Jaws

[moanthebairns]

ok, I'm a bit late, seeing as its 40 year old this year but I thought id ask PH, practically those who saw it in the cinema when it first came out, what was it like back then? Did it scare the st out of you or was it massively over hyped.

I remember watching it when I was about 5 and it utterly scared the st out of me, I think its part of the reason I'm so petrified of deep water and cant swim at the age of 27. Yet I found it utterly fascinating.

I remember going in the bath the day afterwards and being petrified that the shark would swim up to the 3rd floor of my flat, through the drainpipe and eat me in the bath, in Scotland. It scared the st out of me at the time I was like a coiled spring watching it and 20 years later I still get the primeval fear watching it. Another memory is going to Deep Sea World to see the sharks and feeling utterly sick watching them swim past.

Looking on wiki, its estimated to have made over $2 billion dollars in total over the years, it was the second highest viewed movie of all time in the uk on its first broadcast on the bbc. Its staggering just how big it was, and still is, you'd be hard pushed to find someone in the western world who doesn't recognise the theme tune or the film.

Whilst you can read loads of reviews on it, a lot now are quite scathing, saying the special effects are st. But what was it like seeing it in the middle of summer for the first time in the cinema, how did the audience take it?

[moanthebairns]

motco said:

It always seemed obvious to me; if you want to avoid carnivorous fish, keep out of their dining room! There's no record of sharks attacking people in the street!

That was the whole point of the cover up and the seaside town that only survived due to summer beach goers.

[moanthebairns]

Smollet said:

When I watched back in whenever it was I jumped when the head appeared. I went a week later and knowing what was coming I sat back and watched the audience. I think without exception everyone jumped about a foot out of their seats.

you were expecting the shark, I know the scene well. I jumped myself a few nights ago and Ive seen it many times. I did forget about it admittedly.

[moanthebairns]

bstb3 said:

motco said:

It always seemed obvious to me; if you want to avoid carnivorous fish, keep out of their dining room! There's no record of sharks attacking people in the street!

Well you obviously haven't seen that documentary on SyFy, Sharknado I think it was called. I haven't left the house since

edit - beaten to it while typing

Jaws was brilliant when I first saw it, on TV mind. Can't believe its 40 years old, that's made me feel proper old that has. Despite the reviews mentioned in the OP I think it's aged really well.

these are just the reviews I came across, I watched it a few days ago and thought it was still great.

Apparently though, the shark was horrendous on site, it kept braking, so they had to come up with the suspense of it and not feature the shark.

[moanthebairns]

cologne2792 said:

Jasandjules said:

I despise this film - I question just how many sharks are killed because of people scared by this film. 5 people die a year worldwide from Shark Attacks. More people die from drowning in their own bath in the UK per year FFS.

Global Shark population is reckoned to be around 1 Billion.
Annual Global Human Deaths from Sharks : 9
Annual Global Shark Deaths from Humans : 100 million

1 billion. Wow. You're gonna need a bigger boat.

[moanthebairns]

Jasandjules said:

I despise this film - I question just how many sharks are killed because of people scared by this film. 5 people die a year worldwide from Shark Attacks. More people die from drowning in their own bath in the UK per year FFS.

To be fair, I don't think many thought after watching jaws "let's go catch us a shark"

I Watched flight of a nnavigator, I never went out speeding in a space ship.

I watched ghostbusters I never went and caught some ghosts

I watched star wars I never went out of a Friday night to topple the rebel alliance.

[moanthebairns]

Moonhawk said:

I watched weird science and never once though about getting my computer, one of my sisters barbie dolls..........oh actually.......scratch that, probably not the best example!

I haven't saw that film in years.

[moanthebairns]

Negative Creep said:

Just imagine how different (and most likely weaker) the film would have been if the mechanical shark actually worked like it was supposed to

Yes, just watch jaws 2, 3 or my god 4.

[moanthebairns]

Jasandjules said:

moanthebairns said:

To be fair, I don't think many thought after watching jaws "let's go catch us a shark"

Lots of sharks are killed to "protect" people. On and around beaches etc. And many are hunted as well to "protect" people.

http://www.sharks-world.com/shark_hunting/

People didn't just run out and start killing foxes after watching the fox and the hound.

When I watched pokemon one day hung over to fk I didn't go out looking for a peakachew so I could battle my mates bulbasore down the park.

[moanthebairns]

But the phenomenal popularity of the movie also helped the study of sharks, researchers say. Before Jaws, very little was known about the predators. After the film's release, interest in sharks skyrocketed, resulting in increased funding for shark research.

The old scientist in me reads that quote.

More interest, more funding, better documentation of kills and populations.

I don't for a second believe anyone saw jaws and thought, i'll land this bird but it aint gonna be pretty".

people have killed sharks for thousands of years, you could argue that with the influx of large scale commercial fishing it is a likely cause of the sharp increase, rather than the movie.

[moanthebairns]

cologne2792 said:

Negative Creep said:

Smollet said:

moanthebairns said:

Yes, just watch jaws 2, 3 or my god 4.

No thanks. Michael Caine must've have had a few bills to pay when he got involved with the Revenge

Edited by Smollet on Tuesday 24th March 13:38

It looks so awesomely bad I actually want to see it. Good review (with some NSFW language) here:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTsyFNq0XM4

Michael Caine said, years later, that it was a simply a phone call from the director who asked him if he'd like to spend about 10 days in The Caribbean and he'd pay him a Million Pounds...

id have done it for 5 grand

[moanthebairns]

P-Jay said:

Smollet said:

moanthebairns said:

Yes, just watch jaws 2, 3 or my god 4.

No thanks. Michael Caine must've have had a few bills to pay when he got involved with the Revenge

Edited by Smollet on Tuesday 24th March 13:38

MichaelCaine said:

On Jaws The Revenge “I have never seen it, but by all accounts it is terrible. However, I have seen the house that it built, and it is terrific

yes you did, 1 page back

[moanthebairns]

I have to argue, Jaws 3 is a much, much better film than the 4th.

id give it a 7/10

on a whole its utter st.

but its that bad, its good, its mega shark vs giant octopus levels of good.

it was meant for 3d 30 years ago, you know its gonna be good.

[moanthebairns]

actually, no jaws 4 had the roaring shark. It gets attacked and roars like a lion or bear.

I forgot that, how could I.

[moanthebairns]

B.J.W said:

Jaws isn't a film about a Great White Shark, it's a film about 3 completely different men thrown together on a small boat. Scratch beneath the surface and Jaws delivers on so many more levels. As mentioned earlier, the film achieved greatness by accident. Had Bruce done what it was intended to do and actually worked earlier on in the filming, the whole first act would have completely lost any resonance. The attacks at the start of the film and on the beach worked so well because you didn't see/only glimpsed the terror under the surface. The same applies with Ben Gardeners boat - before Hooper investigates is loaded full of suspense - the lights on the boat seemingly offering security, but in reality making everything beyond their reach even more foreboding; the bite mark on the boat, the John Williams score (which throughout the film is exceptional). Right down to SS's trademark shooting star, Jaws is one of the best films of all times. I've lost count of the number of times I have watched it - but every time I do I see something I haven't seen before.

Jaws 2 - Growing on me, as long as you accept it for what it is...... drive in, popcorn fodder.

3 and 4. I'm not going to even bother....

excellent point about the lights, it looks safe but utterly petrifying more than 3 ft from it.

I noticed this for the first time a few days ago, as someone who suffers from aqua phobia its fking petrifying. you'd think hating water would mean I never watch it, but for me it makes it even more scary than it would for others.