Inspired by my post last week, I’ve decided
to make The Cinephiliac Moment a weekly series in which I choose a moment in a
film where cinema reaches transcendence. This moment may be inspired by
anything – the composition, the score, the edit, the narrative – but it is a
moment in which cinema becomes something more than entertainment and possibly
more than art. Read more about the original inspiration to the project here.
The Magic of the Monster – Jaws
Jaws is considered
one of the great horror movies of cinema, as it features an unstoppable
horrifying monster that seems unstoppable, even if it is not on screen until
the final act of the film. But Steven Spielberg does not treat this creature as a monster
necessarily. He seems both in shock and awe of the titular animal. No moment
represents this more than just after the shark has been blown to smithereens.
As the carcass sinks to the bottom of the ocean, blood pouring out, there’s a
sense of wonder to the majesty of this creature. John Williams’s score, full of light notes trickling down a harp (and perhaps my spine) suggests
not relief, but magic. Where did this creature come from? Should we fear the
unknown, or should we confront it? As Kevin B. Lee described in his video essay on the “Spielberg Face,” the director is fascinated by the spectator’s ability
to comprehend awe. And for a film that has made us to terrified of the water, Jaws also suggests the magic of
monsters. We may want to scream, but we also stand powerless to comprehend
their magnificence.
Watch the clip below:
1 comment:
Thanks for the postt
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