Also during this scene there are quite a few close up shots this is also to show enhancing his anxiety and feelings of hopelessness.
After this we have a release in the tension as they use a track shot to follow the man as his dog and to show the normal activity, but even in this scene the use of colour is important as the dog is black which signifies death and that he is another victim. A further track shot is used as the boy and the dog run into the water this focusing our attention onto the two victims. Then we will see a close up of the boy and his lilo, and the dog and his stick. This is used to prepare the audience for the absence of the boy and the dog and again singles them out as the next victims.
We next see chief Brody and during this scene repetition is used while zooming in on his facial expressions. This is dramatically building the tension of the scene and also makes us aware that Chief Brody feels he is on a mission and that he has a goal. Spielberg makes us believe in and care about these people by ‘fleshing out’ their characters.
Following that scene with have a great build up and release in tension. A man in the black hat is mistaken by Brody as the shark. This builds tension to an all time high. Moments later we realise that it is only a black swimming cap. This is again lulling the audience into a false sense of security and is a device Spielberg uses often as a recovery point for the audience, yet taking them at the same time on an emotional roller-coaster.
Continuing after this, a sunburnt man talks to Chief Brody and blocking his view out to the sea as the director zooms into an extreme close up, we get a sense that chief Brody feels he has lost control and is frustrated. Again in the next scene there is a build up in tension when we hear the women in the water screaming but she is simply having fun.
Soon after we see a small child singing and the man calling for his dog. The child is wearing white to show innocence and as the man does not succeed in finding his dog we are aware that the shark is about and imaginations run riot. We then have the point of view shot of the shark, similar to the first attack which starts building the tension and gives the audience a preparation for the attack. When the attack happens there is a brilliant zoom shot on Chief Brody and also a wide shot of the panic along the beach here you are aware that the anxiety of Chief Brody has now spread to the whole beach. There is also a great realisation for Brody in this scene as he realises that he was right all along and starts to feel really guilty. At the end of the attack the music quietens and the yellow lilo washes up on shore this is similar to the first attack when the scene ended as normal as it began. It’s interesting to note though, that in America’s Great Lakes area for several years after ‘Jaws’ there was a significant drop in the number of swimmers-a case of life imitating art!
The director purposely does not show the shark until the main climax of the film to scare the audience. This is very effective because what we do not see we can only imagine and our imaginations can take us further than any camera shot or special effects could. Spielberg uses our most basic fears of the unknown to increase the tension and suspense in the film. He is a master of manipulation. He also uses the music throughout the film to show the shark presence so when the shark appears without the music it is a great shock to the audience. Although we do not see the shark very much we will often see or hear about the damage it has caused and in one particular scene the audience’s immediate reaction is to jump out of their seats as the head of a fisherman appears in the hole that was made by the shark. A little earlier in this scene Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) is investigating the damage caused by the shark and finds a tooth that instantly shows the greatness of this shark as the tooth is nearly as large as his hand. During the film the director also builds up a fear of the shark through the characters’ reactions. The way Chief Brody was anxious and dreading what might happen in the second attack makes you really feel that this is something to be scared of, and also the amount of security and protection in place for the third attack meant that even though they had found a shark they were not going to risk anything. I feel that the best way the director show how intelligent and how this shark should be feared is when even though they had all that security and precautions taking place on the 4th July attack the shark still manages to attack someone and fools the people into thinking they are safe.
The story is put together to build up tension and fear. It is done by the first two attacks being very close together at the start of the film. This is done to draw the audience in to sustain interest. Between the second and third attack the director takes a great amount of effort in the emotional attachment between the audience and Brody’s family. He shows that Brody is a good father when he is playing with his child. This emotional attachment that the audience is getting ensures that we are more emotionally evolved when they are in an attack. There is also a good scene where we see Brody reading a book on sharks; this shows his commitment to his job and also that he is realising what they are dealing with. After they have found what they believe to be the shark, Matt Hooper isn’t convinced that it is the correct shark so they perform an autopsy. This makes us realise the magnitude and potential destructive force of the shark. Once they are aware that they have the wrong shark there is again a sense of tension building and worry among the characters that the real shark is still lurking out there. During the 4th July attack there are certain similarities and differences between the first two attacks and this one. These are that there is again a false alarm; that the victim is still an easy target and that the usage of colours is still being signified. The differences are that there are a lot more people, the attack happened in the pond area and not in the sea and there is a wider sense of panic. We see a lot more of the shark, there is a reluctance to go into the sea and the symbolic use of colour has increased. During this attack Brody’s son is involved and the director’s attempt of making us emotionally attached to this victim has paid off, because we feel like this is a greater tragedy even though the son did not get killed.
The last part of the film is filmed on Quint’s small boat. Quint is the man the town has hired to dispose of the shark, he feels that he does not need any help but he reluctantly agreed to Brody and Hooper coming with him. The three men that are on this boat (Quint, Hooper and Brody) have a great amount of friction between them which is almost a straight away disadvantage however they all share a common goal which in the end binds them together to make a stronger team. As the boat leaves port the sea is red this is again symbolic usage of colour as in red equals danger. During their search for the shark, the canisters are accidentally released, giving a clue to the audience that they are going to be crucial later on in the film. During their journey there are specific scenes where the music is more of a triumphant and upbeat tone. This is where they first manage to shoot a barrel into the shark. This sense of triumph is short lived when the barrel disappears and the music turns into silence.
Throughout these few last scenes the men make many attempts to kill the shark but none of them succeed and this is where we start to get a feeling that the shark is outsmarting them as he draws them further into the ocean. Then Quint compromises and allows Hooper to go in his metal cage and try to kill the shark with an injection. This would seem to be there last hope. We then go under the water with Hooper and there is a great amount of pressure and hope invested in this. When the shark attacks, Brody and Quint pull up the remains of the cage. They seem to be doomed. The last attack is when the shark gets onto the edge of the boat and eats Quint. This a surprising turn of events Quint and Hooper were the most experienced and our initial thought was that it was going to be Brody who will die. In the climax of the film, where almost all hope is lost the director leaves the audience on the edge of their seats wondering whether Brody will or will not defeat the shark. This is where the canisters come in significantly and with his last shot and determination Brody shoots the canister and the shark explodes. The audience is left with a sense of triumph
My favourite and what I feel the scariest part of the film was when Hooper was under the water exploring the ship and the fisherman’s head fell into the hole. I think this is the best part because you are not expecting it and also because you can see how much destruction the shark has caused. I think it is well shot and much unexpected. Steven Spielberg was an unknown 27 year old at the start of this film, but managed to make ‘Jaws’ and adventure/action/suspense film which had previously unseen special effects. It appealed to everyone, regardless of age or gender, and the director’s techniques broke new ground, now widely used in suspense movies and winning him a much – deserved Oscar.
