your 8 other favourites up there too!

By: mark

mark — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 09:53:30 +0000

Years and years ago (the mid 70s, in fact) there was a British film publication called Films Illustrated. In one edition, they interviewed Spielberg just as the film was being released.

At the time he said one of the things that made him want to do the film was the fact that one day, after reading the book, he went to the beach and waded out to waist deep water before realising he couldn’t see anything beneath the surface. From this he saw the potential (of the above mentioned unseen monster)….

An interesting story, particularly when one stumbles across Pete Biskind’s Easy Riders Raging Bulls which, in part, reads: “Spielberg didn’t much like Benchley’s script for Jaws. None of the characters were likable, and he said that when he read the book he rooted for the shark.”

Later …: “Spielberg was convinced, as he recalls, ‘that it was just an exploitation movie, Moby Dick without Melville, without the eloquence’.”

If anything, this partly explains why the book and film were so different. Given the success of the outcome, I guess Spielberg eventually found his sea legs …

By: le0pard13

le0pard13 — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 14:18:06 +0000

I would say, JAWS on the big screen, one loaded with other moviegoers, is truly THE way to experience this. It just doesn’t get any better than that. Great examination, Dan.

By: Steve Aldersley

Steve Aldersley — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 13:07:40 +0000

I’m glad you had the opportunity to see Jaws on the big screen. I love the dialogue when the three are on the boat waiting for the shark to appear. I’ll be pouncing on that Blu-ray too.

By: Fogs

Fogs — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 11:27:05 +0000

Nice read, Dan. I enjoyed that for sure.

You’re right, the less is more approach is brilliant here. I think we all know now that a lot of the was a fortuitous accident due to the animatronics not working, but it’s soooo effective, no matter how it comes about.

I had never really seen anyone really focus on the prevalence of reaction shots in the film. There’s tons of them, you’re right. And they absolutely work wonders, too.

Excellent piece…