What was supposed to be a leisurely pop culture marathon is going to have to become a desperate sprint if I hope to get all these movies in before the end of the year.
That being said, let's get to it.
Today's entry is Steven Speilberg's 1975 monster-thriller
Jaws.
Given this movie's iconic status, I don't think I really need to recap it, but here goes. A giant Great White Shark attackers swimmers off the coast of Amity Island over Fourth of July weekend. The city fathers want the attacks covered up. Sheriff Brody wants the beaches cleared. Crusty shark hunter Quint wants the shark on his mantle.
Jaws became thefirst "big" summer movie and gave the studios the blueprint for every movie right up to the fourth
Pirates of the Caribbean movie.
Maybe Bruce could help us all with our Captain Jack problem.
The movie does a great job of building up the suspense using its famous theme song in place of actually giving us a look at the shark. And really, seeing the shark isn't key to creating atmosphere.
The real story is the kinship by the three shark hunters as they attempt to kill the shark.
The performances from Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfus and Robert Shaw are top notch. Each man brings a different part of the male psyche to bear on Amity Island's shark problem.
I really enjoyed
Jaws. I don't, for the life of me, know why it took me this long to watch it. I'm glad I finally got around to it.
I still think I'm going to steer clear of the sequels.
So, for those of you keeping track at home, the list now looks like this:
Jaws Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid - Close Encounters of the Third Kind
- On the Waterfront
- The Sting
- Bullitt
- The Great Escape
- The Godfather Part 2
- Bonnie & Clyde
- Midnight Cowboy
- The French Connection