Stephen Spielberg Jaws is considered to be one of the biggest films in motion picture history. Having been the highest grossed film of its time and a huge summer blockbuster it has left a huge impact even to this day. Jaws is a suspenseful thriller about a giant killer shark (a great white) that terrorizes the beaches of a small vacation beach town of Amity during one of its biggest summers. Police Chief Martin Brody is put on the case as he struggles from day to day to keep the townspeople safe and find out just whats out in the waters. When the mayor of the town refuses to shut down the beach due to the incoming crowds and as more and more people fall victim to the attacks he is forced to enlist the help of marine biologist Matt Hooper and a old fisherman and shark hunter named Quint, to assist in the capture or killing of the beast.
The amount of creativity in editing and various film techniques behind the scenes of Jaws are what makes it successful for the type of film it was and why it had such an impact among films of its time. Spielbergs' masterful use of the camera along with the music and soundscape and the great cast are the main elements that make the magic in this film. The camera in Jaws is used in various ways to really draw audiences into the scene. In many of the scenes throughout the movie the camera is set on almost surface level with the water as it looms around the characters swimming around the beach. this view helps to get people right up in the action as well as hint to the unknown below the water. During the second attack of the movie there is a scene in which the camera dolleys in toward Chief Brody as he is alerted to the presence of danger looming in the water, helping to bring out the element of surprise in the attack. Later in the film is the big scene in which the kids are playing a prank on the beach goers as a fake shark stiring up a lot of fear and commotion a scene which uses a lot of quick jumps in camera work that works beautifully with the chaos and confusion of the moment as people scramble to figure out whats happening. Aside from these examples the single most impactful use of the camera in this film has to be the POV view we get whenever the shark is about to attack. By having the threatening antagonist never shown throughout majority of the film Spielberg is able to to build up all types of suspense and fear in both the scene itself as well as the audience who knows whats coming but cannot prevent it. This coupled with the famous "shark attack" music that Jaws is known for make for quite a edge of your seat moment. The cast of characters were also a big element to this. We have Chief Brody who is almost driven mad by his inability to stop the shark attacks himself and at the same time his fear of the deep unknown of the ocean, the witty marine biologist Matt Hooper and the experienced sea dog Quint the shark hunter. The interaction between the three characters builds up quite a bit throughout the later half. All these elements are what makes this movie the great landmark film that it is recognized as today.
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