tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6332525178317601464.post3811348580415953475..comments2023-11-05T01:59:43.451-08:00Comments on Windmills of My Mind: DAY 6: Jaws (1975)Damian Arlynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07937513879456460221noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6332525178317601464.post-31856737526469111032007-12-13T19:34:00.000-08:002007-12-13T19:34:00.000-08:00Thanks, you such did a great job in compiling this...Thanks, you such did a great job in compiling this, Helped me out on my project I'm doing on this movie. Keep the magic alive :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6332525178317601464.post-20378157394977039352007-08-13T10:55:00.000-07:002007-08-13T10:55:00.000-07:00Damian,You make an excellent point at the beginnin...Damian,<BR/><BR/>You make an excellent point at the beginning of not trying to outdo yourself and dig into some kind of subtext that doesn't exist only to try to drum up something new. Instead, you praise a film that deserves it and in doing that you cause people to want to see it again. <BR/><BR/>What's so interesting to me about Jaws is that the water represents permanent darkness. Monster's are scariest in the dark because you can't see them, so that limits them to night-time and often horribly lit houses or hallways. Jaws on the other hand is scary at the brightest part of the day because of the deep, dark water. <BR/><BR/>And I would argue that the production struggles made this a great movie. Made it grittier. The struggles between Shaw and Dreyfus helped make the characters stronger. If this would have been a perfect production, we wouldn't be talking about such a great film today.PIPERhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13054305230216613759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6332525178317601464.post-80720780088029685002007-08-08T09:24:00.000-07:002007-08-08T09:24:00.000-07:00Damian: So sorry I'm getting to this when you're a...Damian: So sorry I'm getting to this when you're already seven days in. From the looks of things so far, this is going to be a massive, and massively entertaining and fascinating read. Your piece on <I>Jaws</I> is the best thing I've read on the movie in a LOOOONG time, and it has got me very excited to see it again. I would agree with Edward that, for all the difficulties Spielberg and crew had filming it, <I>Jaws</I> remains for me his purest, most direct, and even at times experimental movie, and easily one of the most important thrillers of all time, from a creative and a popular standpoint. <BR/><BR/>And I'm glad you're going all the back to <I>Night Gallery</I> and <I>Columbo</I>. I will be most intrigued to see what you've come up with there. God, what an undertaking. You're an inspiration!Dennis Cozzaliohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01954848938471883431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6332525178317601464.post-80643295308059495672007-08-07T07:41:00.000-07:002007-08-07T07:41:00.000-07:00I think the greatest effect in "Jaws" was how they...I think the greatest effect in "Jaws" was how they filmed the shark tank scene with midget in a small cage. It's one thing to see a 25-foot shark swim by a boat, but to actually witness a real-live shark completely dwarf (no pun intended, promise) a human in size ... is truly horrifying.<BR/><BR/>It's a shame that we have a 25th and 30th anniversary "Jaws" DVD, yet it's still in great need of remastering. Hopefully Universal will go all out on the HD version.<BR/><BR/>Great post, Damian.Adam Rosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11968051066147134504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6332525178317601464.post-61900013784846364892007-08-06T22:41:00.000-07:002007-08-06T22:41:00.000-07:00For me, the most horrifying part of this horror th...For me, the most horrifying part of this horror thriller is Brody's encounter with Mrs. Kintner. This scene is further proof of Spielberg's finesse. He can hit the gas, and he can brake with grace and lethality.J.J.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07815005929352267468noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6332525178317601464.post-17222878781527677732007-08-06T21:57:00.000-07:002007-08-06T21:57:00.000-07:00This probably comes as no surprise to anyone who s...This probably comes as no surprise to anyone who saw my top 100 list but while I agree with you, Ed, that <I>Jaws</I> is indeed Spielberg's most perfect film, I do happen to be one of those who thinks (for reasons that I'll go into later) that <I>Schindler's List</I> is Spielberg's greatest film. Granted, I don't necessarily want to sit through it again and again (whereas I never EVER tire of watching <I>Jaws</I>) but repeatability, while ceratinly worthwhile criteria in determining true greatness, is not the only criteria. As Pauline Kael once said: <I>"Great films are rarely perfect films."</I>Damian Arlynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07937513879456460221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6332525178317601464.post-35979701255832705972007-08-06T21:46:00.000-07:002007-08-06T21:46:00.000-07:00Jaws remains for me Spielberg's most perfect film....<B>Jaws</B> remains for me Spielberg's most perfect film. It is endlessly rewatchable, a great example of turning a crappy novel into a work of film art and full of great acting and direction. Others might want to opt for <B>Schindler's List</B>, which while great, is not something you want to sit through time and time again. <B>Jaws</B> never gets old.Edward Copelandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12463676135131274426noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6332525178317601464.post-75865961487660965952007-08-06T21:44:00.000-07:002007-08-06T21:44:00.000-07:00Well, as it turns out, I think that both Jaws and ...Well, as it turns out, I think that both <I>Jaws</I> and <I>Psycho</I> are two of the most influential horror thrillers ever made (and they both happen to be two of my all-time personal favorite movies as well). While both do depend on shocks and suspense for their visceral impact, both are also (as you point out) very deep, psychologically-interesting character-driven pieces.<BR/><BR/>I don't think I've ever met someone who hated this movie either. I've met some people who are <I>afraid</I> of it but not who despise it. This may sound snobby or elitist of me but I'd actually venture to say that anyone who doesn't like <I>Jaws</I> or doesn't think it's a very well-made movie just doesn't understand what a good cinema truly is.Damian Arlynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07937513879456460221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6332525178317601464.post-13468321279366362732007-08-06T21:26:00.000-07:002007-08-06T21:26:00.000-07:00Jaws is probably the most influential thriller of ...<EM>Jaws</EM> is probably the most influential thriller of all time. Some might try to argue <EM>Psycho</EM>, but what's so beautiful about Spielberg's film is that the best parts of the movie have nothing to do with shocks or surprises. It's the three men sitting around a table talking. <BR/><BR/>I agree with you Damian. This is a perfect movie. I don't believe I've ever come across someone who hated this movie.<BR/><BR/>In 1995, Spielberg told Premiere Magazine that if he cast <EM>Jaws</EM> then, he would go with Anthony Edwards as Brody, Jim Carrey as Hooper and Paul Scofield as Quint. I am hoping we never see a remake.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com