As was the case with Jurassic Park, I wasn't able to see this movie in cinema when it premiered. While I regret I haven't seen JP on the silver screen, this is a different story. I was minus 6 when JAWS came out. And, as it is rated as a 12 or sometimes 16 years and older film, I was born 18 to 22 years too late to get that chance.
Here's a little story about the first time I watched this movie:
I was probably 14 years old. A friend of mine came over to spend the night at our place. As kids in those days tended to do, we decided to rent some movies on VHS. The only film I remember of that particular night was JAWS.
I remember that it captivated me from its opening scene onwards. And, if you have seen JAWS, you have to admit that it has one of the best opening scenes ever. To refresh your memory, here's a clip of the first couple of minutes:
This scene is a perfect example of switching from one emotion to another and immediately setting the tone for what we can expect of the rest of the film. Thanks to the malfunctioning robot shark and Spielberg's decision to hardly use the thing at all, some clever editing and a memorable musical score, the film ended up being an example of suspense cinema. It is also widely considered to be the very first blockbuster; it's theatre run was a huge (financial) success.
I drifted off a little - as it is hard not to talk about this film - so let's go back to my first viewing of JAWS for a bit:
You can imagine that for two 14 year old boys, a young woman taking off her clothes, swimming naked and then getting attacked by a huge white shark, is extremely exciting (in more than one way). Since then, I have rewatched this movie classic several times. I started to look at more than just the opening scene and discovered more and more elements that I really like.
Nevertheless, it was this opening scene, combined with a shot of a severed leg sinking to the sea bottom, that I remember most vividly. From that moment onwards, going to the beach and swimming in the sea was never the same. Especially after I learned that sharks could swim in shallow waters.
Now listen to the above score and take yourself back to the time you first set your eyes on this movie. Do you feel it? Does it bring back some memories?
And please tell me, were you lucky enough to see this film in cinema? Even if it wasn't during its premiere? Or, have you seen it on VHS, TV or perhaps your laptop way later. If so, what kind of impact did it have on you? I would love to hear your story...
P.S. If you enjoyed this, you might want to take a look at Movie Memories Part 1 - Jurassic Park
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