Tuesday 12 May 2009

Steven Spielberg's Jaws.





"You're gonna need a bigger boat".

This 1975 box office hit thriller movie started the summer blockbuster trend ala Star Wars, E.T., etc. and herald the end of American New Wave age (which gives more emphasis on realism plus anti-establishment themes, usually movies from end 60s to early 80s). In fact, Sir Ridley Scott called Alien "Jaws in space" when he first pitched the idea to the studio. It also indirectly caused me to be fearful of waters, irregardless whether it is Batu Ferringhi, Port Dickson or even a harmless pond, because I used to imagine some monstrous creatures might lurk in those places. It also made some of uncles and aunties who rented the movie to have an excuse to eat more shark fins, irregardless how un-ethical that is from animal conservationist point of view (BTW, I eventually realised that shark fin is as tasteful as a piece of cardboard, and it is the sauce which makes the difference...I wonder why the price some paid for it). Starring the late Roy Scheider (10 November 1932 – 10 February 2008), Richard Dreyfuss, and of course, hard man Robert Shaw (9 August 1927 – 28 August 1978), whom all gave memorable performances as police chief Martin Brody, marine biologist Matt Hooper, and Ahab-like shark hunter Quint. And the star is the now infamous 3 tonnes, 25 feet long killer great white shark who of all natural places it supposed to be in, decided to hunt instead along the shoreline of an American beach town. Maybe it got hooked on the taste of a tantalising looking skinny dipping first victim. The soundtrack simple main theme by John Williams will forever be etched in my mind as THE suspense music of an approaching danger of all time.

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