Analyse the ways that the director builds suspense and scare
The film is called 'JAWS' and is successfully directed by Steven Spielberg. I will be analyzing how Spielberg builds up suspense and scares the audience throughout this film, considering how camera shots, music and characters' reactions help to build this effect. The film is purposely named 'JAWS' as it is about a supernatural predator that killed many people with his deadly jaws without prejudice and discrimination. 'JAWS' is a masterful, visceral and realistic science-fiction suspense, horror-disaster film tapping into the most primal of human fear. The film is set in 1975 on a fictional island called Amity in America; now known as Long Island which is more precisely in the state of New England. Ironically the movie is partially set on the American Independence Day. The director plays with this idea that the fourth of July is usually a day of celebration and enjoyment for the American nation but in this case a killing machine is there to make them prisoners of this island. Neither can they get out of this island as it is surrounded by sea nor can they enjoy themselves in the sea as if the shark was protecting what did not belong to them, the unexplored and impenetrable sea.The behaviour of the shark is without doubt directly
This low angle shot creates panic and fear and is the turning point in the sequence. A good example of this is the title sequence. The character's reaction emphasis this, as Hooper loses control of his body and is taken away by fear. The unseen predator is the opposite force against which mankind has to struggle in one form or the other. The film's last sections out at sea are some of the tensest parts. The camera zooms into Brody's startled face with distorting background revealing the fact that he is shattered. At the same moment, as the first note is played, we see the first images of the film like the shark looming out of the darkness and catching its prey unaware. The attack on the fourth of July when Brody's son is involved makes the struggle more personal and the character much more determined as at last he stands up to his fear of water. A close-up shot is used to draw the attention of the audience to certain objects and characters and in this case this shot is used to attract our attention to these characters. The fact that the first two attacks follow each other closely clearly shows how indiscriminately, carelessly and haphazardly the shark kills, as if taking life away from them was his right. The camera enters the shark's territory showing his point of view, giving him the power to decide the destiny of these children which was a little while earlier in the hands of Brody. Music and silence is again used effectively to build up tension during and after the first attack. The simple almost primitive tune builds fear and suspense and is always associated with the shark to create one entity. The film's music here again is significant as we know that whenever this tune commences that the deadly creature will attack soon. The director skilfully creates tension, suspense and fear throughout this film.
Common topics in this essay:
Firstly Brody,
Independence Day,
Steven Spielberg,
Quint Hooper,
Amity Island,
Ben Gardner's,
July Brody's,
,
England Ironically,
characters' reactions,
suspense fear,
camera shots,
unseen enemy,
throughout film,
silence effectively,
build tension,
director creates,
suspense tension,
inevitable attack,
America Island,
avoid inevitable attack,
music silence effectively,
creates sense dread,
american independence day,
bloodstained deflated lilo,
|
Acceptance Essays
