Jaws

I wasn't expecting to enjoy this film as much as I did.

   I mean, it's an old movie about a giant (fake) man-eating shark and grossly exaggerated "data". For someone who gets excited about facts, lighting and camerawork, this sounded less than thrilling. Allow me to explain what made me change my mind.
   First, let's talk about the camera. The most important part of the camerawork in this movie was the movement. Why? It moves naturally. For example, when the kids with the fin are discovered, it bobs around. You are looking through the boy's eyes.  You are looking down the barrel of a gun. As it glides along the surface toward the swimmers, you are the shark. The way it snakes through the crowds, staying low: the way the swimmers scream down at it in panic, screaming at you: the way it looks up at the actors, suggesting something is beneath the camera; these are the ways in which the camera says, "Doom." (Or "Duhh-dun, duhh-dun," as the case may be) All of this is through movement. The natural movement of the camera means you forget it's a camera. It's you there instead.
   The second aspect is lighting. Like the camera, it's natural. I have noticed, while watching modern movies, that the level of light stays relatively constant. It fluctuates enough that you can tell the time of day alright, but that's it. Jaws submits to no such nonsense. The first scene is a beach bonfire. It's dark. It's so dark you have trouble really seeing what's going on. But you know. The best part is, when the girl goes in the water, it gets darker. This just absolutely thrills me. At some level, every man or woman is afraid of the dark. Bill Butler, the DP of this project, was well aware of this. Other night scenes are sprinkled throughout the movie. The best part of these is if and when there is a source of light, the shadows stay true to it. The lamp that swings around in the Orca is one example. There are no mysterious lights keeping faces in view. In a time when eyes and actors have increased in importance, this was a refreshing thing to (not) see.
   There were plenty of faces in other parts of the movie. Do you remember the scene where the Tiger shark is caught? The sun is brilliant. Shadows are sharp. It's summer and it's hot and you can tell, thanks to the lighting. Subtle changes let you know when you are inside, outside, near a window, or not. The lighting was natural, consistent, and anything but constant.
   Pacing in a film is also very important. In this case, it was fantastic. You wait just long enough to catch the shark, just long enough to find out it wasn't the right one, just long enough to catch sight of the barrel again. The acting was good overall, with the extras providing support and distraction at the right times. Another thing I appreciated was the overall consistency. When there are crowds, there is no parking and no silence. When nobody is in the water, nobody is wet or looking at the water with any desire.
   In summation, yes, this is a great movie. Yes,danger is lurking beneath the surface at every turn. Yes, this is communicated by acting and yes, the shark is rubber. But these do not a legend make. The way I see it, the camera and lights are the true storytellers here.