A Reel 40: JAWS - Part 3, The Legacy

This month marks the 40^th anniversary of Steven Spielberg’s JAWS. Widely regarded as one of the best films of all time, Reel Speak will celebrate this game-changing film with a three-part blog. Part One (HERE) explored The Beginnings, Part Two (HERE) examined Why It Worked, and this week’s blog explores The Legacy. 

"I think he's come back for his noon feeding..."

The Legacy of Steven Spielberg’s JAWS began even before the film swam into theatres in the early summer of 1975. Despite the film going over its allotted production budget during filming, Universal Pictures spent a then-unheard of $1.8 million in promoting the film, including another unprecedented $700K on national television advertising. And even as early as October of 1974, over eight months before release, author Peter Benchley and producers Richard D. Zanuck and David Brown made their rounds on radio talk shows to promote the film. It was an all-out media blitz which is very commonplace today, but a brand new approach back then. It was a strategy which would begin JAWS’ legacy as the very first summer “blockbuster”. Prior to JAWS, the standard for Hollywood was to release high-profile films during the winter months, while summer was put aside as a dumping ground for lousy pictures. With JAWS, a new era had risen…a new U.S. film industry with high-concept, fun-at-the-theatre films aimed at the fun summer months; the blockbuster had been born. 

And bust those blocks it did. Opening with a $7 million weekend, the film made back its production costs in two weeks of release. In just 78 days, it overtook THE GODFATHER (1972) as the highest grossing film at the North American box office. After going into international release in December of 1975, JAWS would become the highest grossing film of all time (Universal would later take out movie ads with the iconic image of the shark from the poster gobbling up box numbers), until STAR WARS would arrive two years later. And the money kept on rolling in from other avenues outside of the packed theatres. Promotional tie-ins ranging from the soundtrack album, T-shirts, a book about the making of the movie (The Jaws Log), toy sharks and various hobby kits and iron-ons…all were a first in movie marketing. 

Outside of the ocean-sized numbers that JAWS brought in, the film was a massive stepping stone for director Steven Spielberg, who not only learned many lessons from the troubled production…but as the director of the biggest money-maker of all time, earned himself some clout. Artistically, Spielberg would draw heavily on the issues generated by the troublesome mechanical shark to his benefit for years to come. The technique of not showing the shark until it was absolutely necessary was an approach that Spielberg would utilize in his future mega-hits E.T. (1982), and JURASSIC PARK (1993). 

Decades later, the impact of JAWS is still felt throughout cinema and in pop-culture as it would become a template for thrillers and horror films. Filmmakers from Bryan Singer (X-MEN) to M. Night Shyamalan (THE SIXTH SENSE) to Christopher Nolan (THE DARK KNIGHT) have mentioned JAWS as an inspiration for their works. In the late 1970’s when director Ridley Scott was pitching his idea for ALIEN, he described it as “JAWS in space”. The Jaws Log, which chronicled the making of the film, would become a bible or how-to manual for budding filmmakers. In pop-culture, the film would have an even greater impact. Much like Alfred Hitchcock’s film PSYCHO had made people afraid to be in the shower, JAWS made them afraid to swim in the ocean. John Williams’ score became a classic and as an obvious cue for pending doom, and the famous line “you’re gonna need a bigger boat”, became a war-cry for a generation for going up against impossible odds. Scholars study and teach the many themes at work in the film, and film students are often required to examine the infamous scene involving the tale of the doomed USS Indianapolis. At Martha’s Vineyard, where the film was shot, the community still celebrates the film with festivals, and loyal fans often make the pilgrimage to visit the shooting locations. The main cast, which included Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, and Richard Dreyfuss, would forever be immortalized as Chief Brody, Sam Quint, and Matt Hooper, respectively. The iconic poster for the film is one of the most recognizable in the world, and to this day JAWS is arguably one of the most parodied (with respect) ever. Selected for preservation in the United States Film Registry in 2001 for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”, this is one big fish that will keep on swimming. 

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A Reel Review: JURASSIC WORLD

The world of JURASSIC PARK hasn’t quite figured out what to do with itself ever since Steven Spielberg’s 1993 earth-shaking dinosaur thrill ride. Its two sequels haven’t offered much other than arriving at a remote island, having characters scream and run around while becoming a hot lunch, making a daring escape and ending with the JURASSIC PARK theme on piano. The third sequel, and fourth overall entry in the series, JURASSIC WORLD, doesn’t quite follow that standard template and make those old mistakes, but it does make some new ones. 

Twenty years after founder John Hammond’s first park of genetically-created dinosaurs went south, Jurassic Park has finally become a reality and is fully operational. Attendance is dropping, and Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard), a genetic scientist, is given the task of creating a new dinosaur as a new attraction…despite the misgivings of raptor-trainer Owen Grady (Chris Pratt). 

The first thing about JURASSIC WORLD which leaps off the screen is just how self-aware the film is. The plot of the film is concerned with making dinosaurs exciting again for the public, and right away that makes JURASSIC WORLD a parody of itself as it looks to make the novelty of people interacting with dinos feel new again. Once that initial jarring effect is over, JURASSIC WORLD gets busy with its story…and here is where the film struggles to find footing. Seemingly aware of the thin plots of its predecessors, JURASSIC WORLD crams in too many characters this time…each of which don’t serve any purpose but to provide something for the film to hinge on. Claire’s young nephew (Nick Robinson and Ty Simpkins) exist only for the audience to experience the park through, Vincent D’Onofrio appears as a military contractor who exists only to…not do much at all, and Irrfan Khan appears as the new park owner with his heart in the right place but his head in another. None of these characters and subplots meshes very well, and JURASSIC WORLD often feels like three different movies. 

But where the characters are thin, the rest of the film is thick with excitement. Director Colin Trevorrow, in only his second feature film, utilizes and exploits every bit of terror and fun that he can out of the misplaced savage creatures. Trevorrow stages some fantastic and thrilling set-pieces with his beautifully rendered dinosaurs while generating some true terror. JURASSIC WORLD has an old-school monster-movie vibe to it, with pending doom and jaw-dropping chases and battles between creatures. There are many surprises and twists to behold, and the film never gets predictable other than the way the characters are supposed to act. Aside from the thrills and spills, Trevorrow dips into the nostalgia pool by bringing things back to the beginning, making for some very crowd-pleasing moments. 

The goddamn 3D is worthless. 

It’s in character where JURASSIC WORLD is very thin, so the actors are not given very much to do. Chris Pratt gets the most work and handles it well, and true to the classic feel of the film, feels very much like he rolled out of a 1950’s serial. Bryce Dallas Howard is just kind of there, and true to an old-school monster-flick, loses more clothing as the film goes on. Vincent D’Onofrio is a waste of time although he does okay work, and young Ty Simpkins manages to be the standout. 

After a breathtaking HOLY SHIT DID YOU SEE THAT finale, JURASSIC WORLD does indeed cue the piano music on the way out of the jungle, and the film does have that been-there, done-that feel to it. This time around the template is followed with a few detours, and despite some storytelling and scripting issues, is salvaged by the strong action sequences and edge-of-your-seat moments. Unlike the dinosaurs of old, it’s light and harmless fare. 

BOTTOM LINE: See it

Christopher Lee 1922-2015

Sir Christopher Lee; actor, singer, author, and knight…has passed away at 93. 

Perhaps the most prolific actor of our time with over 275 credits on the big and small screen, Christopher Frank Carandini Lee was born in England in 1922, and eventually served time in World War II in the Royal Air Force and Special Forces. The seeds of his eventual legend were planted during this time, as his time as a spy and a Nazi hunter would partially inspire his step-cousin, writer Ian Fleming, to create a super spy character known as James Bond. 

After a decorated service, he took the advice of his uncle, who was the Italian ambassador in London, to give acting a try. Lee, with his towering and lean 6’5 frame and deep booming voice which would send chills down the most hardened spines, became a natural fit for the horror genre and villains of every type. His first big break came with THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN in 1957, which was the first color adaptation of the story, in which he played Frankenstein’s monster. It was the first of many films he would make for horror-factory Hammer Films, and in 1958 he would play the vampire Count Dracula in DRACULA; a role which many fans still relate him to this day. Lee would reprise the role eight times over the next 20 years. It was during this time that he would solidify a friendship and working relationship with fellow horror actor Peter Cushing…who would go on to play Grand Moff Tarkin in STAR WARS in 1977. 

Achieving status as a horror icon in the late 1950’s and 1960’s, which would include THE MUMMY (1959), Lee would branch out by playing Sir Henry Baskerville in the Sherlock Holmes adventure THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES, also in 1959. He played Holmes himself in SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE DEADLY NECKLACE in 1962, and would play Sherlock’s brother Mycroft in Billy Wilder’s THE PRIVATE LIFE OF SHERLOCK HOLMES in 1970. 

After another string of horror films which included a series of FU MANCHU films from 1957 to 1977, along with I, MONSTER (1971), THE CREEPING FLESH (1972), and his personal favorite, THE WICKER MAN (1973), Lee came full circle when he appeared in his step-cousin Ian Fleming’s adaptation of the James Bond film THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN in 1974…a role in which many Bond fans keep in high regard as one of the best Bond villains. 

In the late 1970’s he moved from England to America in a move to avoid being typecast in horror films. He appeared in AIRPORT ’77 (1977), Steven Spielberg’s 1941 (1979), and THE RETURN OF CAPTAIN INVINCIBLE (1982), in which he sang on two songs in the film. He would try his hand at comedy in GREMLINS 2: THE NEW BATCH (1990), POLICE ACADEMY: MISSION TO MOSCOW (1994), and serious drama as the founder of modern Pakistan in JINNAH (1998). 

He would enjoy a string of films with stylistic director Tim Burton, appearing in SLEEPY HOLLOW (2005), CORPSE BRIDE (2005), CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY (2005), SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET (2007), ALICE IN WONDERLAND (2010), and DARK SHADOWS (2012). Other notable appearances include THE GOLDEN COMPASS (2007), THE RESIDENT (2011), and Martin Scorsese’s HUGO (2011). 

In the early 2000’s, it would be with George Lucas and JRR Tolkien, Lee’s favorite author, where he would enjoy a successful second life as a pop culture icon. In Lucas’ STAR WARS films ATTACK OF THE CLONES and REVENGE OF THE SITH, Lee would dip back into his villain roots by playing the evil Count Dooku; a role in which he put his extensive knowledge of fencing to use and loosely followed in the footsteps of his friend Peter Cushing.  As the evil wizard Saruman in Peter Jackson’s adaptations of JRR Tolkien’s’ THE LORD OF THE RINGS and THE HOBBIT, Lee would come full-circle once again much like he did with Bond; he was the only cast member to have actually met Tolkien…making his casting in the films not only appropriate but it added another layer to his growing legend. 

And that legend grew even more outside of acting. He appeared and sang in operas and recorded heavy metal albums. He appeared on the cover of Paul McCartney & Wings’ 1973 album Band on the Run. He was the first actor to be inducted into the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers. His devotion to charity and the advancement of the dramatic arts would earn him a knighthood in 2009. 

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This Blogger, like many others, have grown up watching Christopher Lee. From vampires to detectives to madmen, from wizards to Jedi to men with golden guns, Lee may have been the face of evil and monsters…but that face was one of comfort; comfort knowing that the role he inhabited and the movie he was in would be better because of his dominating presence. Off the silver screen he exhibited a life fuller than most of the world can even dream of; from dedicated service and seeing and doing unspeakable things in the name of God and country, to a commitment to the arts and the industry which treated him so well. Christopher Lee may have been the face of evil, but his life was and is the standard of all that is good. 

A Reel Opinion: Original vs. Retread

The vast universe of movies has always served as a grand battleground for debates and unanswered questions; questions such as who played the role of James Bond the best, or who made the better Bruce Wayne, or did Leonardo DiCaprio’s character in INCEPTION ever wake up from his dream, or which of the ten-thousand versions of BLADE RUNNER is the definitive? These questions have fueled debates among movie buffs and casual filmgoers for decades, and recently, a new question has been resurrected; which is better…a bad original film or a good remake or sequel? 

The question comes around due to the odd era that mainstream Hollywood has placed itself in lately. While churning out remakes and sequels (lets’ call them retreads, for brevity’s sake) is not a brand new practice, this day and age finds Hollywood heavily favoring them over original stories. So far this year, we’ve received an 11^th entry in the ongoing series of Marvel’s superhero films, and a 4^th entry in the 30-year old MAD MAX franchise. On top of that, this weekend sees the third sequel to JURASSIC PARK, and next month, a fifth overall entry in the TERMINATOR franchise. If a time traveler landed in the summer of 2015 and looked at the upcoming schedule of movies (which includes a seventh STAR WARS film and a 25^th JAMES BOND movie), that traveler would not know which year he had landed in. 

There have still been some high-profile original films this year; Disney’s TOMORROWLAND, the indie-flick EX MACHINA, the Wachowski Siblings’ JUPITER ASCENDING, and Neill Blomkamp’s CHAPPIE. None of these films were based on a pre-existing source like a book, comic, or another movie…but they are clearly outnumbered by the vast amount of retreads which will be released by the end of the year.

Original or not, most of the films released so far this year have been met with reviews and fan-reactions which are all over the map; ranging from very good to ho-hum to downright awful…and this is where the real question comes in; is it better to take in an original film which is bad, or a retread which is very good? 

Clearly, a movie fan should value not only entertainment but the art of storytelling itself. Original filmmaking should always be sought after and supported, because without that, the medium of film will eventually wither and die…no matter how many JAMES BONDS or STAR TREKS or MAD MAX’s roll out every year. Mainstream Hollywood values storytelling and art but they value dollars more. It is still a business and an industry, after all, and if Hollywood doesn’t make bank, there will be no more movies no matter what. Based on that alone, those of us who go to see a retread shouldn’t be feeling guilty about feeding the big machine and supporting the industry we love, and so far this year people have indeed spoken with their wallets. Marvel’s AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON has already surpassed the billion dollar mark, and MAD MAX: FURY ROAD is bringing in the green just fine. 

So we should be supporting originality and it’s OK to enjoy a sequel or remake, but which is better? The often overlooked piece to the puzzle is quality. People have come in hordes to see what Marvel and MAD MAX has to offer, but they shied away from original works such as TOMORRROWLAND and JUPITER ASCENDING. But here’s the hidden factor: both TOMORROWLAND, JUPITER ASCENDING, and CHAPPIE received mixed to dismal reviews. Bad movies rarely do well, and people spoke loudly this year.

This Blogger has always believed that a good movie can be found anywhere. It doesn’t matter if it’s based on a book, comic, news article, or a drawing on a cave. Hollywood’s task isn’t just to make movies, but to make good movies…no matter the story. 

What say you?