As summer comes to a close, we cast our attention to the granddaddy of all summer blockbusters - Jaws. Arguably one of the best films ever made, Jaws stands the test of time, still delivering suspense, adventure, and outright terror in one beautifully filmed package. Come along with the Planet 8 crew as we reminisce about one of our favorite films.
Jaws is an amazing film, especially given that the mechanical shark didn't work most of the time! Director Steven Spielberg had to work around this, filming in such a way as to indicate the presence of the shark without the shark actually visible. This actually made the film much more exciting, because you never knew exactly where or when the shark was going to attack. Thankfully, they got the shark to work just enough for the dramatic scenes in the final act.
But so much went right with Jaws. Despite the studio wanting big names, Spielberg was able to pull together the perfect cast. The characters are all so believable, so watchable. Much of the dialog was ad-libbed. But that marvelous scene on the Orca, where Quint tells Brody and Hooper about his experience on the USS Indianapolis, is absolutely amazing. It's a testament to both great writing and acting.
Of course, you can't talk about Jaws without discussing that theme...duh duh...duh duh duh duh...only the legendary John Williams could turn such a simple theme into perfect fit for a film. How many times has someone hummed the theme while in a pool or the ocean? Everyone knows what that tune means.
Jaws set off a wave (pun intended) of copycats, none anywhere near as interesting as the originator. For that matter, none of the Jaws sequels were even close to their papa. It also had a huge impact on film-makers and the industry, paving the way for the summer blockbuster, and massive merchandising deals. Outside of film, it also changed the way people look at sharks, perhaps unfairly, and how we look at the ocean. Forty five years later, we're all still afraid to go back in the water.
Normally we end our show with our Sensor Sweep, but we were rocked by the passing of actor Chadwick Boseman on August 28th. The news was heart-breaking. Only 43 years old, the Black Panther star had been battling colon cancer since 2016. It's mind-boggling to think that Boseman continued to act and do charity work through his illness and treatment. By all accounts, he seemed like a wonderful person. His impact on a generation of African American kids cannot be over-estimated. This is a big loss and we are truly saddened by his passing.
We welcome your thoughts and feedback! Please feel free to leave comments here, or at our other listening posts:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8Cast
- Facebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8Podcast
Man, what a year; I'm so behind on my podcast listening. And speaking of this year, yeah, Boseman's passing was really sad news (and, of course, I won't even dwell here on an even more recent high-profile passing that may have far greater real-world repercussions...)
ReplyDeleteOtherwise, though, I really enjoyed the main discussion. Yes, Jaws is certainly one of the great movies of the 1970s and beyond. And no, I don't think any of its sequels or other similar ocean-monster type movies that followed have ever surpassed it.
I first saw it as a teen in the early 1980s, probably the cut-up version for TV and then the 'real' thing on VHS not long afterward. However, I'm old enough to remember all of the hype surrounding it when it was first released, including the trailers on TV. And yes, I remember the cartoons that were released to cash in on the hype. Jabberjaw wasn't the only one, as there was also Misterjaw, which I preferred. If you haven't seen it, the titular shark wears a top hat and tuxedo top complete with bow tie, talks with a funny accent, and says something like "ha-gotcha!" when he jumps out of the water. And he's always trying to make a meal out of this poor fish named Harry Halibut. Great stuff.
-Edo Bosnar
Man, I thought I was a cartoon junkie, but never heard of MisterJaw. Not even a glimmer of memory...
ReplyDeleteBob, Misterjaw was a DePatie-Freleng production, usually run on Saturday mornings as part of a larger Pink Panther show (which often featured another personal favorite, the Ant and the Aardvark). A bunch, but not all, of them have been posted on YouTube, here's a link to a playlist.
Delete-Edo Bosnar