The Jaws Thread

[Mel O'Drama]

This week marks the 40th Anniversary of Jaws 2, which opened in cinemas on 16th June 1978...

How to commemorate the anniversary? Well, I plan to watch the blu-ray in the next couple of weeks (preceded by Jaws, of course). I may also read Hank Searls' novelisation. And perhaps The Jaws 2 Log as it's been a while.
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[Willie Oleson]

There is one major exception. The character of Hooper is so different that he always ends up recast.

"Casting" novel characters is such an interesting process!
Just hate it when the author mentions something like "she shook her blonde hair" on page 300, eventhough (without further description) I simply assumed that the character was supposed to be a brunette. I don't want to recast someone on page 300!

 

[Mel O'Drama]

"Casting" novel characters is such an interesting process!

Absolutely. It's one of those things that seems to just happen naturally for me based on my initial perception of their description, along with their name and the way they speak (though I think it gets to be a little more work as I get older).

When the character has appeared in other media, that can be a big influence. Adrian Mole, for instance, always looks like Gian Sammarco, even though I read the first two books before I saw the TV series. What's odder is that in the later books where he is a single father who drives an Austin Montego, he still looks pretty much the same in my head as when he was thirteen and three quarters.

Then there are characters who have appeared in various media looking vastly different. Sometimes I end up with a bit of a composite, but more often than not I settle into one depiction that is closest to how they are in the book.

Just hate it when the author mentions something like "she shook her blonde hair" on page 300, eventhough (without further description) I simply assumed that the character was supposed to be a brunette. I don't want to recast someone on page 300!

Oh god, yes. By that time the visual is hard wired in and it's impossible to adjust. I think I'd have to tune that out for my own sanity, just as I would a typo.

 

[Willie Oleson]

It's one of those things that seems to just happen naturally for me based on my initial perception of their description

I usually take a moment to think of the perfect actor for that character (because I read books as if I were watching a mini-series - needless to say, lots of prime time soap icons "feature" in those written stories).

I think I'd have to tune that out for my own sanity, just as I would a typo.

Oh yes, I totally ignore it. That writer is not going to ruin my enjoyment!

 

[Mel O'Drama]

That writer is not going to ruin my enjoyment!

Absolutely not. Who do they think they are?! Just because they created the damned character.

lots of prime time soap icons "feature" in those written stories

That's a great way of doing it. I have done that myself before now, and I also find myself doing it with details such as "her blue estate car" or "his yellow pullover", coming up with a much more thorough visual to include specific models and designs. Sometimes, the less information that's given the better as it becomes more interactive.

I read books as if I were watching a mini-series

This has reminded me:

When I read Jaws when I was young I was very surprised how different it is from the film, with the the mafia subplot and Ellen's sexual encounter with Hooper. I worked out how long a film would be if it followed the book exactly and decided it would be far too long. Then, in all my pre-teen wisdom, I decided that the book would be the perfect source material for Jaws: The Mini Series.

I'm off the mini-series idea these days, but I have decided that the only way I could ever cope with a Jaws remake would be if they went in a different direction and followed Benchley's book exactly, rather than remaking the film.

 

[Willie Oleson]

details such as "her blue estate car" or "his yellow pullover", coming up with a much more thorough visual to include specific models and designs

I have bought and read many novels, but that was a long time ago (1980s). I have no intention to part with them because a) it looks great on the shelves and b) most of them are ready for a re-read (whenever that will happen, 24 hours per day just isn't enough!)
Sometimes, usually when I'm cleaning the rooms, I randomly pick up one of these novels just to caress that precious printed treasure, and eventhough I do not always remember the entire story, I can still "see" the characters and many scenes (in detail) exactly the way I did 35 years ago. Probably because I had created them myself, with a little help from the writer.

but I have decided that the only way I could ever cope with a Jaws remake would be if they went in a different direction and followed Benchley's book exactly, rather than remaking the film

The reason I mentioned mini-series is because the novels I used to read back then were typical mini-series material, either the historical dramas or the glossy dramas.

Several classic movies have already gotten the "mini" make-over and I find them very hit-or-miss although I'm sure that had nothing to do with the change of format.
East Of Eden (1955) had James Dean, but East Of Eden (1981) is as lavish and poignant as the novel.
The Shining (1980) was a masterpiece, but the mini-series from 1997 was a total drag.
I have to admit that I have a strong affection for the 1970s zeitgeist: it's that weird combination of natural grittyness and sexy glamour, and no matter how hard they try, it's almost impossible to recapture that particular atmosphere.

I've watched JAWS on YouTube (very bad quality upload) only for the horror moments and I have to say I was a little disappointed, hence my confusion regarding the popularity of this movie.
But the way you describe the story and its characters makes me think that the drama is just as important (if not more) than the horror scenes.

TV is the new Cinema, production-wise the sky is the limit so it would be interesting to see how they would tackle NuJAWS.
As long as they won't turn it into a neverending seasons-style series (like The Walking Dead).

 

[Mel O'Drama]

I have bought and read many novels, but that was a long time ago (1980s). I have no intention to part with them because a) it looks great on the shelves and b) most of them are ready for a re-read (whenever that will happen, 24 hours per day just isn't enough!)

I can relate. On every level.

Sometimes, usually when I'm cleaning the rooms, I randomly pick up one of these novels just to caress that precious printed treasure, and eventhough I do not always remember the entire story, I can still "see" the characters and many scenes (in detail) exactly the way I did 35 years ago. Probably because I had created them myself, with a little help from the writer.

Being a voracious reader in childhood and early adulthood has done wonders for my imagination, I'm sure. And I've always loved being around books - even the ones I've never read.

I've watched JAWS on YouTube (very bad quality upload) only for the horror moments and I have to say I was a little disappointed, hence my confusion regarding the popularity of this movie.
But the way you describe the story and its characters makes me think that the drama is just as important (if not more) than the horror scenes.

You're right about the human aspect being as important as the horror. Jaws wouldn't be anything like as successful if it wasn't for the casting. And not just the drama - there's a great underlying humour to it. It's all about people, really. That's what makes the moments of horror so effective.

Not every film is for everyone. Maybe Jaws just isn't your thing. But oh, Willie - it deserves so much more than a bad quality YouTube viewing. Give it a whirl on Blu-ray. There's an incredible amount of blood, sweat and tears that's gone into making it look absolutely wonderful without losing any of that Seventies documentary feel. If you have a surround system, it's also one of the best-sounding BDs out there (7.1 DTS-HD!).

I've watched it dozens of times over the years on TV, VHS, DVD. Watching it on Blu-ray, I've noticed details (mostly background stuff) that I couldn't see before.

TV is the new Cinema, production-wise the sky is the limit so it would be interesting to see how they would tackle NuJAWS.

Not that I'd like to see any kind of remake of Jaws in reality, but if it had to be done I'd be curious to see Benchley's book brought to life in all its salaciousness. Spielberg said

I cut the soap opera because I wanted to go out and do a sea-hunt movie. I wasn’t interested in doing Peyton Place.

But the book is the kind of material that seems tailor made for a mini-series. Even more than the film, the book spends a great deal of time on land, so it wouldn't need to be too heavy on SFX. They'd just need to get the tone right for Amity. And the casting, of course.

 

[Willie Oleson]

There's an incredible amount of blood, sweat and tears that's gone into making it look absolutely wonderful without losing any of that Seventies documentary feel

They used a liquid bath to remove the scratches from JAWS. How ironic!

If you have a surround system, it's also one of the best-sounding BDs out there (7.1 DTS-HD!).

I don't have a surround system (or any kind of system, it's just me and my headphones) but the idea of listening to "The Typewriter" in 7.1 DTS-HD makes it very tempting![/Cheeky]

They'd just need to get the tone right for Amity. And the casting, of course.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

They used a liquid bath to remove the scratches from JAWS. How ironic!

I don't have a surround system (or any kind of system, it's just me and my headphones) but the idea of listening to "The Typewriter" in 7.1 DTS-HD makes it very tempting![/Cheeky]

A little story about The Typewriter. It's not actually in the film. It was composed to be used when Brody types "shark attack" as the cause of death on the report for the first victim, but in the end it was never used.

For decades, fans speculated about The Typewriter. With little proof that it was even recorded at the time there was some uncertainty that it even existed. It took forty years, but it finally appeared on the 2015 expanded soundtrack from Intrada to great excitement.

Similarly, the Quint's Death cue was never actually in the film as they decided to just go with the natural sounds of Quint breathing heavily and screaming.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Just when you thought it was safe to turn on your radio..

Now... do we think they should make love songs for all the Jaws films?
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[Sarah]

Oh Christ.

Imagine this at the foot of the bed @Mel O'Drama

 

[Sarah]

@Mel O'Drama completely read your post wrong. I thought you said 'do you think we should make love in all the Jaws films'?

!!!!!

 

[Mel O'Drama]

I thought you said 'do you think we should make love in all the Jaws films'?

And would Jaws be pronounced the Spanish way (like Julio or José)?

 

[Sarah]

Haws!!! lol

"Wanna get drunk and fool around?" @Mel O'Drama

 

[Mel O'Drama]

"Wanna get drunk and fool around?"

I think Kathryn's just asked Mike...

 

[Sarah]

I think Kathryn's just asked Mike...

Oh my God too much He'd be having his beeper beep her beeper and have his beeper beep her beeper back for the rest of his natural life!

 

[Mel O'Drama]

I couldn't sleep last night and by this morning found myself in a bit of a Jaws wormhole, going from soundtrack reviews to film critiques and cast interviews.

Roy Scheider is an enthralling patchwork of humility, honesty, simplicity, darkness and intensity. He's very enigmatic indeed, and hard to pin down.

He's great in this interview:

The journalist seems very clumsy at times. There's a warmth to her, but she's also very reliant on her research and her notes. So for some of the interview she's not in the moment with him, which makes for an interesting dynamic, because it's in those moments that Roy seems most real. There are a few awkward pauses before she turns abruptly to the next subject, but Scheider stays cool as a cucumber.

I particularly like the way he keeps control of things when she tries to delve deep into the repercussions of his childhood illness. His comment regarding the unmade bed at 6:05 is a winner. It's unexpected - and clearly not what the journalist was hoping he'd say - but it's also full of truth and a rare flash of vulnerability.


This one's also great to see the humility. The last minute and a half is particularly poignant knowing that Roy's life is now in the past tense:

 

[Willie Oleson]

He's great in this interview:

That's the first time I heard about economical acting.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

That's the first time I heard about economical acting.

Yeah. It's a fairly unusual way for her to describe it but it does fit, and I like Roy's definition of that being as simple and direct as possible.

The more I watch his performances the more impressed I am. It's very much akin to, say, Ted Shackelford on Knots where the subtleties, layers and naturalism mean that he's as captivating watching a scene for the twelfth time as the first. And usually the twelfth one impresses me more. One can only take something for granted for so long.

 

[Willie Oleson]

Ted Shackelford on Knots where the subtleties, layers and naturalism mean that he's as captivating watching a scene for the twelfth time as the first.

And then when he does get the full-on-hysterical-soap dialogue it becomes to most iconic soap quote ever. I won't even bother to post it here because you know what I mean.