The climax of Jaws focuses on the endeavor of three men to save the town. Each comes from a different economic background: Hooper (wealthy), Brody (middle class), and Quint (working class). Quint’s ultimate demise and the use of his gun to destroy the shark could certainly be read as the working class man sacrificing himself for the security of the upper classes. I am curious if someone better versed in Marxism could dig deeper into Jaws as Marxist tale, or more generally as a tale of class and consumerism.
Fidel Castro used to argue that “Jaws” was a Marxist tale. Slavoj Žižek summarized this in his documentary “The Pervert’s Guide to Ideology,” where he also gives his own reading of the story. As a matter of fact, “Jaws” has been interpreted in so many ways, such as being about patriarchy, immigration or fascism. This is a nice topic that could become a great article, as long as it acknowledges all the discussions and interpretations that the Spielberg’s film provoked in the last forty years (not an easy task), offering a new and original angle of analysis. – T. Palomino2 years ago
A Marxist reading of Jaws could definitely work though it sounds a bit abstracted. If you read Jaws, the shark as the fascistic "Other" it works. Because the unity of the in-group classes they're able to destroy the "Other" but importantly the working class is destroyed in the process. – SunnyAgo2 years ago
Recently, I also saw Jaws for the first time. (Yeah, I know). I was amazed at how well it still held up after 43 years! This film is credited with beginning huge changes in cinema and marketing, and for revolutionizing a genre. Between being one of the first movies advertised on television, to knocking The Godfather from its pedestal in 78 days, to casting the Great White as a pariah in the public eye, this film altered every aspect of the moviegoing experience. Specifically focusing on the impact Jaws made in its genre and the changes it introduced to cinematograpghy (i.e. the introduction of more subtle horror, larger budgets, and the importance of a good cinematic score) would be interesting.
John Krasinski recently discuss how the film Jaws inspired a quiet place. Check out the link...
https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2396642/the-spielberg-classic-that-influenced-john-krasinskis-work-on-a-quiet-place – Sean Gadus5 years ago
This might be expanded to address different movies that feature a shark. Even some really bad shark movies on the Syfy channel and "The Meg" can be discussed. Why "Jaws" still stands out (but maybe not its sequels) and how it contrasts with other shark movies. A conclusion in such an essay can address what makes for a good shark movie. – Joseph Cernik5 years ago
Joseph Cernik’s note will certainly help in making the article a more authoritative commentary on the shark genre in itself rather than being restricted to a fan page of a single film. ‘The Shallows’, ‘Deep Blue Sea’ and ‘47 meters down’ could all do with a mention. – Dr. Vishnu Unnithan4 years ago
