Steven Spielberg and John Williams joined forces to empower one of the most iconic characters in the film industry... "JAWS".
Hi Hivers, this week begins the fourth edition of League of Movies, in this week the articles should have as theme "Play that music", this means that each post should show the importance of the soundtrack in the films, you can successful stories with excellent music or the music that has made important to these stories, for the great amount of both films full of good music I hope there will be a great participation of people who like cinema, that's why if you want to participate here I leave you the link to follow the rules League of Movies.
"Hey! Listen... That's my song!"
Again "League of Movies" gives me the opportunity to review movies that are important to me and that I had some time without seeing, that's why thanks to this week's theme I can not only talk about one of the movies that I considered as a child of horror but one of the most iconic or representative songs that a character has had in the cinema. "JAWS" was the third film directed by Steven Spielberg and the second participation he had with the great musician and composer John Williams who has been important for any child who grew up in the early 80's because with the music he made he gave the necessary strength to many characters giving them characteristic themes to accompany them for the rest of their existence.
Even though "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" was the first film I saw of Spielberg and the first time I heard the music of Williams, I've always believed that "JAWS" has such an iconic theme as we can hear in "Superman, Star Wars" and in "Indiana Jones", but precisely in this film where we see a shark terrorizing a beach town has a main theme that is very important to this story because for almost the first hour of this film, is precisely the main theme that tries to show us the great antagonist and that at times is invisible predator that is always on the lookout to catch their victims.
Visually this is a beautiful movie, Steven Spielberg in the direction and Bill Butler in the cinematography, they take advantage of what the beginning of the summer can show in a beach area, but they also show the dangers that can appear, those first scenes at dawn running in the sand and then swimming in the sea are perfect, they are clamored and funny, but in a second they change to scenes of terror and desperation, it is very important the decision of this director and the screenwriters to keep the villain of this story hidden for a long time, it gives strength to the film and shows us the reality of people that while they do not see the reality or do not have a proof of the existence of a danger then they will not give veracity to any warning.
The four main characters are very important even though they all come together in the second hour of this film, I have always believed that this story is not divided into three acts but into two, one where the shark turns the beach of "Amity Island" into its feeding area and a second and final hour where the hunt takes place, whether it's three men against one shark or the shark itself with its three possible prey, in the other movies where I've seen sharks create terror, in most of these movies we have that protagonist who is expert and strong enough to deal with such an intelligent, ruthless and cold rival, This does not happen in this film where each of these characters who decide to confront this animal complement each other, we have an expert fisherman who has had the horrible experience of knowing what sharks are capable of when they want to hunt, another who is fascinated with what these animals represent and the last one who is the least experienced, but everything that this cold killer has done with his people has made his hunt personal, the interaction between the three of them is one of the best things about this story, it's a great performance by Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw, between scenes of fear, tension and even comedy, you can see that between them there was a great chemistry at the end of each of their scenes.
But if we must talk about one of the villains of this story and that means that we must also talk about the music created by John Williams, as I said before the main theme is very important for this story and that's because by not having a clear image of the hunter, it's the theme that warns us that danger is very close, but to focus on the style of music or try to crumble it, I have always believed that this song is synonymous with something dangerous being close and that is that from the beginning with the sound of the Bassoon and the double bass, gives you the tension and the suspense you need to know that something is wrong with you, but when the sound of other air instruments like the clarinet starts, I've always thought that they are like a warning that because they are so fast and with high tones they can't be understood as such, It would be like a failed warning for the danger that lurks, that's why when the tone of the tubas, double bass and percussion gets stronger it's already late and you become another victim, this song is amazing and that's why I took this film to be part of this theme in "League of Movies".
I know that John Williams has created excellent songs that will be remembered forever, as I said before in the many movies I saw as a kid he made me love many characters because his songs have the power to take you to that specific place of believing you are Superman or Indiana Jones and even more is to hear the first notes of the main theme of Star Wars and you know it is in a galaxy far away, but it's precisely in this film where you can use that power to be warned of problems or use it if you make some kind of joke, this composer is unique and I think there will never be anyone like him. In this present time there are many exponents who have been influenced by this great musician and composer and who will want to imitate what he has achieved in order to obtain immortality in some way.
As we should always do when we participate in League of Movies, we should invite others to be part of this great initiative made by @wiseagent, this week I invite @amaponian and @jhonatanb, please see the link for the rules to participate.
