The movie ‘Jaws’ from 1975, directed by Steven Spielberg, revolves around a shark that uses its jaws (teeth) to fatally attack people.
The movie “Jaws” was a groundbreaking summer hit that shattered box office records and propelled Steven Spielberg to fame. Thanks to the triumph of “Jaws,” Spielberg went on to produce more blockbuster films. The story takes place in the fictional Amity Island, situated on a New England island. This choice of setting heightens the suspense as the inhabitants are trapped with no means of escape except by water. It is important to note that Amity Island is purely imaginary.
The movie was filmed in Martha’s Vineyard, an American East Coast location. Tension and fear are frequently created through the use of both music and silence. Additionally, non-diegetic sound is utilized to heighten the atmosphere or further intensify suspense. One instance of this can be seen in the title sequence scene where dramatic non-diegetic sound is employed to increase audience anticipation.
This is because the music represents the shark, so when the music plays again during the movie, the audience knows the shark is approaching. Diegetic sound enhances the realism of the film and creates a subtle tension. For example, in the initial attack, after Chrissie is pulled underwater, there is silence and only the sound of the sea can be heard.
This technique is impactful as it generates anxiety among the audience, who are well aware that Chrissie has been killed and the attack went unnoticed by anyone. Furthermore, tension is also heightened through the use of parallel sound, specifically when the radio is playing on the beach just before the second attack. This skilful approach efficiently instills a feeling of security in the audience, as the overall atmosphere appears to be cheerful.
Stopping the film just as the shark is about to attack alters the mood of the audience, evoking sudden fear. Additionally, camera techniques enhance the suspense. The second attack is depicted with a panning shot at the beginning.
The scene begins with the camera focusing on a point and tracking a fat woman as she walks towards the sea. Then, the camera smoothly pans back to the beach in an arc-like motion, revealing a boy emerging from the water. This swift transition establishes the location of the scene. The presence of numerous people and the overall joyful atmosphere create a sense of security for the audience. However, following this initial setting, numerous false alarms occur.
In the movie Jaws, there is a moment that generates unease and anticipation among the audience. Brody mistakenly believes that the shark is approaching the fat lady due to seeing a fin. Yet, it turns out to be a man wearing a black swimming cap. Similarly, when a girl screams, viewers assume she is being attacked.
Despite this, she loses her balance while on the boy’s shoulders. In a scene where Brody suspects the girl is being attacked, the camera takes a position over the chief’s shoulder. This enables the audience to perceive the situation from his perspective and witness only what he sees. Consequently, attention shifts towards events unfolding in the background rather than focusing on what the other man is saying to him.
The color yellow induces fear in the film as it is strategically used right before an attack. Various occurrences of the color yellow are noticeable throughout the movie, including Alex’s mother donning a yellow hat, a man with a dog in a yellow T-shirt, Alex floating on a yellow li-lo, and an old man wiping his face with a yellow towel during conversation with Brody. As the film unfolds, it becomes apparent that the shark is symbolized by the presence of yellow barrels.
As the scene concludes, a man is calling out for his dog, Pippin, as shown in a close up shot of the plank of wood Pippin had in his mouth. This generates tension as the audience knows that the shark has killed the dog and is getting closer. Suddenly, both the scene and music abruptly change. The camera now focuses on the underwater setting, only showing the children’s legs.
The audience is placed in the perspective of the shark, creating tension as they do not glimpse the shark until near the film’s conclusion. Thus, the appearance of the shark remains an ominous mystery. The music intensifies, growing faster and louder.
The camera progressively approaches Alex’s legs, resting on the inflatable li-lo, intensifying the audience’s fear as the impending shark attack looms. Subsequently, a wide shot captures the harrowing assault, eliciting a shocking and uneasy reaction from viewers. Following this, a zoom shot seamlessly transitions into a close up of the chief, while the background seemingly retreats.
The “Jaws shot”, which appears to be happening quickly, effectively draws the audience’s focus to the emotional reaction of the character. This also creates a sense of worry for the audience. In the final moments of the scene, Alex’s mother shouts his name while a close-up of the torn inflatable li-lo confirms his death and elicits sympathy from the audience.
The director skillfully generates fear of the shark by employing music. As the shark gets closer to its prey, the music increases in tempo and volume. This method effectively heightens tension for viewers, evoking feelings of unease. Moreover, depicting the extensive and terrifying damage inflicted by the shark, such as severing a man’s leg during the third attack, further amplifies its impact.
The audience is made to feel nauseous and disgusted, while also developing sympathy for the victim. Additionally, fear is effectively created by depicting the characters’ responses, enabling the audience to relate to them and share similar emotions.
At the end of the movie, the tension and fear reach their peak as a result of the close proximity of the first two attacks. This strategic arrangement serves to establish and intensify the movie’s plot, keeping the audience on edge and deeply engaged, ultimately compelling them to continue watching.
After a brief pause, the third attack occurs to maintain the audience’s interest in the plot and keep them aware of the shark. This adds tension, especially since Brody’s son, Michael, is involved.
The film’s focus on Brody creates a sense of fear for his son, evoking empathy from the audience. Consequently, the audience becomes invested in the well-being of characters associated with Brody. The final scene of the movie heightens fear and tension by featuring a solitary small boat adrift in the vast sea, instilling a sense of terror in the audience.
The audience feels fear due to the lack of safety near the shark, which prevents the characters from escaping. As tension rises, the unknown nature of the next attack is emphasized when the shark detaches the yellow barrels. Later on, in a scene accompanied by escalating music and a close-up shot, Matt Hooper, the shark specialist, enters the sea inside a cage as an impending attack looms.
This particular scene evokes a feeling of unease and dread within the spectators, as they fret over the protagonist’s possible demise. As the scene progresses to its peak, the shark viciously assaults the boat, leading to its swift submergence. Consequently, this amplifies the audience’s apprehension since they believe that the characters’ fate is in jeopardy. All things considered, without a doubt, the most terrifying moment in the film unfolds when Quint’s fishing vessel is uncovered.
Matt Hooper dives underwater and discovers only the head of the body, which is particularly frightening due to the use of slow classical music that creates tension. The tension builds further as a faster, high-pitched, dramatic non-diegetic sound is introduced when the head emerges. This instant scare is effective in frightening the audience.
