Are you still afraid to go into the water? Does the specter of a killer shark still haunt you, 44 years after that monster first broke the water’s surface in Jaws (Spielberg, 1975)? It absolutely haunts me, though I love the water and still take every opportunity to get in it. Just like I still take every opportunity to watch this movie again and again!



When we are deciding on our film selections, especially with well-known titles, we question whether there is anything new to discuss and whether we will notice anything new after the umpteenth viewing. The great news with great films like Jaws is that we do find new avenues to explore. We closely explored its legacy, its themes, and its composition. We continue to marvel at how individual artists formed a team with Steven Spielberg on just his second feature film to deconstruct and reconstruct a story that shows no signs of losing its power to delight and scare us.



Take a moment to appreciate what Spielberg and company were able to accomplish in what would become the seventh highest-grossing film in the U.S. and Canada of all time: the most oft-quoted lines from the film were largely improvised, the shark only appears for a handful of minutes in the film, and first appears roughly two-thirds of the way through, the script was still unfinished as shooting began, and I’ll say it again–it was only Spielberg’s second feature film!

What you’ll find in this episode: the composition of threes used throughout the film, why the film stays interesting after all these years, and Ericca displays her full Virginia accent at one point.



– Ericca



Links and Recommendations:

Check out Jaws on IMDB.

Ericca’s further viewing pick of All the President’s Men.

Cole’s further viewing pick of Duel.

Finding Bruce the Shark.

How Peter Benchley came to regret his creation.