Jaws

The small beach town of Amity is preparing for the summer boom when an unknown threat begins to stalk its beaches. Police Chief Brody sets it upon himself to stop the unknown beast terrorizing Amity’s citizens at all costs.  When the plans of Chief Brody fail, the city of Amity brings in a large group of bounty hunters to capture and kill the menacing beast. In the end, Chief Brody sets out with an old hunter and a researcher to track down and end the beast’s threat once and for all.

Spielberg brings the small town of Amity to life with packed summer beaches and the rustic Amity natives. The unsophisticated sea town of Amity is explored and fleshed out through Spielberg’s growing epic motif. The Spielberg Face returns to create a memorable moment within the film. The characters within the film are portrayed well. Also, the fact that the beast is brought to life through the elements of atmosphere and mystery aids the film immensely.

Spielberg succeeds in conveying the true scope of the summer boom in a small town community.  The town of Amity is brought to life through a mix of shots of busy beaches and small town life. Which help to convey the true spirit of the town of Amity. The use of the Spielberg Face, consisting of a dolly zoom on a character’s face in a time of great dramatic tension, pulls the audience into the moment when the beast is first glimpsed and doesn’t let go. Spielberg keeps the audience engaged, even with the lowest of characters, which creates emotionally engaging characters that the audience can root for. The use of music and the camera succeed in creating both the presence and the character of the beast. The fact that the beast in the film is rarely seen works in Spielberg’s favor as the audience feels the impending and ever present threat posed by the creature. In the end, Spielberg succeeds in creating an epic atmosphere, engaging characters, and a mysterious beast that come together to create a great film.