Analysis of the Ways the Director Builds Suspense in the Opening to the Film Jaws

Analysis of the Ways the Director Builds Suspense in the Opening to the Film Jaws

Steven Spielberg directed the film “Jaws” in 1975. He has directed

many other successful films, which include ET, Indiana Jones, Minority

Report, Schindlers List and Saving Private Ryan. However it was “Jaws”

which made Spielberg into a successful director. He is now recognised

as one of Hollywood’s leading filmmakers. Jaws broke box office

records when it came out in cinemas in 1975 and is considered a

classic. It is about a great white shark, which has made Amity beach

its new home, threating the peaceful tourist beach. After the number

of shark attacks the beach is to be closed off, however the mayor

can’t afford the beach to be closed or Amity beach is at risk of

becoming financially broke, if authorities find out about the shark.

So the shark must be killed to protect Amity beach and the tourists

that visit each day. We see the opening credits

dissolving into the sea. This makes the credits fit into the

background, which is the sea so it makes it more imaginative. Along

with the digetic music, which is thematically linked to the shark as

it moves closer to the top of the sea the music becomes faster. We

cannot tell if it is a shark because it is in the pov of the creature.

The camera moving through the seaweed ever time we hear the jaws theme

tune we know the shark is there along with the tense music makes the

film more specific, it makes the audience establish a horror/ suspense

setting. As the music speeds up and the camera seems to go faster

through the water it gives the audience a sense of fear that something

is going to happen. We do not see the shark itself; this is a good

technique the director uses. Spielberg is increasing the film's

psychological impact. The audience is forced to imagine what the shark

looks like, rather than be told and that gives the film more suspense.