The document analyzes the opening scenes of the film Jaws. It discusses how the dark underwater imagery in the opening shots sets the dark tone for the thriller genre. It describes how the opening scene engages the audience by showing a slaying from the shark's point of view, making the audience feel connected to the events. It also notes how the partying teenagers introduced represent the oblivious nature of potential victims in horror films. The document discusses how the film's score builds suspense and anticipation without resolution, reflecting the looming threat throughout the film. Finally, it analyzes how the title design and colors used foreshadow the danger and blood to come, creating a sense of calm before tensions rise.

1. AndrewGoldman A-LEVELMEDIA STUDIES
: Thriller
Films dark themes are immediately communicated through the film’s opening shots. These
are connoted through the dark under the sea images. The opening of Jaws follows the
pattern of many other traditional narratives - that is engaging the audience and set the tone
of the film. Spielberg expertly creates interest for his audience with the initial slaying, in turn
helping them to feel somewhat attached and connected with the events appearing on
screen as a result of the Point of View camera shot – a rather sickly notion of the audience
actually being the shark itself just before the kill. As the film progresses, the audience meets
a group of teenagers partying on a beach. They are drinking, smoking and playing music –
thus indicating their carefree nature and the fact they are oblivious to the potential danger
that is nearby them. As an audience, there is also anticipation that tragedy and violence will
occur to these characters, as teenagers are often targeted as victims within modern cinema
(particularly those films within the horror/thriller genre).
The low, continuous, ferocious, thrilling score is a representative of the thrilling genre of
Jaws. The titles end just before the music approaches its peak, creating suspense and
anticipation for the audience as to what will appear later in the film. Without a particular
chorus as it were for this score the audience feels somewhat restricted as this forceful beat
keeps coming and can’t be stopped, John Williams brilliantly simple yet frightening theme is
a wonderful representative of the rest of the filmas there are direct relations between the
sound in the opening scene to the rest of the films narrative: a battle of Man vs Shark.
Typography of Jaws – Red font colour on poster connotes danger and blood which
foreshadows what’s going to happen proceeding the titles and throughout the film.
Whereas during opening titles ‘Jaws’ title is in white, this both gives the shot a smoother
look as the colouring blends and creates a sense of momentary tranquillity – everything is
initially white but will soon turn red.
The opening of Jaws followsthe pattern of many other traditional Thriller narratives - that is
engage the audience and set the tone of the film.Spielbergexpertly creates interest for his
audience with the opening scenes kill,in turn helping them to feel somewhat attached and
connected with the eventsappearing on screen as a result of the Point of View shot of the
Shark. This camera shot and the fact that we don’t see the Shark in the opening scene which
brilliantlyfollowsthe principle of a Thriller, it’s what you don’t see that can be truly thrillingand
allows the audience to use their imaginations to create the most thrillingimages by themselves.