View Full Version : HCR Rates The Movies #25: JAWS
So, our next film, Classic or Crud, Hit or Miss, what say you ALL?
Our next film open for discussion, and ultimately an Overall RATING by you all:
JAWS
0zkYRD51I34
Let the discussions flow. Likes, dislikes, classic film or overhyped trash, and DONT FORGET to place an Overall Rating when youre done.
Its easy, just give a Rating from 1 (Jaws 4:The Revenge) to 10 (Jaws), and thats it. Course I'd love to have you all give reasons as to why you feel it deserves this Overall Rating, and more than encourage discussions with us all about them.
So, what say you all?
Next Film: ??????
Once in a very great while a movie will come along and have a huge effect on the times, OUTSIDE of the theatres. This is one of the best examples of that. People by the droves were so terrifed at what Steven Spielberg put on screen that they became equally as terrified of going in the water for a good while afterwards.
A classic in nearly every sense of the word, from directing, to music, to acting, to pacing, plot, the whole sha-bang. One of the first movies to gross over $100 Million, and considered to be the First Summer Blockbuster (which along with Star Wars helped create the idea of Summer Blockbusters in the first place). With a shark that barely worked (which actually worked FOR Spielberg as he then left such images up to the viewer), to one of the most recognizble film scores in history, this film truly deserves its Classic status with little doubt.
Sure today kids can look at this and say "eh, no CGI, no gruesome deaths (on screen), eh, Im not scared" well, imagine watching this in the theatres (which I myself have never done) and I imagine it would be incredibly easy to be sucked into this world, fearing for your life everytime a water scene appeared, wishing you had never joined our 3 heros on the Orca's final voyage.
Cant say too much bad about this film at all, and giving it a bonus for having such a huge affect on the populace outside of the theatres as well, near forces me to give this 70s Classic a rating it deserves: 10 / 10
When this movie first came out, my dadwas in Australia. After he say it, he says he wouldn't go in the ocean for weeks.
Now, while it didn't have the same affect on me (because I say it many years later, and didn't think it was all that realistic, us youth of today, so used to violence that we expect it now) I still enjoyed it, and I saw how it could have affected people in it's own time. I'll give it a 9.25. A darn good movie, but not perfect (because I'm not really convinced that a perfect movie can be made)
Rokk_Krinn
01/29/2006, 12:51
Now this is really one of the all-time great classics. An important film - as already pointed out by DTM - but a good one as well. It's not just about scenes of a giant shark chomping on people like, oh, 99% of all other shark movies before and after, but it's more of a human story. There are few scenes that can rival - and I feel none beat - the bits of the three main characters - Quint, Brody and Hooper - spending their time on the boat talking and preparing...the calm before the climatic storm.
I also feel it's a case of a movie being better than the book (okay, Hooper's survival in the movie verges on hokey but I'd still rather see that than the subplot with him and Mrs. Brody). :)
A great film and I know this flies in the face of my saying perfect scores are given out too readily but this is one of the films I really honestly fight tooth-and-nail to say deserves one.
Rating: 10.0
As one of those who saw this in the theaters.... I remember seeing a line for this movie outside the complexe wondering what it was there for......
All I can say is after this movie, nobody looks at the beach the same way.
The score is wonderful at evoking a sense of urgent dread.
the acting is excellent.
the cinematography works wonders.
there is a real sense of menace to this movie... and tha'ts what a horror movie is supposed to be about.
Confession time;
I saw the 2nd movie and even saw the 3rd but there was no way...... no way! I was going to go see the 4th movie. Isn't there a jason/freddy vs Jaws/Rocky tag team movie coming out?? And the Predator is the ref and the Alien drives the tank into the ring while the ref is distracted with a hamhock?
10 for this movie from me.
One of the few movies that really is better than the book. "Myth Busters " spent a whole episode just on this movie. 9.5
Current HCR Member Rating:
JAWS - 9.75 / 10
krusticlese
02/01/2006, 15:38
For some reason, at a very young and impressionable age, my parents let me see Jaws. The movie did have a lasting impression, and to this day when I go into the ocean there is the small tingle of terror in the back of my mind that I may actually get eaten by a shark.
I was re-introduced to this film in High School, during an awesome class called "Literary Tequniques in Cinema". Our teacher would go through the movie pointing out different motifs and camera angles that Spielberg used to give the viewer a larger sense of dread.
Some of the more interesting motifs used in the film are the large number of triangular shapes worked into the set (such as when Brody is looking up and down the beach looking for Michael after the 2nd attack- in the backround you see a bunch of red and white triangular beach umbrellas that look suspiciously like sharks teeth). There is also the shot of when the Orca is leaving the dock for the last time, and the camera pans through a set of Bleached Shark jaws and frames the boat within it before fading out.
The color red is also used very well throughout the film, often seen shortly before the shark grabs a victim.
Speilberg also uses subtle foreshadowing in a most effective way in the film, from the aformentioned framing of the Orca in the shark bones, to the very first scene where you can hear a beach partier making an off-handed about an amputee (later a swimmer gets his leg amputated by the shark). There is also the scene where Hooper and Brody are argueing with the Mayor about closing the beach for the 4th of July, and in the backround of the Mayor is a blatent "One Way" sign showing the viewer that Brody and Quint won't be winning this arguement.
Sure the years have brought us CGI, more elaborate Industrial Design teqniques, and superior animotronics, but Jaws still can evoke a deep sense of dread while viewing it that may just resurface for unknown reasons once you put your foot in the water.
10 out of 10. Definately in my top 20 of all time.
Excellent write up Krusti, thanks for that. Havent seen you around here in a bit, I think I even put one of the more recent films up at your request, though havent heard from you there. Be interested in hearing what you think on our more recent batch.
(oh, and if youre a Spielberg fan you can always go back to find out very first Rate The Movies, Raiders Of The Lost Ark, and vote on that. Hopefully youll love that one as well, and I always felt bad that that film didnt reach the classic score (9 or better) here - as it is one of my favorite films of all time)
Current HCR Member Rating:
JAWS - 9.79 / 10
VandalSavage
02/14/2006, 14:02
Excellent Movie....Saw it at the Theatre(yes I'm that old) and LOVED It!!!
Score : 9.7
Mr. Savage
d_knight7
03/22/2006, 15:33
10/10 purely for giving me an irrational fear of the ocean I still hold to this day.
Gargantua
03/22/2006, 22:44
I'll give this one a perfect 10. You don't get too many movies that were as perfectly done as this one. The character studies, the pacing, the cimenatography, all come together just right.
hulkamania85
04/01/2006, 15:50
10. My favorite aspect has to be ### three guys on ### boat and ### conversations they have. Quint talking about ### Indianapolis might be ### eeriest thing in ### whole movie.
When I was six ### head coming out of ### boat scared ### piss out of me.
torontcollectr
04/07/2006, 20:44
One of the most suspenseful and horrific movies ever. How many people stopped swimming because of Jaws.
Too many good points, cast, direction, pacing, music...badum..... badum..... badum...badum,badum,badum.
A rock solid 9.5
deadshot042
04/08/2006, 00:37
An amazing film!!!
This is perhaps the best mixing of the genres of horror and thriller. It is scarier than most horror movies with very intelligent dialogue and a steady plot. The good acting is another bonus. A true masterpiece.
10/10
By the way, if you watch the film carefully you will find that one of the scenes was filmed in someone's (Spielberg's?) pool.
never really got into it. I give it a 5/10
Ouch! A 5 for Jaws! You sure youre not thinking about Jaws 3, in 3-D now, are ya mick? :)
I never voted for this one?! Probably one of my favorite flicks ever?!
Here lies the body of Mary Lee,
Died at the age of 103.
For 15 years she kept her virginity,
Not a bad record for this vicinity.
10/10.
Rokk_Krinn
03/13/2007, 15:09
Eh, sometimes I think Mick just pops up on old threads where the movie did well so he can play Devil's Advocate on the score. ;) *jk*
Pashmina
03/13/2007, 15:16
7/10
Still creepy nowadays. I love the tension it builds.
DocDoom187
03/13/2007, 15:19
8/10, it was pertty good
Eh, sometimes I think Mick just pops up on old threads where the movie did well so he can play Devil's Advocate on the score. ;) *jk*
I never understood why people got into this movie. I'm pretty sure Spieldberg does not understand himself how he could get that great of a career after making this movie.
jimthegray
04/02/2007, 17:52
prob may favorite man vs nature movie a perfect 10
petenbailey9
04/03/2007, 14:12
10/10 purely for giving me an irrational fear of the ocean I still hold to this day.
Hah, I concour.....but I'd give it 9/10.
JackAssterson
05/21/2007, 11:43
10/10 for absolutely perfect casting for man, shark and sundry,
Chief Pokishi
05/24/2007, 02:16
My top ten of movies( as i'm sure with all others) changes with the times and addition of more movies unto the world. This movie however, I feel will always be on that list. Before I even knew what a great film was, there was Jaws. Man, this movie gets me so psyched. My favorite scene that nobody really mentions while talking about this film, is the two guys on the pier with the roast. The shark gets it and breaks the thing. One is in the water swimming back to shore while the shark chases him but instead you see the broken pier coming after him instead. Great scene, love this movie too much.
10/10
iameleveneight
10/01/2007, 17:42
10/10 Solid, solid movie.
the itsy bit
06/03/2009, 11:57
awesome and gave me a fear of the ocean !!
Quint is genius casting !
10/10 classic:devious:
Even if you were born after the big ocean scare you loved this film. This is my favorite film of all time. The acting is top-notch, the story is awesome, and the shark (Bruce or whatever you want to call him) makes me want to #### my pants. This is a masterpiece, most films won 't even come close to touching this one.
10/10
vBulletin® v3.7.0, Copyright ©2000-2012, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.