Tell ‘em I’ve gone fishing!
Screened in the beautiful auditorium in the Aston Webb building, the classic thriller ‘Jaws’ made it’s come back and it certainly did not disappoint. As the lights went down and free popcorn was handed out to the eagerly awaiting audience, a real cinematic experience was created to showcase this renowned film.
Directed by the super talented Steven Spielberg, this iconic film still remained incredibly scary forty years from its first release. Based on Peter Benchley’s bestselling novel, ‘Jaws’ begins on the sunny island of Amity which plays host to a sea of tourists each summer who come looking for fun on the beach. Chief Brody, a New Yorker who has recently moved his family to the island, is called up one morning when the remains of a young girl are found washed up on the beach. The coroner records a suspected shark attack and the Chief immediately attempts to close the beach, he is however refused permission by the Mayor who fears that closure of the beach will threaten the tourist trade.
The shark attacks again, and again, and eventually the town has no other option but to close the beaches. With the help of scientist Matt Hooper, a quirky and excitable character, and mysterious shark hunter Quint, the threesome embark on an sea adventure to kill this monster and save the town. It is not until they see the Great White in its sheer enormity that they realise this is going to be no easy achievement.
We were amazed with what was done by the creative team who would have been up against a small budget and less advanced technology in comparison to today’s equipment. The director and special effects team were successful in creating a great white shark that not only looked real, but had the ability to instil such fear and astonishment into the whole audience’s reactions.
The famous ‘Jaws’ music created suspense throughout the film and had your hair standing on end whilst clinging to the person next to you. Quint, played by Robert Shaw, stood out in the film with his careless attitude and no nonsense one liners and his soliloquy adds a new depth to a seemingly simple character.
Having never seen ‘Jaws’ before and being warned by our friends that it was outdated because of the sensational (and often over-elaborate) technical films we’re used to watching today, we were unsure what to expect. However, the gripping storyline and ongoing suspense made for a really enjoyable watch. We completely bought into the whole idea of the film, and interestingly, it was the simplicity of the unknown lurking within the sea that helped to make it a complete success of a horror film in our opinion.
This Hollywood blockbuster delivered above and beyond the expected thriller, providing us with action, suspense, humour, emotion and above all fear. Although this film screening took place on the 28th of October, we are looking forward to the next one that will be hosted by the Bramall!
