I’ve always claimed that Spielberg ruined movies. Now every movie has to be a roller-coaster ride. Unfortunately, when the ideas ran dry they’ve devolved into potty jokes, sadism, slut-ism, etc. Just like a junkie who needs to up the dose to feel the jolt.
We're gonna need a bigger beach resort...
We were in Ft Lauderdale that weekend. We caught the 1PM show..only a few people in the theater..By the time we left, the lines were around trhe block.....what was even funnier was the next day..you could see pictures of all the Florida beaches..thousands on the sand..hardly anyone in the water..
I disagree with the article. From 1965-1975, movies had become depressing, cynical left-wing propaganda like “Billy Jack” or “Three Day of the Condor”.
“Jaws” and “Star Wars” brought conservative values back to the movies.
BUT, because the shark didn't work right over half the scenes where they would have had this shark chewing on people and seeing them chomped to bits they had to instead use the camera and just reactions of the actors most of the time. They placed the camera with the lens right at water level were part would be underwater and they would show legs and arms moving and murkiness. With the awesome music and that effect it just kept you on the edge of your seat waiting for that damn shark! The movie was like riding a roller coaster in the dark. you knew some scary stuff was coming but you couldn't see it coming!
The start of the movie was supposed to have the shark shoot up out of the water and chomp Crissy and parts of her fall out of its mouth. But instead they used ropes tied to her under water with guys pulling her back and forth violently and then had her react.
That was one of the most chilling scenes in movie history for my money. Still gives me the willies when I watch it at home on my big screen with the sound cranked!
Everyone should stop looking at Hollywood for great movies.
There are TONS of Independent movies along with plenty of foreign movies that are FANTASTIC.
I got Netflix, and I find plenty of good flicks to watch.
Agreed, Jaws just accelerated what would have happened.
Summer box office sees its worst Memorial Day weekend in 17 years
Note to Hollyweird: My offer to go through your slush piles is still open :)
I thought that “Jaws” was one of Spielberg’s better movies. I’ve pretty much hated everything he’s done since.
As I’ve said before,...nothing is too corny for Americans and nothing is too pretentious for the French.
Interesting article.
I think the biggest disagreement I have with Podhoretz here is that he does not seem to distinguish between the Summer Blockbuster and everything else that comes out of the film industry. There’s no doubt that Hollywood goes for eye candy and action in the big-budget summer releases. At the same time, there have been plenty of films since Jaws that have every bit of the “wit, sophistication, elegance, seriousness of purpose, honest sentimentality...” Podhoretz claims is lacking from modern Hollywood films. They may not be the general rule, but they are certainly out there.
Also, Hollywood put out plenty of popcorn movies before Jaws. For every Godfather or Midnight Cowboy, you probably had a dozen forgettable teen beach, action, and B-monster flicks.
I will say one genre of movie that has declined (IMHO) in the last decade is the American comedy. Gross-out humor has become a lot more prominent in comedy films than it used to be. Each to their own, but I’ve always found that to be cheap and lacking in imagination.
It is true that some producers have gone for the special effects to the detriment of a good story.
I was watching the latest Star Trek movie last night, and found that it contained way too many special effects that just didn’t make sense, and appeared to be included for dramatic effect. Trying to portray Spock as emotional was rather lame, too.
Claiming the summer blockbuster ruined cinema has always been silly. Tons of those kind of “personal” movies that ruled before Jaws still get made, heck probably more of them get made now. It’s a lot easier for the companies to afford those low budget/ low revenue movies when they get a couple of $200 million dollar revenue movies a year.
Funny thing about Jaws and Benchley.
The author was booted from the set because Spielberg wanted to go a different direction from the novel.
After actually reading Jaws, I understand why.
Benchley’s “The Beast” was much better.
‘Jaws’ was, and remains, a great movie. It is movie entertainment at its best.
‘Jaws’ is another one of those movies - - one of the original ones, in fact - - that when you are scrolling through a zillion cable channels and stop on it, there you stay. Other, more recent surf-stoppers are:
‘The Fugitive’
‘The Bourne (anything)’
‘US Marshalls’
‘Independence day’
‘Enemy of the State’
Like ‘Jaws’, when your TV settles on any of these movies for half-a-minute, there you will stay, watching and enjoying the movie for the twentieth time.
Jaws did to Sharks what The China Syndrome did to Nuclear Power Plants.
opened 35 years ago this week......
try 45