Analyse the ways that the director builds suspense and scares in the film JAWS

The film is called ‘JAWS’ and is successfully directed by Steven Spielberg. I will be analyzing how Spielberg builds up suspense and scares the audience throughout this film, considering how camera shots, music and characters’ reactions help to build this effect. The film is purposely named ‘JAWS’ as it is about a supernatural predator that killed many people with his deadly jaws without prejudice and discrimination. ‘JAWS’ is a masterful, visceral and realistic science-fiction suspense, horror-disaster film tapping into the most primal of human fear. The film is set in 1975 on a fictional island called Amity in America; now known as Long Island which is more precisely in the state of New England. Ironically the movie is partially set on the American Independence Day. The director plays with this idea that the fourth of July is usually a day of celebration and enjoyment for the American nation but in this case a killing machine is there to make them prisoners of this island. Neither can they get out of this island as it is surrounded by sea nor can they enjoy themselves in the sea as if the shark was protecting what did not belong to them, the unexplored and impenetrable sea.

The behaviour of the shark is without doubt directly related to the music creating suspense as well as fear. A good example of this is the title sequence. At the beginning the music is pianissimo, completely calm hiding the violent behaviour of the shark. We hear bubble sounds as if a creature is gliding in the sea barely making any noise frightening the fishes in its way although having no intention to eat them. The first sound we hear is a cello playing a minor key and only for a fraction of a second, but the creature does not accelerate or lose pace, just staying constant throughout this scene with astonishing calmness compared to the rhythm of the piece throughout which I personally think makes the beauty of it. At the same moment, as the first note is played, we see the first images of the film like the shark looming out of the darkness and catching its prey unaware. Spielberg again gives the idea of the unseen enemy, hunting, scraping perfection in his domain. As the camera smoothly shows the point of view of the shark moving throughout the weeds, the music gradually builds up and gets louder as well as faster, giving the impression that this shark is gaining confidence pushing its way through the weeds with force and determination. The music gradually increases and a brass instrument plays over the deep cello. At the end of this sequence a screech is heard tearing our ears, which reminds us the fate of helpless people caught in the jaws of misfortune. Instinctively we are made to remember this music. Spielberg intelligently makes us see the point of view of the predator. By not seeing the shark, suspense is created leaving our imagination to wonder. The music provides a sense of hostile presence as if an unseen, persistent predator is around the corner and both the music and hunter cause panic and chaos without being seen.

Music and silence is again used effectively to build up tension during and after the first attack. At the beginning of the scene we see a silhouette of a woman swimming tranquilly in the water enjoying herself. We have the premonition that a tragedy is to overtake her, as firstly, the scene is purposefully set during the night to build up tension and to frighten the audience as subconsciously we know that under the dark, quiet water a shark could be hiding, waiting for its unfortunate prey. The significant aspects of this scene are silence and darkness. Darkness signifies evil which is symbolized in this case by the shark, whereas silence signifies death and both are heavily linked together to create this eerie atmosphere which already starts building up tension and uneasiness in this scene. Suddenly the victim stops moving and is dragged into the water, crying as well as screaming commences followed by some vigorous frantic movements. From the way the woman moves and from the expression on her face we can deduce that she is in absolute pain and that the shark has struck. The director uses a close up shot on the prey’s face to reinforce the fact that she is in a lot of pain struggling desperately for her life thus by using this technique he successfully creates suspense and manages to shock and frighten the audience. Also we notice how easily and how fast it is for the shark to be in this position and instinctively this creates a sense of dread towards this man-eater; how far can this sea-monster go or how many victims can it slay. Suddenly silence prevails over the atrocity of this scene and at this point trepidation is written all over the face of the audience. So many little details such as darkness, unseen enemy, screaming and silence effectively add to the suspense and tension in this scene. The silence is the most effective tool in this scene as it contrasts with the previous screaming leaving the unseen enemy at large creating only calmness, peace as well as the unforgettable scent of death. Spielberg generates the idea that the shark does not feel remorse for killing innocent people for no fault of theirs like a serial killer. Finally the director’s trump cards to terrify the audience are silence and darkness which man is naturally and impulsively afraid of. This scene is so well crafted that it will be forever etched in the memory of the audience.

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Another time when music and silence are used effectively is during the scene when Brody, Quint and Hooper are on a look out for the paranormal shark on their boat. The film’s music here again is significant as we know that whenever this tune commences that the deadly creature will attack soon. This creates a sense of dread in the viewers’ heart and they begin to feel the tension once again. When the tune increases in magnitude and reaches its climax so at the same moment the attack is inevitable. Although we know the attack is nearly unavoidable the silence stuns the audience. The complete silence and casual atmosphere are contrasted dramatically to the shark’s sudden appearance, thus building up suspense and anxiety. The tension is backed up furthermore by the use of camera techniques which zoom up on the characters’ faces and show their petrified expressions. Suddenly silence is broken by a huge splash made by the predator falling back into the water. The splash is so immense and loud that the audience come to know how dangerous and harmful this sea-creature is and are chilled to the bone. The previous silence is replaced by the commotion created in the sea by the gigantic killer. In my opinion this is the turning point in the movie; the climax in which the lives of the three main characters are in jeopardy and this takes the breath away from any audience. This is why ‘JAWS’ is an astonishingly effective thriller built on a very primal level: fear and by setting it at this level Steven Spielberg constructs a chillingly frightening film.

In the second attack camera is used very effectively to create tension. A wide range of camera shots is used varying in duration, distance and purpose. At the beginning of the scene the camera closely focuses on Brody and his facial expression shows the stress which he is undergoing as only he knows the shark is still lurking in the darkness of the sea. The point-of-view shot which the audience see from Brody’s angle as he watches the sea arouses an atmosphere of tension and suspense revealing to us the characters’ feelings. Many people are enjoying themselves and we get a mid-shot of one man throwing a stick for his dog to fetch. The scene contains dramatic irony as the characters do not know that the shark is still there and the camera focuses with a close up shot on a dog and a child who enter the territory of the shark unaware of their fate. A close-up shot is used to draw the attention of the audience to certain objects and characters and in this case this shot is used to attract our attention to these characters. Tracking shots are used here to invite the attention of the viewers to a dog swimming with a stick and a boy on a lilo. The concentration on these characters is obvious which give viewers a clue about the fact that they are the shark’s next victims. The audience feel bitter about how the characters do not anticipate anything and this is such a cruel and violent way to die.

Even nature seems to favour this deadly leviathan because the cruel weather sends human food to the jaws of the shark by being bright and ideal for going to the beach and swimming. To build tension the director creates a series of false alarms through different camera shots which all work perfectly. Firstly, Brody watches the water and for an instant sees a black silhouette gliding through the water. He mistakes an old man with a black hat for the shark and this just shows how much significance the colour black has in this film. It is a sign of evil, disaster and vice. By mistaking an old man for the shark, Spielberg proves to us that even if Brody sees the shark on time he is completely impuissant, thus adding to stress and strain in his eyes. Using a long shot the director creates a second false alarm. This false alarm is to keep the audience in fear and in suspense about Brody’s enemy.

A sunburnt man talks to Brody blocking his view adding to the tension more and more. Brody being the main character has the sympathy of the audience and Spielberg fully knows this. By knowing this the director uses a point of view shot so that firstly, we identify ourselves with him and we unintentionally want him to get the clearest view possible of the sea without trying a lot, to relieve some of his pain and somehow inform people to avoid the already inevitable attack. Brody’s reflexes are slightly slowed down by this man who is both blocking his view and actions as well as our view as at this point Spielberg has switched around the long shot to a point of view shot just so that even more fear is added to our already heavy shoulders and fearful hearts.

The moment we anticipate the shark’s attack a crowd of boys rush into the water splashing and are only inviting their death. This low angle shot creates panic and fear and is the turning point in the sequence. After this the speeds of the shots get much longer to contrast with the calm situation on the beach. As these boys rush in, four jump cuts are used; two from low angles just to strengthen the idea of their imminent death at the hands of the shark which is attracted by their boisterous and jovial behaviour. At this critical point the shark arrival is heralded by music which makes the audience tense. The camera enters the shark’s territory showing his point of view, giving him the power to decide the destiny of these children which was a little while earlier in the hands of Brody. The frantic movements of the children’s leg are the first morsel of his meal. We see the shark increasing its pace towards a victim but suddenly changes its mind and goes for something much larger in this case the lilo. This reveals a hidden facet of the shark, as if his murderous nature and greed has blinded him, showing the audience the true strength of the mighty predator.

A camera in the distance shows the shark’s assault and the innocent boy is dragged in to the water for ever through a low-angle camera shot. Suddenly just at the moment where the chief of police relaxes the attack starts, defeating Brody and at this point he wants revenge. The camera zooms into Brody’s startled face with distorting background revealing the fact that he is shattered. A general panic erupts forcing everybody to retreat. At this point ten jump cuts are used to support the idea of total terror which is easily created by the shark. When the total panic has subsided the waves bring to view the remains of the shark’s meal, a yellow bloodstained, deflated lilo which had no interest in the shark’s eyes. To conclude the scene Spielberg fixes the washed up lilo with a mid-shot and calmness, tranquillity and silence are all that remain. In this scene tension is so enhanced and intense that we feel that we cannot endure any more as if we were overburdened and this is what makes it effective.

The director builds up fear of the shark though a variety of ways including, showing the damage it can do, through characters’ reactions and of course with music. The famous theme song of the film is played only when the shark is present, and the closer it gets to the victim, the more the tempo increases and the louder the music gets. When we hear this tune, subconsciously we know the sea-monster will strike and that nothing will be able to stop this bloodthirsty predator. An example of this is the second attack. Although the chief of police is scanning the water to avoid the inevitable attack but the shark still manages to attack. This creates fear as it seems nobody can control both the numbers of victims the shark kills as his power cannot be measured and because nobody can control his murderous movements. The way the music is played is identical to the way the shark carries out his atrocities. In the title sequence the music gets louder and faster making the viewers decrease the volume, similar is the way the sharks attacks his victims. Some characteristics of the music are present in the shark. The tune is played in a minor key which signifies tragedy and sadness which is what the bestial shark will bring. Again the terrible feelings the shark brings with the help of the music create only fear. The notes are played with strength showing the aggressive nature of the shark. In fact the character of the shark can be seen in the music and they combine to make one.

Secondly, when the damage the shark can do is shown, more fear is added. The pier scene is a good example because it shows what incredible strength and aggressiveness it has. The second attack shows how casually it can kill and finally when the director shows the corpse of the first victim and the bloodstained, deflated lilo more fear is stirred in the viewers’ hearts. Another example is in the last section of the film out at sea on a boat. When the shark manages to both overturn and crack a part of the boat and eventually makes it sink the audience realises just how much power and anger it possesses. At last the shark gets hold of Quint and swallows him easily. I believe that this is the real damage the shark can do by swallowing anyone in no time and by attacking objects twice his size is really terrifying. Finally characters’ reactions are focused on by the camera to add even more tension and fear in the atmosphere. The characters’ reactions emphasis the fear of the shark and this only adds to the terror of this film. For example in the first attack when the victim shouts in agony or when the marine biologist describes the first victim’s body the characters’ reactions are so strong that only then we acknowledge the real authority of the sea-monster. These pictures are so strong that fear has taken a large place in the audiences’ heads. These three combined, create one of the finest primal scare-thrillers ever to be made.

The director skilfully creates tension, suspense and fear throughout this film. The fact that the first two attacks follow each other closely clearly shows how indiscriminately, carelessly and haphazardly the shark kills, as if taking life away from them was his right. This creates a sense of urgency and desperation, the audience asking themselves, who will be next, how many will die and most importantly when? The film starts after these two attacks and the action of the film is triggered off. Spielberg wants to create fear and tension at the very beginning and not once but twice. The way the shark creates urgency by killing two victims in a short amount of time is similar to Spielberg’s urgency to start the movie and at the same time he lays the foundation for the suspense and fear to grow. The attack on the fourth of July when Brody’s son is involved makes the struggle more personal and the character much more determined as at last he stands up to his fear of water. Not only does Brody get more determined but he also gains some characteristics that he did not have, as he becomes more aggressive, ferocious and obviously he seeks revenge. These features commence firstly, because the mother of the second victim blames him for her son’s death and secondly, because of the involvement of his son in the second attack. Secondly, the third attack takes place on the American Independence Day and it is ironical because Independence Day is meant for enjoyment and celebration, which is in reality not the case here. The audience feel tense and worried for the citizens of Amity Island because they cannot enjoy themselves on a public holiday and that the citizens are constantly under threat.

The film’s last sections out at sea are some of the tensest parts. The music is at its most efficient level and camera techniques creating suspense and tension but anxiety comes from the fact that the viewers are scared for Brody as he is the last man alive in the final battle. Each time that Brody misses his shot we wish to support him; push him forward to win this battle against a shark preparing for another meal as Brody has our moral support. The fact that Brody at this moment has lost both his companions and is scared of water only builds up suspense. Fear in the audience is increased when little by little the ship sinks leaving only a narrow gap between Brody hanging on the mast and the predator’s territory as if the shark was luring him on to embrace his death. All the viewers hope are pinned on Brody, as it is the last chance to destroy the shark who with his jaws has already taken life away from several people.

Although throughout the film most scenes are packed with suspense and fear, one scene in my opinion stands out not only because of the music and characters reactions or the camera shots but because of the context it bears. This scene reveals the wreck of Ben Gardner’s ship. The water is portrayed as hostile, unexplored, dangerous and simply sombre. In that scene fragments of woods and shattered glass are floating on the surface with a thick fog wrapping them together, shadows jumping in the background adding to this an eerie music and the director creates a superb atmosphere in which anything at any time can happen. Although everything is repulsive from this setting, Hooper still willingly enters it making nearly no noise as he enters, as if the sea engulfed him face to face with the enemy. When the diver finds the damaged hull, the audience pray with all their heart that the shark is not there. The camera directly switches to Hooper’s point of view to add to the suspense. At this precise moment a pale colourless, chewed-like lifeless face appears from inside the hull. This creates both the most unexpected and scariest scene in the whole film. The character’s reaction emphasis this, as Hooper loses control of his body and is taken away by fear.

Steven Spielberg created a powerful and effective thriller based on a very primal fear. It is so realistic we consider ourselves to be a member of that community who live on Amity and are under the threat of deadly leviathan who kills without mercy and warning. The simple almost primitive tune builds fear and suspense and is always associated with the shark to create one entity. Silence is also fitted in the right places at the right moment. The unseen predator is the opposite force against which mankind has to struggle in one form or the other. Suspense, tension and fear are the integral parts of the movie who will continue to make entire generations afraid to go in the water.

By Seif Zitouni