Film Analysis of Jaws by Steven Spielberg

Film Analysis of Jaws by Steven Spielberg

The film Jaws was directed by Steven Spielberg from the best selling

novel by Peter Benchley. The film was set in Massachusetts resort town

of Amity Island in the height of the beach season. When the resort was

terrorized one summer by surprise attacks from a great white shark.

John Williams created the score to Jaws, which has since become a

well-known theme to in depending doom. The film is generally

considered one of the scariest movies ever made. It was also set on

the 4th of July, Independence Day. Because on this day loads of people

are out and go down to the beach to have beach parties which sets the

scene from being near and in the sea.

As the film starts the music begins to play very quietly and slowly

begins to build, which starts to create tension. Then the camera shows

the point of view of the shark moving through the weeds making the

audience know that something is present in the water building fear. As

this happens the music builds up, gets louder and faster making you

think something is going to happen building more tension and fear of

the unknown.

Then it goes to the main opening seen which starts with the sound of a

mouth organ being played on the beach. This brings it back to being a

safe and un-feared environment taken the shark off the audience’s

mind. We also see a large bonfire on the beach which makes the

audience think that it is a warm calm (non-threatening) environment.

Then the camera pulls back and shows a wide shot of the sea this is a

reminder that the shark is still close which creates some tension.

There are people on the beach and we see a girl and boy ...

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...rody if he keeps

missing. Then at the last second Brody shoots hits the canasta in the

shark’s mouth and it blows up killing the great white. This relieves

the tension that has been building up making the audience give a sigh

of relief. And the film finishes with a happy ending as Brody and the

ocean biologist swimming into shore.

I think the scariest moment of the film was when the shark was in the

pond heading towards Brody’s son Michael. Because throughout the film

the audience have got to know the family and when the shark was

heading towards Michael a lot more tension. Fear and empathy was

created because the audience are afraid of what the shark will do to

him. Because at this point you have seen what damage it can do which

makes the audience a lot more afraid of the shark and a lot more

afraid for Michael.