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JAWS turns 50

4,784 Views | 68 Replies | Last: 6 mo ago by Serious Lee
rynning
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Aggies76 said:

AgDC83 said:

I do remember that the jump scare of the underwater scene of dead guys face popping out the hole in the wrecked boat left an impression on young me.


I was 22 when I saw Jaws in the theater that summer of '75. This scene evoked a collective scream from the audience, the first time I had ever experienced that.
My son saw it for the first time with me a few years ago when he was eighteen. I didn't realize how well known the jump scare was, but almost 50 years later, he jumped!
YouBet
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Watching tonight. My wife (who also turns 50 year - makes you think) has never seen this.
bert harbinson
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Lived near Virginia Beach at the time, saw the movie in the theater (age 13). The head popping out kept me awake that night. A day at the beach a few weeks later and oddly, very few people were in the water.
Clavell
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Saw it when 15. Later that summer we did a trip to California. Wouldn't go in ocean above my knees.

Only movie with effect close to it was Psycho. Got a lot of shampoo in my eyes because afraid to close them.
YouBet
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Wife lost her **** when the dead guy's head popped into the hole. It was awesome!
WeightedWhiskey
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Remember watching it the first time with my cousins in my uncle's living room for the first time the night before I started 2nd grade.

Remember being more fascinated than terrified. Even so I don't enjoy going in any body of water you can't see in.
TexAgBolter
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That's awesome. My wife did the exact same thing. She yelled and made the dogs jump.
MSFC Aggie
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Cinco Ranch Aggie said:

But if it had not been made, how would we have existed without ripoffs like Tentacles and Orca being made? Won't someone think of the children?
Is that the one with the killer whale avenging the death of his mate and offspring?
Cinco Ranch Aggie
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MSFC Aggie said:

Cinco Ranch Aggie said:

But if it had not been made, how would we have existed without ripoffs like Tentacles and Orca being made? Won't someone think of the children?
Is that the one with the killer whale avenging the death of his mate and offspring?
I believe so. My only real recollection of that one is Richard Harris, and I think the killer whale bit off Harris' leg at some point. Or maybe his daughter's? Which was the reason he hunted it to his death. Hmm, maybe I remember a bit more of that movie than I first thought.
YouBet
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MSFC Aggie said:

Cinco Ranch Aggie said:

But if it had not been made, how would we have existed without ripoffs like Tentacles and Orca being made? Won't someone think of the children?
Is that the one with the killer whale avenging the death of his mate and offspring?


Yes.
DG-Ag
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Just got finished watching. I think it has really held up well 50 years later. The shark - considering how long ago it was done - was really done well. And, yes, all this time later it had me jumping out of my chair a couple times.
You're from down South,
And when you open your mouth,
You always seem to put your foot there.
The Original Houston 1836
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I gotta think if they had put that shot of it eating the kid like it is in those stills, it would have scared people to death in the theater. Like the way people were terrified of King Kong back in the 30s.
Cinco Ranch Aggie
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Definitely. It was already a movie that was scaring the crap out of people in terms of people reconsidering the idea of swimming in the ocean. Had that scene remained in the movie, I can imagine that the movie would not have done as well as it did, and perhaps Spielberg wouldn't be quite the name he would become.
The Original Houston 1836
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I gotta be honest, that picture in the YouTube still freaks me out and I know it's fake.
Zombie Jon Snow
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Mathguy64 said:

Yep. 50 years ago 11 year old Mathguy watched that in a theater and became terrified for life of getting in the water at the beach.


Ditto except I was 9 and subjected to it in about the worst possible way. I've told this story on here before but....


I lived in Seoul South Korea at the time as my dad was in the army. Movies came to us there on base about 6 months after they released in the US so we did not have it in summer of 1975 but in winter of early 1976. Winter in SK is very cold by the way.

There was so much anticipation of it as we had heard a lot about it by then, so of course it was a massive line. There was one theater with one screen so like 4 showings of it per day. No advance ticket sales either. We literally waited in line for 4+ hours in the freezing cold and barely got into the third showing that day. Which meant there were very few seats left. Being a Gen X kid I was left to fend for myself and sat alone a few rows behind my parents between some Korean women (there were civilians allowed on base, lots of families had maids for example).

Anyway the movie starts and these Korean ajummas (not a slur it means married middle aged woman roughly) were screaming hysterically. I was terrified and spent at least 30% of the movie on the floor ducking my head behind the seats and covering my ears. But I saw enough of it to be terrified of the water after that like all kids were.

then just a few months after seeing it my parents sent me to Boy Scout camp which was on the coast of Korea and the Yellow Sea which was infested with various sharks. That only added to my panic. The first day of camp they got us on the beach and explained the buddy system and we practiced. Then we went swimming. I never got deeper than mid thigh. And sure enough there was a shark sighting within 15 minutes and the warning sounded. I can't even describe the level of panic in that group of boys and the buddy system was a complete failure. It was every scout for himself and I got out in mere microseconds and was halfway up the beach before I dared to stop running. We never went back to the beach for that 2 weeks.

I made sure to pass along that feeling when we took my kids to S Padre for the first time and paid it back by watching Jaws the first night we were there.



NoahAg
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I've never seen it.
Aggies76
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If you like horror it might be for you.
DG-Ag
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NoahAg said:

I've never seen it.
Ah, so you're the one!
You're from down South,
And when you open your mouth,
You always seem to put your foot there.
John Matrix
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There's not a whole lot more to say about Jaws that hasn't already been said, but I'll try. It's easily one of my top five favorite films of all time, and it's still remarkably holds up well today for the simple fact that they don't show the shark very much. Imagination is always scarier than what a Hollywood props department can show, and Spielberg's decision to not show the shark permanently locked in its classic status.

I recently showed it to my nine-year-old, and he was still very much affected by it. The only time he obviously was taken out of it was in the climax when you see Bruce in all of his mid 70s, cheesy, rubber glory jump on the stern of the Orca. Jaws rules.
Serious Lee
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that was an interesting watch. I wouldve sworn it was the pectoral fin as well.

As for alex kintners death, its even more terrifying after youve seen the video of the 20 something year old that got eaten alive in almost the exact same manner a few years back off the coast of Egypt.
Aggies76
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Serious Lee said:



As for alex kintners death, its even more terrifying after youve seen the video of the 20 something year old that got eaten alive in almost the exact same manner a few years back off the coast of Egypt.


That gave me nightmares.
YouBet
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Serious Lee said:

that was an interesting watch. I wouldve sworn it was the pectoral fin as well.

As for alex kintners death, its even more terrifying after youve seen the video of the 20 something year old that got eaten alive in almost the exact same manner a few years back off the coast of Egypt.


No thanks!
FL_Ag1998
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Just rewatched it and I stand by my original post...you change nothing about this movie, its perfect as is.

Don't give me any smack about the quality of the practical effect shark - it was 1975, what do you expect. And that's not what I'm talking about anyway.

I'm talking about the plot, the pacing, the dialogue, the cinematography. The building of suspense and danger throughout the first half and then again throughout Quint, Brody, and Hooper's hunt.

The introductions of our three main human characters, especially Quint, one of the great characters of all time. Then finally our real introduction to the shark as Brody is chumming.

The perfect marriage of an all-time classic film score with Spielberg's direction. The numerous classic speeches and interactions - Quint's introduction in the town meeting, that whole scene of them comparing scars which dissolves into the U.S.S. Indianapolis speech which then dissolves into the shark attacking the boat.

The way they killed the shark? This is a popcorn blockbuster/thriller/horror movie about three men alone on a boat vs a man-eating shark that's hunting them. Tell me a better dramatic, sudden way to off the shark? Was it realistic? No, but neither is a serial killing shark.

There's a reason we're still celebrating it in a major way 50 years later, and not just because it scared a lot of beachgoers in 1975.
Cinco Ranch Aggie
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Quote:

The way they killed the shark? This is a popcorn blockbuster/thriller/horror movie about three men alone on a boat vs a man-eating shark that's hunting them. Tell me a better dramatic, sudden way to off the shark? Was it realistic? No, but neither is a serial killing shark.
Spielberg was 100% right to go with his approach to killing the shark. Contrast his killing against Peter Benchley's killing of the shark in the book. For any who has read the book, you'll know what I'm saying but for those who have not read it, the shark just dies. It's been since 1981 that I read the book (I remember that because I was reading it the day I went to the Astrodome to witness Nolan Ryan throw his fifth no-hitter), so I can't remember the exact scenario in the book. I think the shark was on approach toward Brody when it simply ... died. Perhaps of exhaustion of lugging all those barrels? Yep, Spielberg's vision was so much better.

And I agree, Jaws is one of a handful of absolutely perfect movies.
Gomer95
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Yes basically dying from all its injuries during their attempts to catch him.
I hate rude behavior in a man. Won't tolerate it. - Woodrow F. Call
The Original Houston 1836
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Cinco Ranch Aggie said:

Quote:

The way they killed the shark? This is a popcorn blockbuster/thriller/horror movie about three men alone on a boat vs a man-eating shark that's hunting them. Tell me a better dramatic, sudden way to off the shark? Was it realistic? No, but neither is a serial killing shark.
Spielberg was 100% right to go with his approach to killing the shark. Contrast his killing against Peter Benchley's killing of the shark in the book. For any who has read the book, you'll know what I'm saying but for those who have not read it, the shark just dies. It's been since 1981 that I read the book (I remember that because I was reading it the day I went to the Astrodome to witness Nolan Ryan throw his fifth no-hitter), so I can't remember the exact scenario in the book. I think the shark was on approach toward Brody when it simply ... died. Perhaps of exhaustion of lugging all those barrels? Yep, Spielberg's vision was so much better.

And I agree, Jaws is one of a handful of absolutely perfect movies.
I remember checking out that book from the library at age 11 and suddenly getting to the part where Brody's wife and Hooper hook up and being like ...
FL_Ag1998
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The Original Houston 1836 said:

Cinco Ranch Aggie said:

Quote:

The way they killed the shark? This is a popcorn blockbuster/thriller/horror movie about three men alone on a boat vs a man-eating shark that's hunting them. Tell me a better dramatic, sudden way to off the shark? Was it realistic? No, but neither is a serial killing shark.
Spielberg was 100% right to go with his approach to killing the shark. Contrast his killing against Peter Benchley's killing of the shark in the book. For any who has read the book, you'll know what I'm saying but for those who have not read it, the shark just dies. It's been since 1981 that I read the book (I remember that because I was reading it the day I went to the Astrodome to witness Nolan Ryan throw his fifth no-hitter), so I can't remember the exact scenario in the book. I think the shark was on approach toward Brody when it simply ... died. Perhaps of exhaustion of lugging all those barrels? Yep, Spielberg's vision was so much better.

And I agree, Jaws is one of a handful of absolutely perfect movies.
I remember checking out that book from the library at age 11 and suddenly getting to the part where Brody's wife and Hooper hook up and being like ...



Lol, that's pretty much my exact story. My parents had no idea because all they knew was the movie and not the book.
Capstone
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I was going to post the same, but couldn't recall if Ellen just fantasized about it or if they actually had an affair. It's been several decades since I read it.
bagger05
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I think I read somewhere that when Spielberg got done with the book he said he wanted the shark to eat everyone because he hated all of the characters.
The Original Houston 1836
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Capstone said:

I was going to post the same, but couldn't recall if Ellen just fantasized about it or if they actually had an affair. It's been several decades since I read it.
I think they kind of talked out the fantasy over a dinner, but then she was immensely dissatisfied by the actual event.

You guys ever read Benchley's other books? One was about a giant squid and then there was a crazy one about the Nazis' turning a soldier into some sort of shark monster which gets loose 50 years later and kills people.
FL_Ag1998
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The Original Houston 1836 said:

Capstone said:

I was going to post the same, but couldn't recall if Ellen just fantasized about it or if they actually had an affair. It's been several decades since I read it.
I think they kind of talked out the fantasy over a dinner, but then she was immensely dissatisfied by the actual event.

You guys ever read Benchley's other books? One was about a giant squid and then there was a crazy one about the Nazis' turning a soldier into some sort of shark monster which gets loose 50 years later and kills people.


Ahhh, Beast (the squid book). Yep, read it when it came out since I was such a huge fan of Jaws and at that time planning to attend TAMUG to study marine biology. Don't remember it at all though, not even whether I liked it or not.
TXAG 05
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The Original Houston 1836 said:

Capstone said:

I was going to post the same, but couldn't recall if Ellen just fantasized about it or if they actually had an affair. It's been several decades since I read it.
I think they kind of talked out the fantasy over a dinner, but then she was immensely dissatisfied by the actual event.

You guys ever read Benchley's other books? One was about a giant squid and then there was a crazy one about the Nazis' turning a soldier into some sort of shark monster which gets loose 50 years later and kills people.


White Shark is the one with the Nazi made man/shark. Don't remember a whole lot of it, I think I liked it, but I was in middle school when it came out.
Cinco Ranch Aggie
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FL_Ag1998 said:

The Original Houston 1836 said:

Capstone said:

I was going to post the same, but couldn't recall if Ellen just fantasized about it or if they actually had an affair. It's been several decades since I read it.
I think they kind of talked out the fantasy over a dinner, but then she was immensely dissatisfied by the actual event.

You guys ever read Benchley's other books? One was about a giant squid and then there was a crazy one about the Nazis' turning a soldier into some sort of shark monster which gets loose 50 years later and kills people.


Ahhh, Beast (the squid book). Yep, read it when it came out since I was such a huge fan of Jaws and at that time planning to attend TAMUG to study marine biology. Don't remember it at all though, not even whether I liked it or not.
I only remember the description of someone being squeezed to death by the squid.

I believe I also read The Island, but that was a terrible movie.
Serious Lee
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The Original Houston 1836 said:

Capstone said:

I was going to post the same, but couldn't recall if Ellen just fantasized about it or if they actually had an affair. It's been several decades since I read it.
I think they kind of talked out the fantasy over a dinner, but then she was immensely dissatisfied by the actual event.

You guys ever read Benchley's other books? One was about a giant squid and then there was a crazy one about the Nazis' turning a soldier into some sort of shark monster which gets loose 50 years later and kills people.
made for 2 great television movies in the 90s, if you can find them.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creature_(miniseries)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beast_(1996_film)
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