Mystery/Thriller The JAWS Appreciation Thread

[Hypestyle]

.. and all these years later, no one's attempted a "meg" movie. Hmm...

 

[titansupes]

.. and all these years later, no one's attempted a "meg" movie. Hmm...

I'd love a Megalodon movie that wasn't made by the Asylum or whoever... but I think between Jaws being so good, Deep Blue Sea being fun and the absurd number of ****** rip-offs, nobody worth their salt is going to touch a giant shark movie.

 

[Lord]

True, the film was far more suspenseful without seeing the shark right away. I'm just saying that a remake might not be a shot for shot regurgitation of the original like Psycho was, or be a more faithful retelling of the book like Red Dragon was. It could be more along the lines of the special editions of the original Star Wars Trilogy, only with a whole new cast. Remaking it as the film that Spielberg originally envisioned. Which could end up being pretty good.

I'm not realy against trying that with another Jaws film, but does it realy have to be a remake? You can just do a modern sort of sequel to the original which features new shark attacks in the same beach and may mention past events, you would be able to have a new set of characters, maybe even take old ideas that weren't used from the novele or during the development of the films.

Most of what i think a new film could do lies in the camera work, the shark shouldn't be shown much more than he already was in the original. Maybe you could add more of the corruption from the novel, as long as it wasn't the main focus, but a catalyst for the shark to keep causing trouble.

 

[Octoberist]

.. and all these years later, no one's attempted a "meg" movie. Hmm...

The guy who owned chud dot com, a movie news site (In which is shutting down) attempted to produce a Meg movie years ago. I wanna say 10 maybe. And it didn't work out, and I get the impression he was so burnt out by the experience that he kinda lost the passion for his own site.

 

[Thundarr]

I'm not realy against trying that with another Jaws film, but does it realy have to be a remake? You can just do a modern sort of sequel to the original which features new shark attacks in the same beach and may mention past events, you would be able to have a new set of characters, maybe even take old ideas that weren't used from the novele or during the development of the films.

Most of what i think a new film could do lies in the camera work, the shark shouldn't be shown much more than he already was in the original. Maybe you could add more of the corruption from the novel, as long as it wasn't the main focus, but a catalyst for the shark to keep causing trouble.

The problem with that is how the hell do you make a shark attack Amity Island a third/fourth time (not sure if you'd want to include Part 4 in the list of attacks against the island), have the city counsel react in the same way ("Sharks? I don't care! I want those beaches open for the Fourth Of July!"), and not seem like a bunch of total idiots?

In the first movie they reacted that way because they were confident that the first attack was an isolated incident. They didn't take the threat seriously until the shark attacked Brody's son on the Fourth Of July. Even then, it was likely due mostly to the fact that there was massive media coverage of the event (that and I think one of Michael Brody's friends who was in the boat with him was the mayor's son). But after the events of the first two films, plus Sean Brody being killed by yet ANOTHER giant great white in the fourth movie, would the city counsel REALLY be so oblivious to the possibility that another shark could stake a claim to hunting around Amity Island?

If a straight up sequel were to work at all, it would have to take place at another island which is similar to Amity (a small community living there, which is a favorite vacation spot for people from the mainland, and relies on those vacationers for their very livelihood). The another shark attacks that community, and their chief of police faces many of the same problems Brody did in the original. Maybe he comes across news reports of the events of the first two movies during his research of sharks and shark attacks, and uses that to try and convince the city counsel that they have a shark problem.

So it will be a sequel, but with none of the original characters from the first movies. There will be a Brody-like character, and a Quint-like character, but they will be given different names. The only character that I can see maybe coming back in this sequel would be Hooper (and if Richard Dreyfus doesn't want to do it, recast him).

That's the only way I can see yet another straight up sequel actually working.

 

[Erzengel]

They don't make characters like Quint anymore.

 

[MahvelBaby!]

The problem with that is how the hell do you make a shark attack Amity Island a third/fourth time (not sure if you'd want to include Part 4 in the list of attacks against the island), have the city counsel react in the same way ("Sharks? I don't care! I want those beaches open for the Fourth Of July!"), and not seem like a bunch of total idiots?

In the first movie they reacted that way because they were confident that the first attack was an isolated incident. They didn't take the threat seriously until the shark attacked Brody's son on the Fourth Of July. Even then, it was likely due mostly to the fact that there was massive media coverage of the event (that and I think one of Michael Brody's friends who was in the boat with him was the mayor's son). But after the events of the first two films, plus Sean Brody being killed by yet ANOTHER giant great white in the fourth movie, would the city counsel REALLY be so oblivious to the possibility that another shark could stake a claim to hunting around Amity Island?

If a straight up sequel were to work at all, it would have to take place at another island which is similar to Amity (a small community living there, which is a favorite vacation spot for people from the mainland, and relies on those vacationers for their very livelihood). The another shark attacks that community, and their chief of police faces many of the same problems Brody did in the original. Maybe he comes across news reports of the events of the first two movies during his research of sharks and shark attacks, and uses that to try and convince the city counsel that they have a shark problem.

So it will be a sequel, but with none of the original characters from the first movies. There will be a Brody-like character, and a Quint-like character, but they will be given different names. The only character that I can see maybe coming back in this sequel would be Hooper (and if Richard Dreyfus doesn't want to do it, recast him).

That's the only way I can see yet another straight up sequel actually working.

Personally....I wouldn't mind a sequel to jaws that ignores everything that happens after it lol, ok maybe Jaws 2 can stay.

 

[Broseph44]

They don't make characters like Quint anymore.

Just being a badass. Fishing for a giant great white, drinking a beer. You know, chillin.

 

[titansupes]

The problem with that is how the hell do you make a shark attack Amity Island a third/fourth time (not sure if you'd want to include Part 4 in the list of attacks against the island), have the city counsel react in the same way ("Sharks? I don't care! I want those beaches open for the Fourth Of July!"), and not seem like a bunch of total idiots?

In the first movie they reacted that way because they were confident that the first attack was an isolated incident. They didn't take the threat seriously until the shark attacked Brody's son on the Fourth Of July. Even then, it was likely due mostly to the fact that there was massive media coverage of the event (that and I think one of Michael Brody's friends who was in the boat with him was the mayor's son). But after the events of the first two films, plus Sean Brody being killed by yet ANOTHER giant great white in the fourth movie, would the city counsel REALLY be so oblivious to the possibility that another shark could stake a claim to hunting around Amity Island?

If a straight up sequel were to work at all, it would have to take place at another island which is similar to Amity (a small community living there, which is a favorite vacation spot for people from the mainland, and relies on those vacationers for their very livelihood). The another shark attacks that community, and their chief of police faces many of the same problems Brody did in the original. Maybe he comes across news reports of the events of the first two movies during his research of sharks and shark attacks, and uses that to try and convince the city counsel that they have a shark problem.

So it will be a sequel, but with none of the original characters from the first movies. There will be a Brody-like character, and a Quint-like character, but they will be given different names. The only character that I can see maybe coming back in this sequel would be Hooper (and if Richard Dreyfus doesn't want to do it, recast him).

That's the only way I can see yet another straight up sequel actually working.

But this is just the exact same thing as the first one... What's the point?

 

[DCW]

I'll show my appreciation for Jaws via this gif:

 

[Thundarr]

But this is just the exact same thing as the first one... What's the point?

The point is every possible angle surrounding the Brodys and Amity Island has been done to death.

The first sequel had a giant shark attacking boaters, and more specifically the Brodys, around Amity Island.

The second sequel had a giant shark attacking Sea World, where Mike Brody just happens to work, and Sean Brody just happens to be visiting.

Then finally, a giant shark eats Sean Brody at Amity Island harbor. Then it follows his mom to the freakin' Bahamas in order to try and eat her and the rest of the Brody family.

Seriously, how can you possibly do another sequel along those same lines without it becoming even more ridiculous?

Even in cheesey slasher films like Friday The 13th, which I totally love, the writers make the victims oblivious to the danger without being complete idiots. There's no way to do that with the Jaws movies.

 

[Roose Bolton]

I think if they do another one, it should be a prequel about Quint's experiences with U.S.S. Indianapolis . I believe that was Speilberg's original idea for how to do it again.

 

[titansupes]

The point is every possible angle surrounding the Brodys and Amity Island has been done to death.

The first sequel had a giant shark attacking boaters, and more specifically the Brodys, around Amity Island.

The second sequel had a giant shark attacking Sea World, where Mike Brody just happens to work, and Sean Brody just happens to be visiting.

Then finally, a giant shark eats Sean Brody at Amity Island harbor. Then it follows his mom to the freakin' Bahamas in order to try and eat her and the rest of the Brody family.

Seriously, how can you possibly do another sequel along those same lines without it becoming even more ridiculous?

Even in cheesey slasher films like Friday The 13th, which I totally love, the writers make the victims oblivious to the danger without being complete idiots. There's no way to do that with the Jaws movies.

Yeah, I agree with all that. Which is why I don't understand--

The problem with that is how the hell do you make a shark attack Amity Island a third/fourth time (not sure if you'd want to include Part 4 in the list of attacks against the island), have the city counsel react in the same way ("Sharks? I don't care! I want those beaches open for the Fourth Of July!"), and not seem like a bunch of total idiots?

In the first movie they reacted that way because they were confident that the first attack was an isolated incident. They didn't take the threat seriously until the shark attacked Brody's son on the Fourth Of July. Even then, it was likely due mostly to the fact that there was massive media coverage of the event (that and I think one of Michael Brody's friends who was in the boat with him was the mayor's son). But after the events of the first two films, plus Sean Brody being killed by yet ANOTHER giant great white in the fourth movie, would the city counsel REALLY be so oblivious to the possibility that another shark could stake a claim to hunting around Amity Island?

If a straight up sequel were to work at all, it would have to take place at another island which is similar to Amity (a small community living there, which is a favorite vacation spot for people from the mainland, and relies on those vacationers for their very livelihood). The another shark attacks that community, and their chief of police faces many of the same problems Brody did in the original. Maybe he comes across news reports of the events of the first two movies during his research of sharks and shark attacks, and uses that to try and convince the city counsel that they have a shark problem.

So it will be a sequel, but with none of the original characters from the first movies. There will be a Brody-like character, and a Quint-like character, but they will be given different names. The only character that I can see maybe coming back in this sequel would be Hooper (and if Richard Dreyfus doesn't want to do it, recast him).

That's the only way I can see yet another straight up sequel actually working.

-- why you'd have a sequel that's a straight up repeat of those movies, with another part of the same islands, with the same set-up and obstacles, the same types of characters and occupations doing the same things... but with different names.

 

[Lord]

The problem with that is how the hell do you make a shark attack Amity Island a third/fourth time (not sure if you'd want to include Part 4 in the list of attacks against the island), have the city counsel react in the same way ("Sharks? I don't care! I want those beaches open for the Fourth Of July!"), and not seem like a bunch of total idiots?

In the first movie they reacted that way because they were confident that the first attack was an isolated incident. They didn't take the threat seriously until the shark attacked Brody's son on the Fourth Of July. Even then, it was likely due mostly to the fact that there was massive media coverage of the event (that and I think one of Michael Brody's friends who was in the boat with him was the mayor's son). But after the events of the first two films, plus Sean Brody being killed by yet ANOTHER giant great white in the fourth movie, would the city counsel REALLY be so oblivious to the possibility that another shark could stake a claim to hunting around Amity Island?

If a straight up sequel were to work at all, it would have to take place at another island which is similar to Amity (a small community living there, which is a favorite vacation spot for people from the mainland, and relies on those vacationers for their very livelihood). The another shark attacks that community, and their chief of police faces many of the same problems Brody did in the original. Maybe he comes across news reports of the events of the first two movies during his research of sharks and shark attacks, and uses that to try and convince the city counsel that they have a shark problem.

So it will be a sequel, but with none of the original characters from the first movies. There will be a Brody-like character, and a Quint-like character, but they will be given different names. The only character that I can see maybe coming back in this sequel would be Hooper (and if Richard Dreyfus doesn't want to do it, recast him).

That's the only way I can see yet another straight up sequel actually working.

You wouldn't need to repeat the original beat for beat, it would just be another shark attack on that island and the characters would now have a different perspective. Only films i would personaly keep in continuity are Jaws 1 and 2, this way, it makes Amity Island have an history of shark attacks, which would theoreticaly change the way people would handle a situation like that nowadays.

No Brody's family shouldn't appear, but the main character would probably pick up old reports of the events in the first two. Nowadays isn't shark hunting ilegal? That opens up new ideas to explore.

That said, if there was to be another film in the franchise, Quint's story may be the best path to follow, that was even their first idea for a second movie and you wouldn't need to repeat what has already been done.

But i fear that whenever Hollywood goes back to this franchise, they won't have Spielberg's help and will end up delivering a forgetable cash-in.

 

[titansupes]

You wouldn't need to repeat the original beat for beat, it would just be another shark attack on that island and the characters would now have a different perspective. Only films i would personaly keep in continuity are Jaws 1 and 2, this way, it makes Amity Island have an history of shark attacks, which would theoreticaly change the way people would handle a situation like that nowadays.

No Brody's family shouldn't appear, but the main character would probably pick up old reports of the events in the first two. Nowadays isn't shark hunting ilegal? That opens up new ideas to explore.

That said, if there was to be another film in the franchise, Quint's story may be the best path to follow, that was even their first idea for a second movie and you wouldn't need to repeat what has already been done.

But i fear that whenever Hollywood goes back to this franchise, they won't have Spielberg's help and will end up delivering a forgetable cash-in.

A Quint prequel I could get on board with, as long as the right people were involved. But more than that, I want whatever this idea from Spielberg is:

No, no idea at all, but I have a very, very good scene which I thought would have been good for a sequel someday, which I will tell you someday because I don’t want it in print. But I’ll tell you my scene some day. Every time I think of this scene I think, “Hmmm, could this be another Jaws movie?” and I have to immediately stop myself and immediately pull myself back down to Earth.

http://www.slashfilm.com/steven-spie...ene-interview/

 

[Monsieur Xavier]

What I am wearing today.
Note: it's not me in the picture.

 

[Jochimus]

Meh. The way I see it, there's only two conceivable routes to take for anyone who'd be desperate enough to want to make another "Jaws" movie:
A) Just straight-up remake it; or
B) Do a sequel set now, in the present day, which completely and utterly disavows, disacknowledges, and flat-out ignores the three previous films. Don't time-float the first movie like "Superman Returns" did...keep the original film firmly in 1974/75.

I'd consider the second option the lesser of the two evils, but that would still require a few other things be done:
1) DON'T make the shark another Great White. Still sizable and a known man-eater, perhaps.
2) DON'T turn the shark into a Toho monster with Super Shark Powers. They don't roar, they don't swim backwards, they don't chomp low-flying aircraft out of the skies or commit psychic assaults against their intended victims.
3) DON'T set it on Amity Island again.
4) If you insist on referencing previous characters, DON'T bring in another Brody again...how about a grandson/daughter of Hooper instead? Y'know, it WAS his job to observe sharks, and it wouldn't be unreasonable for any offspring he might have to evince a similar interest.
5) DO give the shark a palpable reason for its rampage - like a tidal wave or tsunami or the like wiping out its usual feeding grounds. As the man said, "All this machine does is swim and eat and make little sharks," and that REALLY IS all.
6) DON'T paint the local bureaucrats like Big-Business Greedy Idiots - this is 2015; don't you think somebody would probably sue your ^$$ if they found out YOU KNEW about the killer shark off the coast?
7) Just for the fun of doing something fresh with this particular franchise, DON'T make the shark the principal villain of the piece this time. Have it be more of a wild-card in the vein of the T-Rex in the "Jurassic Park" movies. And on THAT note...
8) Get Spielberg's name attached to this somewhere, even if only as Executive Producer or whatever. That at least would be something resembling a guarantee that the movie won't be a complete and utter piece of crap.

Of course, the ideal option would be to not make another "Jaws" movie at all, but at the rate Hollywood's creative desperation seems to be mounting, suffice to say nothing would surprise me anymore. And I'm...rather on the fence about a Quint-centric/Indianapolis-based prequel...I don't know that it would be quite the franchise-friendly popcorn flick the studio would likely want.

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

If I they were to make another Jaws movie (which I wouldn't, but it is probably inevitable at some point), I always kind of liked the basic concept surrounding the old ride at Universal Studios. It is far more fitting to the modern view on sharks, where 'shark tourism' can be a big business. Most people are fascinated by rather than afraid of sharks anymore. So the basic idea is sharks show up, town exploits it to draw in tourism (shark merchandise, shark tours, etc.), then this big killer shark shows up and starts killing tourists and the town has to deal with the ramifications of that. I think a good film can be crafted out of that concept and it would be different enough from the original 1975 film that it could be interesting.

 

[Jochimus]

If I they were to make another Jaws movie (which I wouldn't, but it is probably inevitable at some point), I always kind of liked the basic concept surrounding the old ride at Universal Studios. It is far more fitting to the modern view on sharks, where 'shark tourism' can be a big business. Most people are fascinated by rather than afraid of sharks anymore. So the basic idea is sharks show up, town exploits it to draw in tourism (shark merchandise, shark tours, etc.), then this big killer shark shows up and starts killing tourists and the town has to deal with the ramifications of that. I think a good film can be crafted out of that concept and it would be different enough from the original 1975 film that it could be interesting.

And actually that falls in line with what I personally think is an overlooked aspect of Benchley's novel that has some genuine merit: in the book, more than a few tourists come to Amity KNOWING there's still a shark in the water and are there specifically to see somebody get et. That WOULD still be a fairly relevant aspect to the story even in today's culture.

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

And actually that falls in line with what I personally think is an overlooked aspect of Benchley's novel that has some genuine merit: in the book, more than a few tourists come to Amity KNOWING there's still a shark in the water and are there specifically to see somebody get et. That WOULD still be a fairly relevant aspect to the story even in today's culture.

Yeah, and I do think it is important to keep the series realistic. One of the big reasons for the success of the original, is that it seemed real. Okay, the shark looked a little fake at times, and it did things like pull the boat backwards and go down with 3 barrels that it wouldn't be able to do, but for the most part everything from the setting to the nature of the attacks to the characters themselves seemed plausible.

Trying to spice things up by having voodoo sharks, zombie sharks, long lost prehistoric sharks, and all sorts of other fantasy and crazy sci-fi nonsense would completely ruin any potential remake/sequel. I have to believe this could really happen for the film to work.

 

[Snow Queen]

Well how about robot sharks?

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

Well how about robot sharks?

And absolutely NO robot sharks!

 

[Snow Queen]

And absolutely NO robot sharks!

It would fit right in with the original film.

 

[Thundarr]

Yeah, I agree with all that. Which is why I don't understand--



-- why you'd have a sequel that's a straight up repeat of those movies, with another part of the same islands, with the same set-up and obstacles, the same types of characters and occupations doing the same things... but with different names.

I didn't say "another part of the same islands". I said "a different island very similar to Amity". The obstacles would be similar, but not necessarily 100% identical to the first ("This is a summer town, we need summer dollars."). The city council might take the threat more seriously than they did in Amity, but they still wouldn't want to shut the beaches down unless they absolutely had no other choice.

I just don't want a sequel where the town mayor and city council insist on keeping the beaches open despite there being several shark attacks off their coast, even after the events of the first two films. There's no way any community leader could be that stupid/greedy as to serve up their population to a giant great white as a smorgasbord.

 

[Silvermoth]

Imagine how great a sequel to jaws would be if instead, they told the film from the Sharks perspective