JAWS under discovered

‘Jaws’ the film is about the twenty-five foot, Great White shark that takes up his home on Amity Island just in time for the tourist season and soon coming Fourth of July. Steven Spielberg is now recognized as one of Hollywood's leading auteur; a filmmaker who expresses his identity over an abundance of films. However, when he directed Jaws in 1975 he didn't have the expansive filmography that he now possesses. The film does, though, embrace several important elements that would be eventually recognized as part of a Spielberg film. Stephan Spielberg amplifies tension by what you can see, though camera shots and angles; as well as through what you can hear.

Jaws is attributed for introducing the concept of the Summer Blockbuster, a marketing device that significantly altered the way films are distributed. The film progressed, and benefited from a saturation run in approximately 500 cinemas simultaneously, along with a very intensive media advertising campaign.

The title ‘Jaws’ magnifies the intensity of sharks. It is a self-portrayal of death and is effective because it’s short and to the point. It intertwines with the film as it enhances the terror the sharks mouth conveys; throughout the film whenever you see the shark’s mouth open; you reminisce the title of the film. The title creates dramatic tension as it establishes the viewer to becomes curious about what title ‘Jaws’ could refer to.

Steven Spielberg used camera shots as a cinematic technique. He used lots of long shots which helps convey both isolation for the victims and makes the shark seem to have incredible hunting abilities. This technique builds up anxiety by waiting for the dramatic part. In contrast to this scene, it transfers to a complete different scen...

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...e of suspense music with approaching danger. In the music sequence whenever the shark is near its prey or attacking, its own theme tune is made to build up tension during this. The music is made in a certain way to scare the audience as it is made to represent the shark’s heartbeat. You can identify it's the shark and that something is evidently going to happen; although on some occasions, it does trick the audience by playing the music but nothing exciting happens. Two further examples of music or silence used to scare the audience and to develop tension is when the radio is playing on the beach then after the second attack its silent and when all the characters at the beginning are sat round a fire and music is playing cheerfully which contrasts on what we all know is about to happen. This also may imply the Shark occurrence and can be recognized as foreshadowing.