The 'JAWS' appreciation thread

[Brian Braddock]

No, not a thread about the bad guy from the Bond Films (coz I just know someone's gonna post a reply with that lamoid response ) but rather a thread for what is ,personally, my favorite film.

Any lovers of the film (or indeed, the sequels -although there's probably not too many fans of the sequals!!) feel free to post their thoughts here; this is a thread specifically for fans.

How about the idea of Spielberg pulling a Lucas and replacing 'Bruce' with a CGI shark? Yah or Nay?
-Personally, the only scene I think could benefit from this is where the shark is supposed to leap out of the water, just like a real great white (anyone seen that documentary 'Air Jaws'?) and lands atop of the stern of Quint's boat - apart from that Bruce looks fine.

How about the rumours of a remake? Any takers? If so, who would direct? Who would be cast? Would you have a CGI shark or Animatronic shark? (IMO Deep Blue Sue was crap but the animatronic sharks built by Walt Conti were astounding)

Or how about a prequel based on Quint's experience on the Indianapolis?

Any thoughts or opinions?


I look forward to hearing from any fellow 'Jawsists' (?!)

 

[Carmine Falcone]

Good. Not great.

 

[Erzengel]

I'd say Great. I love JAWS.

 

[Threshold]

I don't even know if great covers the film's quality...

It's easily one of my favorite films as well. They just don't make 'em like this anymore. The film, while focusing heavily on the shark-threat, was all about these three incredible characters on a boat going to get the shark.

Being a writer myself (cause nobody else wants to be a writer...) I always use Jaws as a template for how to construct well-developed and memorable characters for films. It's also one hell of a heart-pounding flick!

 

[SolidSnakeMGS]

Better than great.

We're gonna need a bigger thread.

 

[Wilhelm-Scream]

Jaws is the freaking best. Great just as a movie, great as a scary film.
My fear of Bruce has shaped my life. I'm still mildly obsessed with GW Sharks and it's all because of Jaws.

Also, Jaws is one of the only films from the 70's that I totally wish they'd pull a Lucas on.

When asked to name "perfect" movies, the only reason I can't say "Jaws" is because the muppet mechanical shark doesn't hold up at all.

If they made it look real (and I don't mean "Jabba in Phantom Menace" real, I mean "Gollum/King Kong" real, it would add so much and would thereby become a PERFECT FILM.


He did it for E.T.
He should do it for Bruce.
However, in like, 10 years, when CGI will be almost flawless.

 

[Brian Braddock]

the mother of all questions - Who'd win in a fight?

Bruce or Gen.2?


And Snake - 'We're gonna need a bigger thread'?

 

[Wilhelm-Scream]

erm, Jaws is the best movie, but if you're talking "fight-to-the-death", both lose to MEG.

 

[Threshold]

We're gonna need a bigger thread.

I think this thread has a new slogan. Well done, sir.

 

[Mr. Walters]

I think it's the best film ever made. I try to not be biased because it is my favorite movie, but I really dissected it and I think it is the best movie ever made.

 

[Brian Braddock]

Interesting site:-

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/sharksonfilm/index.html

Some really good breakdown of various shark movies, from number of victims to the quality of the shark. Of course, Jaws is no.1.

What impresses me more about Jaws is, for anyone who's watched the making of documentary on the dvd, the sheer amount of crap all people involved had to go through in order to get the film completed.

Can you imagine how the film would have been received if it was made nowadays? The bad word on the internet would have killed it even before it saw the light of a cinema screen.


And yeah, Wilhelm, Meg would likely slay all. Although, Jaws 3 might have somethin to say about it, not much mind you, but it's probably the nearest in size of all the sharks to Meg. It'd probably get in a bite hear and there.

 

[DACrowe]

A classic. Very few movies earn the term perfect, but this one does.

The acting, direction, cinematography and heart pounding and unforgettable score (and just not the main theme either) are epic and involving. The characters are deep and multi-faceted and we get a good look at all of them while they duke it out with a shark. Though one of the greatest mistakes in history, not seeing the shark for the first half of the movie was brilliant. The attacks still scare me. The ending still has me on the edge of my seat. Seeing Quint die (the best character in it) is still heart breaking.

It is just simply an amazing movie. Sure it is a "summer blockbuster" and the first too but it had a level of depth and quality absent from most summers since. This has more in common with other great '70s classics it gre with like The Godfather, Dog Day Afternoon, All the President's Men, Marathon Man, The French Connection, Annie Hall, Network, etc. It may be a movie about a maneating shark but it is still just as impressive and unforgettable as those.

Just a miraculous accomplishment and such a burden to acheive (I'm pretty sure Speilberg still has trouble stomaching a rewatch of this movie due to the hardships) and in my opinion one of the great classics of all time. A perfect film. They don't make 'em like this now.

 

[Edd Extraordinaire]

Spielberg wouldn't have been the director he is today without Jaws.

 

[SolidSnakeMGS]

There is a movie waiting to be greenlit by New Line about the Meg shark.

 

[Jochimus]

Quite possibly my all-time favorite movie. t:

My fear of Bruce has shaped my life. I'm still mildly obsessed with GW Sharks and it's all because of Jaws.

So am I. I dream about the bloody things. And I don't even live anywhere near the ocean.

Also, Jaws is one of the only films from the 70's that I totally wish they'd pull a Lucas on.

When asked to name "perfect" movies, the only reason I can't say "Jaws" is because the muppet mechanical shark doesn't hold up at all.

If they made it look real (and I don't mean "Jabba in Phantom Menace" real, I mean "Gollum/King Kong" real, it would add so much and would thereby become a PERFECT FILM.

He did it for E.T.
He should do it for Bruce.
However, in like, 10 years, when CGI will be almost flawless.

Now, now, let's be careful here. Spielberg proved with his E.T. "Special Edition" that he also has Lucas' penchant for unnecessarily modifying character traits and critical points of conflict in one of his classics, as opposed to simple CGI 'clean-up'. Spielberg may not be as rampant with it, but it's there: he removed the Feds' guns and any references to terrorism in E.T. because of 9/11. Last thing I want is a 'more sensitive' killer shark.

 

[SolidSnakeMGS]

Now, now, let's be careful here. Spielberg proved with his E.T. "Special Edition" that he also has Lucas' penchant for unnecessarily modifying character traits and critical points of conflict in one of his classics, as opposed to simple CGI 'clean-up'. Spielberg may not be as rampant with it, but it's there: he removed the Feds' guns and any references to terrorism in E.T. because of 9/11. Last thing I want is a 'more sensitive' killer shark.

The difference is that he had the original version available on the DVD, so you could choose which version you wanted to see. And it isn't like he changed entire plot points like Lucas, just did some tinkering around to make it what he thought would be more family-accessible. It isn't like he CGI-ed in a scene where the mothership was the same one from Close Encounters t:

He also removed a goof from Raiders, where you see the plate of glass that seperates Indy from the Cobra when he is in the Well of the Souls. Now that's a good application of the technology. At least he didn't replace the Nazi's guns with walkie talkies. t:t:

 

[SolidSnakeMGS]

Let's not forget the extremely memorable score, which has probably the most popular and recognizable theme in all of cinema. Its soo simple, yet so effective. I recently had to make a slideshow for an "art" show, and I used the track titled 'Montage' for it, and it went together very well IMO.

The last track is brilliant as well. It's sad but uplifting, one of Williams's best!

 

[Wilhelm-Scream]

Last thing I want is a 'more sensitive' killer shark.

Haha, of course I don't want the harpoons CG'ed out.
I just wish Bruce looked and moved more like:

and

than

with the bloody gums and all

It's sad the Renny (******) Harlin's mechanical sharks look so much more real than Spielberg's just because Spielberg was so far ahead of his time.

 

[SolidSnakeMGS]

Let's not forget the extremely memorable score, which has probably the most popular and recognizable theme in all of cinema. Its soo simple, yet so effective. I recently had to make a slideshow for an "art" show, and I used the track titled 'Montage' for it, and it went together very well IMO.

The last track is brilliant as well. It's sad but uplifting, one of Williams's best!

 

[Wilhelm-Scream]

uh, yeah. We got that.
You're overflowing with Jaws appreciation

 

[Kevin Roegele]

I even love Jaws 2 and Jaws: The Revenge. Jaws 3(D) is just dull.

 

[Wilhelm-Scream]

funny illustration of my intense shark fear

I never saw Jaws 3-D when it came out 'cause I didn't think I could handle it.

 

[Edd Extraordinaire]

You're afraid of sharks?

 

[GreatWhiteShark]

Don't be scurred of me, Wilhelm. I love you. I just want to talk to you for a minute, is that so bad? Just come in the water so I can talk to you for just ONE MINUTE. Come on, pal.

 

[WTFimVENOM]

Jaws is my favorite Bond villian evr!!
srry had to do it