Due Monday Sept. 21 at 11pmPlease choose ANY FOUR questions and answer them in AT LEAST one paragraph each. Please include the corresponding question numbers next to your answers.
Again, please include your first name and last initial along with your answer.
1. What makes the opening scene so scary?
2. Why do the suspense and tension work so well in some scenes?
3. What did you think of the story Quint tells on the ship?
4. Do you agree that Jaws in an entertaining horror film? Is it possible for a horror film to go too far and be too bloody/scary/demented?
5. Why do you think Jaws was so successful? In other words, what's great about this film?
6. What didn't you like about Jaws? Do you feel the film is overhyped and overrated or do you think the film deserves the praise it has received over the years?
7. What's the scariest film you've ever seen and why?
Molly P.
ReplyDelete1. There are many reasons why the opening scene is so scary. First of all the title is called Jaws, so I thought it was pretty obvious that the girl was going to get eaten in the opening scene when she runs into the water. But there’s suspense because we don’t know when it’s going to happen. Plus, we as the audience know a sharks coming, but she doesn’t. She was also with a boy who was to drunk and high to notice she was screaming. He wouldn’t have been able to save her anyways. If he ran to get help, the girl would be dead by the time he got back. If he went in the water, he would have gotten eaten too. She was also naked when make her vulnerable in the water. She was having a fun time then a shark decides it time for dinner. She has probably had better days. At the end of her screaming she gets pulled down and it’s suddenly over. You don’t see her actually die, but the audience knows it. The attack wasn’t fast, and at one point it stops but the shark comes back again. That point was the one glimmer of hope that the shark was gone and she could swim back to shore alive.
2. The suspense and tension worked well in scenes because we never saw the shark until late in the movie. We do see parts of the shark like the fin and see through the shark’s point of view. This scares the audience because we don’t really know what’s there. The audience uses their imagination to decide what the shark looks like. But once the shark flops up on deck and starts chomping on the captain… the mystery is over. It isn’t as scary at this point but it’s still entertaining. It also doesn’t drag on. It doesn’t loose any suspense after we see the shark. We don’t know when it’s coming back around to eat Brody and we don’t know where Matt is. He could be alive, or dead with Quint.
4. Yes, I believe Jaws is an entertaining horror film. It has the right amount of suspense, it has a plot, and doesn’t over do it on the blood. There are some movies that too bloody and demented for me. I’d rather not watch gore movies. I don’t see the point in going to see all 20 Saw movies where you watch people arms get torn off for two hours. But if other people enjoy them, then I wouldn't stop them. I just won’t go out to see the gore movies. Everyone has certain amounts of blood and guts they can take from movie. You just have to be smart not too see it if you know you’re going to throw up.
7. I haven’t watched a lot of scary movies in a while, although I’m trying to watch more now. I watched The Haunting when I was younger and that scared me. I don’t remember exactly what scared me specifically because it’s been a while since I’ve seen all of it. I was also pretty scared when I saw The Ring back when i was 10 or 11. I was scared when the girl was trapped in the well because I know I would freak out if that happened to me. And I don’t think I could look at blank TV screens for a while… If I watched it now, I probably wouldn’t be scared but it’s one of those things I’d rather not test.
Courtney W
ReplyDelete1. The opening scene of Jaws has many factors that make it so scary. For me, I think a big factor is the idea of no one being able to hear the girl when she is screaming loudly and therefore would have no chance of being saved. Another reason why is because the attack comes out of no where and is so sudden. One minute she was swimming, just enjoy herself-and the next she was in absolute terror. One last reason for being so scary I think is because its such a common place to be, and no one typically thinks that they will be attacked my a shark at the beach....but now the thought will always be in the back of their minds.
3. When Quint told his story on the ship, it was interesting at first. But honestly, when you asked us about it in class...I had forgotten about it. It just wasn't as memorable to me as it was to others. I think I was more focused on the main story line and wasn't really interested in finding out Quint's past. His character was very sketchy and kind of creeped me out a bit. I was surprised when he was eaten, but also very pleased.
4. I completely agree that Jaws is an entertaining horrow film. Every scene had its purpose and did its job. I was constantly wondering what would happen to the shark and the characters and I really think the ending was great. It was suspenseful but didn't carry on too long. Until I actually saw the shark flop on deck(and realized how fake it was..), I was genuinly afraid of it. Fear is the emotion Spielburg wanted to carry across to the audience, and it worked.
It is definitly possible for a horror film to be just too much. That is what separates the good ones from the bad ones. The good ones know where to draw the line and the bad ones just keep going. I've never actually seen one that is "too bloody/scary/demented"...but that is just because I'm not into those types of movies.
7.The scariest movie I have ever seen is When a Stranger Calls. Compared to other horror films, its really not all that scary. But as a babysitter myself, the idea of being followed and stalked while in an unfamiliar setting is terrifying. I'm kind of afraid of being home alone at night anyways, and just seeing the situation the girl was in scared me out of my mind. I will never watch a movie with the same story line as that...ever.
Janet Tela
ReplyDeleteMr. Dunn,
For the 1st question: I believe that the opening scene of Jaws is so scary because in the very beginning the mood is very happy and funny and it does not prepare you for the brutal shark attack that is about to come. The fact that she was naked, it wasnt ark outside, and there was no one "sober" to help her or recognize the fact that she was being killed
by a shark.For question number 4,I think that Jaws is a very entertaining horror film because of the fact that it isnt too bloody and scary. What makes Jaws so great is that its suspense and inability to foreshadow what to expect next. When films become to bloody and demented,they begin to loose the fun part of horror films, who actually wants to see all the guts and blood? Haha not I.
For the answer to number 6, I didnt like how you couldnt actually see the shark untill an hour into the movie, while most people like how it builds up more suspense, I much rather would have liked to start the exciting scenes of "shark seen" attacks further into the movie. The movie was very good and I enojoyed watching it.
The scareiest film that I have ever watched was definitley either the Hills have Eyes or the Ring (even though today I dont think it is)
The hills have eyes freaked me out and left me with a good couple weeks of nightmares and sleeping in my parents room. :( I was scared of how the girl got raped because that can happen to anyone and thats one of my greatest fears in life is that happening to me. I also was scared of all of the blood and guts. The first time I saw the Ring I believe i was in 4th or 5th grade, I went to a sleepover party and my mom told me I was not allowed to watch that movie, and of course I did anyway. I was scared of how the little girl was so scary looking and when she crawled out of the tv. I also got very scared when the Horse fell overboard the ship and got killed by the engine and you saw all of the blood. YUCK!
haha but anyways, Jaws was very good, that was my first time watching the whole thing, two thumbs up!
-Janet Tela
Carla S.
ReplyDeleteThe opening scene of Jaws is considered to be so scary because the element of not seeing the creature. This innocent girl is swimming by herself waiting for the intoxicated boy and you don't know what's going to happen to her. The audience doesn't get to see the shark, they only see her being thrashed around in the water screaming for her life. What adds to the horror is that she's screaming and no one is there to save her because the boy is passed out on the beach. You can just feel the pain through the shrieks of the girl.
The story Quint tells on the ship makes the story seem more realistic, because the Annapolis was a true story. It also adds depth to the character of Quint and explains him a little better. The audience is able to better understand why he does what he does, so his motives and why he is so intent on killing the shark. The speech was kind of out of the blue for me, but I can understand why it was put in.
Yes, I do agree Jaws is an entertaining horror film, because it was scary without having to be too gory and disgusting. I don't really like bloody/scary/demented horror films (although I admit, I watch them) because anyone can make a movie out of those things. And I don't necessarily find them scary, just kind of gross. I think that's why Jaws was so successful, they created a horror film without taking the easy way out.
The scariest movie I have ever seen would probably have to be the Sixth Sense. Although many people probably argue that there are many many scarier films than this, and I don't disagree with that. But this was the very first scary movie I have ever seen, and that definitely left an impact on me. I couldn't sleep alone for about two months after I saw this. Looking back on it now, I can appreciate the twist ending, that I definitely never expected. Other films that scare me are the Child's Play films. I think these scare me only because they have these Chuckie dolls at places like Spencer's. And it's not like these are miniature versions of the dolls, these are the actual size, and that honestly just freaks me out.
Rachael Barham
ReplyDelete1. I believe the opening scene is so scary because you don’t see what is jerking and pulling her all over the place. So you automatically assume the worst. Another factor that makes it so scary is that she’s screaming for help, but no one can hear her. The only person who is close enough to help is so out of it; he can’t even comprehend what’s happening.
2. I think the suspense and tension work really well because in some scenes you think the shark is really there, but it ends up being a person. So you don’t know if the shark is really there or not. It really ups the suspense.
4. I did find Jaws to be very entertaining as well as scary. It is very possible for a horror movie to go to far. Personally, any movie involving a person getting their Achilles tendon cut makes me so sick. The first movie I remember where this happened was Hostel. I felt so nauseous after that.
7. At this point the scariest movie I’ve ever seen is probably Jaws. For one, I am already absolutely terrified of open water. It freaks me out. I hate the feeling that there could be something near you, but you have no idea it’s there. But it definitely knows you’re there and it could kill you! So Jaws definitely played on that fear, so it was kind of terrifying.
Olivia B.
ReplyDeleteMr.Dunn,
In the opening scene of Jaws, Spielburg used music, time of day, and the character to make the scene scary. The girl killed right in the beginning is young, pretty, and having fun. She seems to be on a college break, and that gives the image of anyone going to the beach on vacation. Its more of a real situation. When she goes into the water however, she is alone, the boy is passed out on the sand. It is night time, which adds to the element of suspense, she ant see whats beneath her. The music puts it all together.
The suspension and tension works well in some of the scenes because of the music, time of day, the setting of the scene. When the beach scene takes place and Brodys son is sent to the pond, we are expecting Jaws to be in the water where all the swimmers are, not where his son is. The music always adds suspense, because when you are expecting Jaws, it is something completely different.
I did a report about the USS Indianapolis. The story is a striking one, but completely true, and just adds to the reality that shark attacks can really happen, and that they are man eaters, eating off groups of men in this case, one by one. Its a sad story that is hard to comprehend in most cases because it just seems so unreal.
There is a definite line between horror and gross. Jaws had all the right amount of blood, suspense, and scariness. A horror movie is no longer a horror movie when there is an excessive amount of blood, guts and craziness. Also if the situation is unlikely to ever occur.
1. The opening scene was scary because of how ordinary it was. Having bonfires and partying on the beach is a common event. Everyone can easily relate to it, which makes the shark attack even more chilling. It was also scary because of how isolated the girl was in the ocean. Nobody could hear her screaming and save her.
ReplyDelete4. I think that Jaws was an entertaining horror film. It was funny. The characters were entertaining because of their personalities. Spielberg had a nerdy shark expert and a crazy fisher, both of which had entertaining personalities. I think it is possible for a film to go too far to be scary. I hate movies about the supernatural because they creep me out too much. You don't need to make demented films because they become too unrealistic and then just become disturbing. Jaws was so chilling because shark attacks are a real possibility.
5. I think the film was successful because it capitalized on a natural human fear. Beaches are scary. You don't know what is under the water as you swim. I think that at the time the film was made, sharks are not marketed like they are today. The film would not have been as successful because of shows on sharks, in particular Discovery Channel's Shark Week.
6. The one aspect of Jaws that I didn't like was the mechanical shark. It looked too unrealistic and I wasn't as afraid once I saw how ridiculous looking the shark was. I feel that the film deserves the praise it has received because it was so chilling despite the mechanical shark. Plus, I think that the original viewers were amazed at the shark because they didn't have the same technology we have today.
-Amanda Krauss
Taylor C
ReplyDeleteDear Mr. Dunn,
1. There are quite a few elements that made the opening scene pretty uncomfortable. One of these is the fact that the girl was naked. When you're naked you feel completely vulnerable. Another aspect was her boyfriend passed out within earshot of where she was being attacked. The potential that she could have been saved also adds to the scariness of the opening scene. The thing I find the most unsettling about that scene is you couldn't see what was attacking her. That really put me on edge.
3. Quint's story on the ship seems a little out of place at first sight; though it does make sense. Before he tells the story no one really knows who Quint really is; he was just a random character. The story gave the audience an idea who he was and made the "random character" part of him disappear.
7. This is a tough question because there is the movie that scared me the most and the movie that made me want to puke. Plenty of slasher flicks have grossed me out. My least favorite of all is The Descent. I actually had to stop watching it and leave the room. As for the movie that has actually scared me..I have to take back what I said in the first sentence. I don't think I've ever been really scared by a movie. I have been uncomfortable..but never see a movie that made it hard for me to sleep at night. I do hope to find one some day.
Alex I.
ReplyDeleteMr.Dunn,
1. I think what makes the opening scene so scary is the suspense of no knowing what was eating Chrissy. Also how she was pretty much alone and no matter how loud she screamed, nobody could hear her. That is on of the worst fears I have is to be alone in danger and nobody can hear me and this opening scene really played off of it. Another thing is how she gets pulled under and is never seen again until her hand washes up on the beach. All you see is her go under and the scary thing is that you have no idea where she is being pulled and what happened to her.
4. Yes, I do agree that Jaws is an entertaining horror film. I think this because the suspense that it creates with not knowing what is eating the people and never seeing it makes the movie very enjoyable. It is possible for a horror film to go too far and be too bloody/scary/demented. I think this because when there is too much blood or it is too scary the movie is not even fun to watch anymore. I'm too busy covering my eyes or worrying what else is going to pop up and I'm not even watching the movie or following the story line anymore.
5. I think Jaws was so successful because it was one of the first real suspense movies. It is not full of blood and it does not have things jumping out every five seconds. I also think it was so successful because people do go in the ocean every day and this could really happen. Shark attacks are really and are a big fear to some people and this movie plays off their fears making it truly scary.
7. Even though some people might not think this movie is scary I think it is one of the most creepiest movies I have ever seen. It is One Hour Photo. Now while there is no blood and nothing pops out all the time, there is a creepy and disturbing factor to it. The idea that this man has been stalking this family and keeping all of their photos that they developed and putting them on his wall is very creepy to me. He has been following this family and thinks about them all the time Than what is just weird is when he finds out what the husband has been doing and confronts him in a very disturbing way. I know this movie is not known for being a real horror movie but when i was watching it I was actually scared and disturbed at the man stalking the family
. The opening scene features one thing that has over time become a staple in horror films - drunk, happy teenagers. In this scene, Chrissy is just at the wrong place and the wrong time. She is out in the open water, alone, and the audience knows something bad is going to happen. You see this in the camera placement, which takes the viewpoint of the shark. The girl is having such a good time, and the shark is almost cruel to take that away and not just kill her outright, but torture her, dragging her around the surface until finally taking her down. The suspense also increases with the music, which starts out slow and even, but gets faster and louder, like the audiences' heartbeats. The other major aspect about this infamous scene is that the shark is never actually seen... not even a fin. What people do not see is the most frightening of all. Most horror films start out with a scary or suspenseful scene because the director wants to grab the audiences attention and set the mood for the movie.
ReplyDelete2. Every suspenseful scene adds anticipation, since it is about an hour into the film until the shark is actually seen. For each of these scenes, by not seeing the shark, in our minds, we start to expect the worst. By never seeing "Bruce," but always seeing more and more people dying, our mental picture of him gets worse and worse. The audience is never given a moment to relieve tension by seeing the shark until near the end, when the entire mechanical shark just plops onto the boat, and by then, most of our fear has dissipated.
3. Robert Shaw's Quint is quite a character. He is someone who I would love to meet, to say I met someone like him, but I would not want to stick around him for too long. He has a "crazy" quality to him, partly brave, partly determined, and partly stupid. On the boat, without the shark, the pressure of the town, the comfort of his family, Chief Brody sees the real Quint. Quint is a man who experienced something traumatic, and that event has made him even more determined to hunt these creatures. The audience can feel disturbed just listening to him tell it the way he does, with seriousness and a little bit of humor. It also makes the audience wonder how can someone go through surviving almost drowning at sea and being devoured by sharks to see his comrades meet that same fate, and go out to see willing to hunt these sharks head on? The story Quint tells on the boat adds depth and realism to his character. He is more than just that creepy guy in the crowd who everyone wonders if he is a little bit crazy. He has a background and a motive, which are essential for a believable character.
5. I love horror movies about the ocean. Everyone goes to the beach, everyone who swims out in the ocean has that little thought in the back of their head about sharks, and anyone who doesn't is probably lying. I go scuba diving regularly, so movies like Jaws and Open Water can have an effect on me, as well as the people who saw it in the 70s. This movie was the movie that made people afraid to go in the ocean. This was the same movie that did not even show their villain until halfway through the movie. This movies plays on the audiences' senses of sight and sound. the music "tricks" the audience into feeling either frightened or victorious. You can even tell when the shark fin is a fake because, unlike all of the other killings, the shark's theme song is noticeably absent. When Quint and his crew are chasing the shark down with the barrels, you hear triumphant music, until the shark escapes, and the music fades. Spielberg holds us on the edge of our seats until the end of the film, and if the director has his audience in the palm of his hand, he can show them anything and they will believe him... like the shark bitting a scuba tank and exploding to the sound of a dinosaur roar. Jaws deserves all of its praise and success because the fact that it has lived on this long with adults and children means it is a timeless, classic film.
- Katherine B.
Julia B.
ReplyDelete3. I thought that the story about the USS Indianapolis really added to the whole concept. It Made Quint's death so much more terrible, after surviving a mass shark attack to be eaten only later. It also added to the scare effect, because that was something that actually happened, impressing upon the audience that, yes, while a shark the size of the one in the movie is unlikely, these sorts of gruesome attacks DO happen. The way the story was pulled off was also done perfectly. They're messing with each other on the boat, drinking, and all of the sudden everything is quiet and Quint is telling the equivalent of a ghost story, and the fact that there is a shark that has eaten a few people nearby really makes the effect complete. And then the mood switches so fast, too fast. They start singing and having fun again. For me, at least, this sort of emotional swing during a movie is difficult to handle, so I was still uneasy, and then the shark slams into the boat, really making the scene perfect.
4. I don't really like horror films, I don't deal well with suspense, but Jaws was very entertaining. It wasn't overdone, it wasn't gory unless it had to be. A lot of horror films walk the line where they are nearly comedic, or even too twisted. My older sister likes to watch scary movies with her friends, and she isn't usually shaken by much, so I can tell when a movie fulfilled its purpose because she'll be scared out of her mind. If its really overdone, she won't hesitate to say so and talk to me about why it was horrible or what went wrong. But I think it is definitely possible for movies to be overdone and too kill-happy or even too many suspenseful events in a row without anything actually happening because that is exhausting and kills the whole fun aspect of the movie.
5. I think Jaws was so successful because it was so realistic. It is easy to magnify anything that inspires fear, even in our everyday imagination, so the size of the shark makes sense to anybody who is not a shark expert or anything. The characters seem like real people, with real concerns just like your average person, concern for animals, children, and community. The music really helped the movie too, all the cinematic effects for the day were just really well done.
6. I don't think that Jaws is overrated. I think that whenever a friend is creeping up on you humming the theme song that the movie has deserved that place. I didn't "like" Jaws because I am not a fan of horror and suspense. That aside, I did like it. I am fairly certain that most of the gory aspects, while there weren't many, were necessary to get the point across. I feel the film was a breakthrough and definitely deserves the praise.
1. What makes the opening scene so scary?
ReplyDeleteFrom the second the movie begins, there is an awful, overshadowing sense of foreboding. The first initial shot, with the camera looming through the coral reef while the movie's title theme plays, it particularily terrifying in that it builds up anxiety. Once the camera cuts to the scene of the teenagers around a campfire, the watcher knows at that point someone is going to get eaten - it's only a matter of when. The fact that one does not see the shark only adds to the suspense, seeing as it takes on a unique, terrifying image to each viewer. At the end of the opening scene, Chrissie goes skinny-dipping by herself, which opens up a sense of vulnerability. The shark then attacks her from below. Panic and anxiety are just two of the gripping emotions that ensnare the viewer when Chrissie is first bitten by the shark.
3. What did you think of the story Quint tells on the ship?
Quint's story sets the stage for the movie's climax. He drunkenly recalls of how his ship sank, and those left in the water either drowned or were dismemebered by sharks. The story fleshes out Quint's character, his backstory, and his motive for shark hunting. It's another example of the film's usage of the unseen threat - it is only a narrative, rather than a flashback or visual presentation, so it plays upon the viewer's imagination. This makes the tale all the more terrifying.
4. Do you agree that Jaws in an entertaining horror film? Is it possible for a horror film to go too far and be too bloody/scary/demented?
Horror movies nowadays are just too graphically violent to be enjoyable, in my opinion. What makes Jaws a classic is it's unique-for-the-time use of suspense and foreboding, rather than explicitly violent special effects. Nowadays, the goal of horror movies is more about who can create the bloodiest, most grisly special effects. I don't find that enjoyable.
5. Why do you think Jaws was so successful? In other words, what's great about this film?
I could gush about this movie forever. I love it's use of camera angles, it's character build-up, and it's use of irony. It's a very bright, sunny film, ableit being a horror. It uses happy music and portrays smiling tourists running about the beach cheerfully. It absolutely teases you with shots of children and animals playing in the water with the shark swimming below. It plays on the fear of, again, the unseen threat - it sees you, but you don't see it.
Cory C.
ReplyDeleteThe opening scene of Jaws is scary for many reasons. The first and scariest part of this scene is that you do not see the shark, while it is attacking the girl. The fact that you can not see the shark makes it more scary because you can think up whatever you want the shark to look like. This scene is also scary because the girl is alone and helpless when she is attacked. When she begins to scream, no one hears her and the shark takes her away.
I do agree with the statement that Jaws is an entertaining horror film, because it uses suspence very well. The use of suspence makes you psych yourself out, and makes Jaws a geat horro film.i do believe that films can go too far with being demented and gory. Even though i do believe that some films can go too far, i still do enjoy horror movies that push me to my breaking pointwith scary, and gory scenes.
I belive that Jaws was so succesful, because the director did not reveal the shark too early in the movie. By keeping the shark hidden, it adds and extra element of suspence to the movie. I also belive that this movie was ahead of its time, because when the shark did appear, it looked pretty real, accept for when it jumped up on the boat.
The only part of this film that i did not like was when the shark jumped up on the boat. i Feel like that could never happen. But i do fell that this movie is not overhyped, and does deserve the praise that it has received.
Tyler Hargett
ReplyDelete1.
The opening scene is very well done. There are several reasons for it being so scary. The girl strips and swims into the ocean while the boy attempts to undress to join her. Suddenly, the girl gets attacked by shark. The fact that the girl is naked makes her even more vulnerable when she is attacked and makes it worse than if she had clothes on. Another factor in the scariness of the opening scene is that the music sound track is very eerie and ominous. However it’s more complicated than that, Spielberg shoots the scene from two views. He was able to shoot part of it from the shark’s point of view. This increases the scare factor in my opinion.
3.
Quint’s story was very memorable and horrific but slightly off topic. Since the story was true, I really remembered it. Quint recalled how he was stationed on the military carrier, USS Indianapolis, when it sank on a secret mission. While the sailors were waiting to be saved, many were eaten by sharks. He tells how one of his friends had a life vest on and was floating next to him for a day. However when he was being pulled out of the water, they realized a shark had eaten his lower body, killing his friend. In my opinion that might have been the scariest part of the movie since it was based on true events. With that being said, Quint’s story was not really related to the movie. The only similar part was the killer sharks, even if they weren’t the same type of sharks.
4.
Jaws is an entertaining horror/suspense film. Personally, I look at Jaws as more of a suspense movie rather than a horror film. I believe that horror films are meant to push you to your limits of violence and gore. Therefore no horror film can be too bloody/scary/demented. The Saw series is an example of a true horror movie. Jaws is more suspenseful. You don’t really know what is going to happen. Steven Spielberg does a good job with the horror in a few parts of the movie. One example is when the shark eats Quint. Considering when the movie was made, the blood and horror of the death was well done, even if the shark itself looked pretty unrealistic.
6.
There were several parts I disliked about the movie. First, the part that stood out the most was in the final battle scene. The shark basically jumps onto the boat and then proceeds to kill Quint. I didn’t like this part because the shark looked very unrealistic and I don’t believe a shark would ever climb onto the boat as the one in the movie did. Another flaw I saw was Quint’s story while they were hunting the shark. I thought it was a good addition to the movie however it was not really connected. Spielberg could have done a better job of making the story more related to the movie. Lastly, I thought there was another major problem with the last scene (besides the fact that shooting up a gas tank in the mouth of the shark wouldn’t cause it to explode as proved on Mythbusters). Where was Matt Hooper when Quint was eaten? He just randomly appeared after the shark was killed. There could have been a better way to make him live rather than just emerge from the bottom once the shark was blown up.
Charlie G.
ReplyDelete7. I think that the scariest movie I have ever seen would have to be either The Andromeda Strain, or the 1980s remake of the classic 50s film, The Thing. Andromeda Strain is a very good Robert Wise movie which takes a clinical approach to a deadly intergalactic bacteria, which can kill instantly, and in the film, mutates rapidly, forcing a group of government collected scientists to create a solution. The Thing is scary because of two major factors, one is John Carpenter's ability to create suspense, especially between characters, as anyone could be the alien which has penetrated an Antarctic research station, and the second is the absolutely horrifying special effects, which blurs the lines between the revolting and the scientifically fascinating.
3. I think Quint's story is a great addition to the film, because it cites a real event, even if it overestimates the actual damage caused by the sharks, which in real life only killed a part of the eventual dead. It gives the reason for Quint to be so obsessed with killing the shark in the first place, and adds context to the true lethality of the real creature the movie turns into a mindless monster. What I don't like is the fact that the story makes his motive out to be revenge, which makes him too human, and less of the mythic shark killer that he is portrayed as.
6. I think that Jaws is a very good movie, but I do admit that while the early reviews of the film are justifiably high, current reviews and admiration given are not done objectively, and are rather done as a result of the status the film has achieved. I think that if you look at some of the directorial attributes of the film, particularly at how the shark is portrayed, you would find that the elements of reality that make the film seem terrifying, are really fiction, and the use of the shark is simply a placeholder for any number of threats unseen. Furthermore, the film constantly switches between lighthearted buddy fishing movie, and horrific sea slasher flick. I think if this crisis had been solved, and the same tone had been carried through, it would be easier to appreciate. The film has established cliches that are so overused, you sometimes find yourself wishing Jaws had never been made, especially considering the cheap shots it takes to get a scare out, since otherwise it would be hard to be scared of a fish.
4. I think Jaws is mildly entertaining, but only to a point. Once the battles on the sea become sporadic, it becomes harder and harder to believe that they are fighting something that would rather eat big fish than Robert Shaw or some little kid on a raft. The shark seems to be seeking revenge, which was incorporated full scale into the abysmal Jaws 4. Some of the colorful scenes on land are entertaining because of the talent working on the film, rather than the spoken lines. I think that the actors, especially Shaw and Schneider,are what really save the film, as they are great at playing people that really would be annoying in real life, but work well together on screen. At the same time, the cheap shots I already mentioned make the movie hard to watch since it is obvious by the camera movements and the musical cues, when something frightening will happen, which contributes to my opinion that it is okay for a few views, but then is worthless.
Gina M.
ReplyDeleteThe opening scene of Jaws is actually really horrifying. Even though most viewers would see this first kill coming, it is filmed in such a way that’s incredibly frightening anyway. The scariest part of this scene for me is the fact that she is completely alone, apart from the drunken boy on the beach. There is no one there to witness her death, or even hear her cries of pain. The girl is being eaten and yanked around the ocean, and then, in just a few quick seconds, she disappears and everything is quiet. It’s almost like the attack didn’t even take place at all. The fact that you don’t see the shark or any evidence of her attack is very eerie. You know for the most part that it is a shark attack, but the fact that you don’t actually see the shark leaves you disturbed and it helps add to the suspense of the film. This scene also is not gory at all, but I don’t feel a horror film needs to be gruesome in order to make an impact.
I think Jaws is an incredibly entertaining horror film. The balance between light comedy and gruesome murder is really well done, which is hard to accomplish. I completely agree that horror films can go too far and be way too gory and violent. When someone makes a horror film so over the top and gruesome, the film becomes just gross and sickening then frightening. I’d leave the theater feeling like I was going to be sick rather then thinking I wouldn’t be able to sleep that night. A horror film can also be too scary to the point that it’s no longer entertaining to watch.
I think Jaws was such a successful film because it wasn’t too over the top, and it was, for the most part, pretty realistic. Although a shark attack is extremely uncommon, the fear is still understandable and is one of most beach goers. When someone takes a public, happy place meant for fun and games, and turns it into a dark, violent place, it can really have an impact. Although it had it’s moments where the shark looked fake or its attack became a little unrealistic, for the most part Jaws was a very well done film and executed it’s purpose – to successfully frighten its viewers – quite well.
For me, the scariest movie has to be the Exorcist. Unlike most people, I actually find the unrealistic the most frightening. Serial killers on the loose aren’t as scary to me, because there’s nothing really unknown about the story line. In the Exorcist, you’ve never seen something like this possessed child before. You don’t know how she’s going to react or what supernatural act she’s going to perform next. You know the story of the serial killer, but you have no idea what turn a supernatural or science fiction horror film will take. Oh, and anything that crawls around in contorted positions is almost unbearable for me to watch. Talk about nightmares.
Dimitri Innocent
ReplyDeleteDear Mr. Dunn,
What seems to make Jaws opening scene so scary is that everything during that night looks to be going great. Until of course a girl is torn apart, and has no one to help her. Though a young man is accompanying her, he is passed out on the beach leaving her alone in the ocean (NAKED). What makes this interesting is that the shark took his time eating her thus giving us hope she would survuve.
In this film suspense and tension were key elements in getting you out of your seat. After the first scene in the movie, it set the groundwork for further scares we were anticipating. The fact that the shark seemed so ruthless also showed that it would eat anything in its path. Some scenes your filled worth so much that the director starts to play with us, with his scare tactics. This film showed basic fundamentals in film work, by making the audience frighten whenever anyone went into the ocean.
Jaws is successful, because of the fact that it was not a supernatural horror film. The fact that such a thing like a shark attack could happen to anyone in the ocean, thus put fear in everyone eyes that they could have easily been that little boy or girl devoured by a Shark. Another reason for this movie success is for the date of its release. During the summer months everyone is going to the beach, and the fact a movie has the beach and ocean as it setting, people would rather chose to see Jaws over the another Movie.
I truly appreciate Jaws as a movie, because of its believable story, and the suspense this movie was filled with. Jaws is a classic, and makes you appreciate good writing and directing in a film. After seeing a film like Jaws really shows the finish product of a movie that was fully written and directed scene to scene.
Lindsay Ruais,
ReplyDelete1. The opening scene was scary for many factors. One was that the woman was alone in the water and she was completly exposed and vulnerable. Another would be that she wasn't technically alone, her drunk boyfriend was lying on the beach and could have helped her, but he was oblivious to the attack. Another was the fact that the camera was the shark or that we never saw the shark in that scene; because had we not known that the movie was about a shark, we may not have known what was after her.
2. The suspense and tension work well mostly because the actual shark remains hidden for most of the scenes in the movie. There are also a few times when the shark randomly apears and attacks someone. The music also contributes to the suspense by starting out slow and with a deep tone and then rises as the shark grows nearer to it's target and the music can even become terrifying.
4. Personally, I thought that the movie was very entertaining an I HATE horror movies. Most horror movies try to gross you out or freak you out to the point where you just want to get up and leave, and that is not how you enjoy a movie. Alot of horror movies can also go to the extreme with deaths, traps, and killings. For example, there are times in horror films when a person is sitting by the phone, terrified, with no mention of the phone lines being cut or the fact that they never even TRIED to call for help is just ridiculous.
5. The previous paragraph brings me to why I think Jaws was so successful. It was scary but it wasn't completely ridiculous. The way the movie was made, they made sure that there was pretty much nothing that the people could do to help the victims or save themselves, like even though that boy had been attacked around 500 other people, there was nothing that they could have done to really help him; or when Quint smashed the communication device on the boat, there was no other way to call for help. Another point would be that, in essence, something like that could happen. There may be a small chance of a shark attack happening, but the fact that it could happen scared people so bad after the movie came out that less people went into the ocean for quite some time.
Fred McGrath
ReplyDelete1. I think a few things made the opening scene so scary. First of all and probably the biggest reason is that the audience does not see the shark. It is hard to make a shark look actually real, so not seeing the shark at all is the best thing the producer can do. I think another reason is that the girl did such a good job acting. It couldn't be any more realistic since she actually was in great pain. Finally the fact that the attack occured in the dark, and the girl was alone makes the opening scene scary.
2. I think the suspense and tension work so well because the director did not rush anything in the film. Sometimes during the film the shark pops up 2-3 minutes later than you are suspecting. The fact that you are waiting this long for the shark really adds to the film. Since it takes so long for the shark to pop up that once it actually does, it catches you off guard and is more scary.
4. I do agree that Jaws is an entertaining horror film. Jaws does a good job of balancing the actual story, and the blood. I do not think that their are many times when blood was over used, like in some other horror films. Sometimes when they do not show much blood at all in my opinion actually makes it more scary. Unless a Horror film is really good at using blood etc. properly, it is usually best they don't use to much, because sometimes it can make it less scary.
5. The first reason why I think that Jaws is successful is because it is so believable. Unlike some films with aliens, or people who are shot a 100 times and never die, I can actually picture Jaws happening in real life. Also the fact that not knowing what is in the water at the beach is a popular fear among everyone makes the story more entertaining and scary. I also think the plot, and the actors really make Jaws such a great and rememberable film.
1. The opening scene in Jaws is regarded as one of the scariest scenes of all time. One reason is because the shark is never actually seen, making the viewers imagination create a more scary thought. Another reason is the girl swimming is all by herself creating an atmosphere of hopelessness and terror. Lastly i believe the music plays a huge role on this scene being scary as the music goes along perfectly with the shark attacking its victim.
ReplyDelete3. The story Quint tells on the voyage to catch the great white is very emotional and plays well into the story. It is a great history lesson as many people did not know about this terrible tragedy. This story shows how devastating sharks can be as they slowly fed on humans killing hundreds. This story is ironic to the story as well. Quint surviving this horrific shark feeding, just so happens to get chomped in half and eaten the day after he speaks of his past (ironic).
4. Jaws is a very entertaining horror film. This film has just the right amount of gore, death, and suspense. Nothing in this movie is overdone as there isn't so much bleeding the audience feels uncomfortable, or there are surprising, suspenseful scenes spread throughout the movie. Other horror films such as Saw and Hostile have way to much blood and gore making the movie experience almost uncomfortable.
7. I am not very big into horror films, but the scariest movie I have seen would be The Ring. I cannot completely understand why i was so scared of this movie, one reason being I was at a much younger age. There is just something about that demon girl that scared me so bad. I usually don't get scared in movies but even when you knew some stupid 21 year old girl was about to die, the demented image of that little witch scared me bad.
Miles C
Sam W.
ReplyDeleteMr. Dunn,
1. The opening scene in the movie Jaws is so scary because the shark that attacked the woman who went into the ocean by herself is hidden from the audience. The viewers don't know the size or the type of shark that killed the woman. When the town discovers that she disappeared, nobody knows what happened to her because no one saw her disappear into the ocean. People are scared of the shark later on because it could attack anywhere across the ocean and be hidden from their view.
4. I do think that Jaws was an entertaining horror film because the fear in the movie can be related to real life shark attacks that happened to people. Also, people are usually most afraid of an attack that they don't see or expect to happen. I think some horror films go too far and are too bloody, scary, and demented. These films are usually about serial killers that massacre an unrealistic number of people in too short a period of time by extreme torture and brutal deaths.
5. I think Jaws was so successful because a lot of people enjoy going to the beach during spring break and summer vacation. After seeing Jaws, many people were probably scared to go back into the ocean because of the sharks. They were afraid of them because they could hide in the vast ocean and appear anywhere. The element of suprise attacks and the size of the sharks could really scare people away from the beaches.
6. The things I didn't like about Jaws were the shark jumping onto the boat when they were trying to kill it. A shark in real life obviously wouldn't jump onto a boat to try to eat people. I also didn't like the fact that the shark blew up at the end of the movie. The sequels might have been a little better if the same shark was used and kept alive after the first movie. I definitely thought that Jaws deserves the praise it got over the years because of the constant fear and panic caused by the shark. There was plenty of action during the course of the movie to keep the viewer on the edge of their seat.
Katarina A.
ReplyDelete1. What makes the opening scene so scary?
The opening scene is so scary because the young woman is being jerked in many directions yet we never see the actual shark. We don't see what is below her and neither does she. While she was out in the water, there were many factors that made her vulnerable(drugs, alcohol, naked). Also, the Jaws theme song creates suspense to the scene to anticipate the attack.
4. Do you agree that Jaws in an entertaining horror film? Is it possible for a horror film to go too far and be too bloody/scary/demented?
Jaws was entertaining because of its suspense and thrill. It had me at the edge of my seat. There is a level where there is too much blood and gore or too scary where it is uncomfortable to sit through. Sometimes when a movie is too unrealistic it almost loses its purpose and does not pass as scary. Jaws didn't have a problem with this.
5. Why do you think Jaws was so successful? In other words, what's great about this film?
Jaws was so successful because it was realistic and natural. It seemed possible rather than science fiction. The movie was seen over and over again and also talked about. Even today the film is hyped. People gained an interest on sharks after its release.
6. What didn't you like about Jaws? Do you feel the film is overhyped and overrated or do you think the film deserves the praise it has received over the years?
There were some parts that were slow, like when they were trying to kill the shark and when they kept talking. I give the movie credit for the time period it was released, but if it were to come out recently then it would not have been as successful.I feel it deserves all the hype and praise it has received.
Steven P
ReplyDeleteThe opening scene of Jaws is extremly intense. The girl is bieng viciouscly attack by something that the audience can not see. This makes the mysterious creature even more scary because the audience's imaginations are free to run wild
The suspense and tension work so well in some scenes of Jaws. Steven Spielberg indirectly does not show the shark for the first hour of the movie. There is also tension rising by the audience because they become extremly anxious to see this monstrous shark.
I think the story that Quint told on the ship was a good story to show the aggressive nature of sharks however the story he told did not stick to me as much it did for you Mr. Dunn. I feel that the story was more placed in there to show the audience what cruelty the sharks had and also show why Quint had so much hatred toward the shark.
I belive Jaws is defently more of an entertaining horror film because it is more of a suspense movie. There is not as much pop out horror like in some of the modern movies. I do believe it is possible for scary movies to go over the line, when i watch movies that are that bloody i become sick to my stomach and do not really feel the need to keep watching.
I think Spielbers "big mistake", turned out to be his greatest idea. By not bieng able to show the shark until an hour into the movie the fear of the shark was a lot larger then if he had shown the shark in the first scene.
The only thing that i thought was a little unrealistic was the little town mayor who was in refusal to close the beaches after two deaths had previously occured. I think any political figure in the real world would have had the common sense to close the beaches.
The scariest film I have ever seen is Silence of the lambs because in that movie the doctor is able to freely walk away after countless murders. the scary part about this is, that as the credits are rolling the killer walks away into a crowd of people and to the audience it gives the appearence that he is still out there.
Carrie Gillespie
ReplyDelete1. The opening scene is scary for many reasons. First of all, most horror films wait until almost halfway through the movie, or at least wait a few scenes in, for something scary to happen so it was unexpected. Also, the fact that the boy was on the beach unable to help her made it scary. In addition the fact that the viewer did not see the shark adds a scary element because there is some mystery about whats attacking her.
3. I thought Quint's story was a good addition to the film. It gave some depth to the character and showed why he hunts sharks and seems to be a little crazy. It also adds irony because even though he survived the earlier shark attack, he still ended up dying the same way most of the others on his ship did. It also makes the film seem more real because the event really happened.
4. I do think Jaws was an entertaining horror film. It had a believable storyline that kept the viewer engaged, likeable characters, and a good amount of gore and suspense. I think that horror films that make most viewers too uncomfortable to continue watching are too scary/bloody/demented.
6. Although as a whole I enjoyed the movie, I thought the ending dragged a little. I thought it got a little boring how the shark kept going away, then coming back over and over. However, I do think it deserves the praise it gets. It set alot of precedents that horror films still follow today and is a very important film.
Hunter R.
ReplyDelete1. In the first scene, many things come together to make the scene horrifying. First of all, the girl is being assaulted by an unseen force, leaving the viewer to wonder about the force. The music also emulates a heartbeat, leading into a tense crescendo as she is pulled under. Another thing that I find scary is how calm and silent the ocean is after she dies, alsmost as if she was never there to begin with. The sound of the buoy ringing makes the final shot of the water especially eerie.
2. The music in Jaws definitely adds to the tension and suspense. The string ostinato that crescendoes does an excellent job of getting the audience into a tense mood, leading to a final crash that normally culminates in a startling scene. Also, the concealment of the shark for a good deal of the movie adds to the tension, as the audience is left to infer as to the exact details of the monstrosity causing all the havoc.
3. The story Quint tells on the ship definitely adds to his character. Quint is given a motivation to kill the shark based on his past terrifying experience with sharks. This helps to give his character a motivation. Quint is a mysterious figure, not much is told about him throughout the movie, and I think his speech definitely helps to flesh out his "grizzled shark hunter" character.
4. Jaws is one of the best movies of all time, and definitely one of the best horror movies of all time. Horror movies definitely have been leaning toward the gory, pushing the audience's limits as to what they are willing to pay money to see. Films like Hostel and Saw go very far in terms of torture, and cinematically, have little value as movies. Jaws is able to use great acting, directing, and production, rather than just special effects and gore.
5. Jaws presented a relatable story. I think that is what lies at the center of its impact. Most everyone has had the opportunity to go to the beach, or at least go swimming. Humans have a natural, crippling fear of drowning, that goes beyond the simple fear of dying. Further, there is the underlying knowledge that literally anything could be near you when swimming in the ocean. Also, the timing helped its success. It was released at a time when most people were heading or had already been to the beach, making the horror instantly relatable.
6. One thing I did not like about Jaws was the manner of Quint's death. I do not think that he was killed off for a legitimate reason. Quint could have lived and the story could not have been altered any other way. A character designed to be as grizzled and tough as Quint deserved perhaps a more dramatic death. Also, I did not like how Hooper seemed to disappear until the end of the movie after having his shark cage destroyed, it seems to me that the shark would have still been after him.
7. The scariest movie I have seen would have to be Saw V. Not for any of the reasons that Jaws is scary, but more to do with the gruesome pain depicted in Saw V. I consider myself to have a strong stomach i.e. I will not faint at the sight of blood, but two people putting their arms into circular aaws is not something that I enjoy watching. Saw V scared me simply because it was my first Saw movie, and I was extremely nervous as to what hideous tortures the movie would depict.
Kate O’Connell - Jaws Blog Post
ReplyDeleteThe opening scene is a great scene because it is so real. People have bonfires on the beach, people drink too much, and people swim at night. These three main elements of the opening scene occur very often in real life. Along with that, most people have an underlying fear of the water because it is the unknown, not just sharks, but fish or even seaweed. The other thing that makes it so scary is the way she is killed, we don’t quite know what’s killing here, but we see how painful it is. The music adds to the suspense, because when its loud, nothing happens, so it creates a hype, thats not lived up.
Quint is a very different character then most mean, odd-looking, men seen in movies. It is unknown why he asks like that, but then we get to hear his story. The story is interesting, one because the acting is so well, and two because it is a real story. This adds to the real effect set up by the whole movie. However, while the story is interesting, it adds no context to the plot. You find out about Quint but do you real want to find out about him? Wouldn’t it be interesting if Quint was always this unknown, bad guy, that kicks the sharks butt? I believe the movie would have been just as good without the story and that it didn’t add much to it.
At first, I thought Jaws was an entertaining film, but I had never, truly thought of it as a horror film. After watching it again, I realized it is one of the best horror films. Its entertaining for so many different people, that almost everyone can enjoy it. Horror films today are, in my opinion, very different from the ones back then. The films today like the blood and gore. Almost all horror films recently, have had an obscene amount of blood, which is unnecessary, as seen in Jaws. Horror films need to play on the suspense and the mood of the audience, not the sickness they can cause, by going to far.
Scary movies are my favorite kind of movies, because while some are all the same, you do get a different one, at least once a year. Scream is my all time favorite, but like it was said in class, its funny. It takes horror on a different level. The movie that I cannot watch at night or alone, is the Strangers. The film was very different then because, sort of like Jaws, it was almost an hour in before it was fully scary, and you see the killers. The thing I most enjoyed about it the director based it off his own stories, which made it seem even more real, like Quint’s story. The movie is not realistic, but has many real possibilities.
The opening scene in Jaws is notorious for being one of the scariest in the history of film. Deservedly so because Spielburg uses terrific technique to make the scene so terrifying. For example, in the first scene you never actually see the the shark which adds a feeling of suspense and your imagination takes off in wondering what the shark looks like. The music is also a key element in making the opening clip so scary as the viewer knows something is coming and there is nothing the girl can do about it. Finally, the acting is good and the terror that the girl portrays in the scene carries over to the viewer.
ReplyDeleteJaws is a breed of horror films that is rarely ever made anymore. Nowadays horror movies are usually so violent (Saw I - Saw V) that the plot is often significantly lacking. However, Jaws manages to show less violence yet is probably one of the scariest movies of all times because it takes a common fear and runs with it.
I think that Jaws was as successful as it was because because again it took something that nearly everyone has thought about at one point while they are swimming and made a horrifying movie out of it. The movie is as epic as it is also because of the top of the line special effects that would be impressive today let alone over thirty-five years ago. Jaws has stood the test of time because of its brilliant directory, impressive special affects, tremendous use of suspense and its use of one common fear.
The scariest movie that I've ever seen would have to be The Haunting in Connecticut. This is the case for many different factors. First of all I was watching it with just one other friend in my dark basement and we were purposely scaring the s*** out of eachother the entire film. Another reason I found it so scary was because again the director uses suspense very well and its a true story which makes it all the creepier. Its also so scary because the put little kinds in danger and no one wants to see little kids brutally killed.
1. The opening scene of Jaws is very scary for multliple reasons, the first would be the fact that everyone is having a good time, a girl is enjoying herself at a party and suddenly out of nowhere, danger struck her, even though she never excpected it to. The girl entered the water all alone, she was pretty far in and when watching, we feel a sense of isolation and loneliness, that is one of the scariest aspects of horror movies, the feeling of loneliness, and out of nowhere, she was pulled under the water like nothing even happened, no one including her drunk friend noticced a thing at this point and that makes her and the audience feel invisible in a way.
ReplyDelete2. I do agree that Jaws is an entertaining horror film, and again for many reasons. Probably the most entertaining aspect of this movie is the suspence created with the scenes and the music, we as a people love to be taken to the edges of our seats and taken in to a ride like no other, in this case, it's Jaws. This movie will not bring you down to sleep like some other movies do for it will always catch your attention with something. I do not believe that any movie, wether horror or comedy, can go too far. A movie is someone's expression and creativity and if it is not to our liking, then we are not forced to watch it. Movies should include whatever the writers and directors which to for it is simply expressing an idea.
3.What I did not like about this movie its unbelivability. Of course by watching this movie we all get frightened of getting into the beach, but some things made this movie not too realisitc. At any point a shark is found, the beach would usually undergo better measures for making sure it harms no one in my opinion. Thhey do not usually send a couple of people to kill the shark for a reward, they usually send in proffesionals with strongly built boats that can undretake aynthing the shark acts towards them. The shark in this movie also seemed to have a very smarty mind, now I'm no shark expert, but I do not think that sharks can behave so sneakily and trick humans in some ways that the shark in Jaws did, that is until the sequels kick in.
4. The scariest film I have ever seen to this date would have to be either The Strangers or the Blair Witch Project. The strangers was an incredibly scary movie a. for its realism and the fact that it is a true story b. the masks worn on the people that enter the house of the couple really create a sort of enigmatic and creepy feeling which we makes us all eery. Moments of suspense and music go incredibly great together in this movie, they really did alot of work ensuring the audience ges scared. The Blair Witch project was again scary for its realism and it being based on a true story in Maryland which is right next door. The fact that we do not see whatever is supposed to scare the people in the movie I think is the scariest aspect. What we do not see scares us the most for our imagination can go wild with fear and anticipation.
Saad S.
Taylor Cambas
ReplyDeleteOpps I skipped a question. So here is my last question...
6. What I liked about Jaws is how realisitically scary it was. It didn't give me awful nightmares or make me nauseous, but it did make me re-think getting on a boat or into the ocean again for a little while. In short it was just scary enough. I honestly do believe that it deserved all the hype it recieved. Jaws is an excellent horror film that was scary with-out overdoing it or being cheesy.