100 Movies That Make Me Love Film - 6. Jaws

6. Jaws

In my Texas Chainsaw Massacre write up I referred to the film as the scariest movie ever made. That being said I Could also argue Jaws for that title, so let’s just call it a tie. I think it’s safe to say this film has affected my life more than anything else because since seeing it at 10 I’ve been unable to go into most bodies of water (specifically the ocean).

I’m pretty sure everyone and their mom has seen the movie so there’s no point talking plot-lines. Shark terrorizes town, 3 guys go on a boat to find shark. That’s the movie

The story of the making of Jaws is almost as entertaining as the film itself, The book Jaws Logs is a far more entertaining read the the book the film is based on. 

That being said this film and Jurassic Park seem to strongly defend the concept that Spielberg is the only person who can make movies better than their novel counterpart.

What’s sad is that before I saw Jaws... I saw Jaws 3D and Jaws the Revenge. Perhaps the movie just feels that much better because I started with the crap. That being said I own all 4 movies and watch them yearly.

There are a few film moments in my life where I distinctly remember running from the television screaming. Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Toxic Avenger I’ve already discussed, Jaws is another such film. The sequence in question involves the first appearance of the shark. After a fin is spotted in the local pond a lifeguard paddles out to a raft of boys and tries to warn them they should get back on land. Suddenly a shark flips the boats and we see the Shark in all it’s glory munching on the young man. The film suddenly cuts to a severed leg sinking to the ocean floor.

It wasn’t until three weeks later when my dad watched the movie with me that I was able to see it through til the very end. Since that day it’s been one of my all-time favorite movies. 

The last thing I want to say about this film is that I’ve seen it literally hundreds of times, but there are still 2 moments that make me jump every time. The first is when Matt Hooper is examining a boat and a severed head falls into frame. This is a typical jump for most people, the second one not as much. It takes place when Quint’s boat is sinking. Chief Brody is all alone and suddenly the shark explodes through the side of the ship and just stares at Brody. That moment still wrecks me at 28 the way it did at 10.