Jaws, a review, but more

This is my first movie review that hasn’t taken place in my head, so I’m excited to give you a real brow-beating about arguably one of the greatest classics out there. I mean this brow-beating is all just my opinion. Watch it, if you don’t like, that’s cool. I mean you’re wrong and I hate you, but not REALLY. I don’t yuck other’s yums and I don’t give people hard times for not liking something I like. That’s like serial killer stuff. Also, I’m not a film professional, I’ve not had any formal movie training. I just love movies, really a whole lot.

I lost my dad at the age of 5 and one of the only things he left was about 3 dozen VHS tapes of our local TV station’s presentation of weekly movies that he recorded. I watched all of them regularly and I developed a deep seated love of movies. I was hooked. To this day, I still don’t watch much TV, I watch movies constantly. The theater is my happy place.

So let’s talk about JAWS. Released in 1975, directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, Robert Shaw and Lorraine Gary. Oh, and the giant mechanical shark named Bruce. It was based on the 1974 novel of the same name by Peter Benchley.

I’ve loved this movie since I was a kid. The posters and slogan are still iconic. It was the first reason I decided I’d never swim too far out at the beach. It’s a beautiful film with some good scares, some great laughs and a boat load of heart. It helped foster a deep love of going to the beach, with all the scenes of beachy activities: bonfires, beach bikes, laying under the umbrella, boardwalk food. The town of Amity, NY is a post card for the beach vacation. And then Bruce showed up, following the gulf stream up from southern waters, he staked out a territory of the coast of Amity. And who was there to stop him, Scheider’s strong, dedicated, quick witted Martin Brody, chief of police.

Brody is the first one to see the threat and is constantly shut down by the local bureaucracy led by mayor Larry Vaughn. The town makes the bulk of their dollars during summer, especially July 4th, which is a few days after Bruce arrives. Mayhem ensues, attack after attack, the false hope when a shark is killed, but it’s not the right shark, cover ups are in effect so the tourists aren’t scared off. After the “enough is enough” moment, professional shark fisherman Quint is hired.

In a film just chock to the brim full of great performances, the best in the movie is delivered by Robert Shaw as Quint. He’s an old navy man with a sharky past. He’s mean as hell when you’re with him for short bursts, but you learn as you spend time with him, while he is a little unhinged, he’s loyal and full of heart. He reminds me so much of my Pop Ted, who was also an old Navy man. I really think Pop would’ve turned out like Quint but for geography. Quint was born and lived his life in New England, my Pop was an Appalachian hillbilly, otherwise same same. Both were rough and intimidating until you get to know them, but made their own alcohol, both preferred to do things themselves rather than rely on a lot of help.

The rest of the cast are amazing as well. One of my personal favorites is Lorraine Gary’s Ellen Brody, wife to Martin and mother to their 2 sons Michael and Sean. Ellen is a tough lady and she’s amazing, especially if you watch the sequels where she gets more screen time. She supports Martin wholeheartedly and never falters, even when he messes up. Dreyfuss’ Matt Hooper is the shark nerd I wish I could be. He’s smart and focused but loves to get in his jokes and jabs. The dynamic between Hooper and Quint is so great, starting with animosity and shifting to a true friendship, short lived as it may be. And you love to hate Mayor Larry Vaughn, played so well by Murray Hamilton. He’s greasy like all career politicians, thinks only in dollars and cents at the detriment of his constituents. The kids are great, the bit actors are awesome. I was watching it at my most recent hospital trip (we’ll get around to that one of these days) and during the opening, while Chrissie Watkins is being devoured, my nurse said “Boy the acting back then sure was bad”. I asked her how she’d react if a shark was clamped down on her midsection, thrashing her around to tenderize her before the final gulp, and she couldn’t help but retract her statement. Chrissie’s cries of “God please help me” are real.

It’s a helluva movie, made by heavy hitters, starring heavy hitters, with a great story to tell. You go with Brody on this journey, if you really watch it the right way, and when he triumphs at the end, we all celebrate. It feels great watching that hulking bastard of a shark sink to the depths, and we can breathe easy, like the town of Amity, knowing that Chief Brody has our backs.

But that’s just my opinion. I love you all, watch out for the wolves.