Is Jaws a Horror Movie Essay - 1524 Words

Is Jaws a Horror Movie? First, I will intend to take you on a brief journey through the horror genre and the conventions that have been associated. Second I will show you how these conventions are used in the film Jaws. Let’s take a closer look at the history of the horror genre. To get started we are going to start with the first era or as it’s called the silent era. This era was based on monsters such as Frankenstein (1910), Dracula (1912) and The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923). The horror was all about the make up and the clever use of lighting, to add thrills. The first conventions were that we see are the ‘revealing of the monsters’ and the use of ‘isolated houses’ where the monsters are based. This left audiences feeling†¦show more content†¦Towards the end of the era we see excessive blood and gore, victims, violence and sadism and finally torture, Saw (2004) and Hostel (2002). As I have already mentioned Jaws is an important movie because it was the first real blockbuster, grossing $450 million. A common discussion is whether Jaws is a horror or thriller, I am going to analyse the two scenes to help us decide. The film starts under water with a shark’s point of view of the ocean. Only the audience don’t know it’s a shark, the music is un nerving underneath the water of the unknown. Then we switch to a calm atmosphere on the beach with students gathered round the fire drinking, smoking and having laughs, this is to show it is warm, safe and chilled out. We then reach the edge of the fireside warm, and then introduced to the victims, the teenagers; this is a modern convention as they are humans not monsters. There is element on the beach to show the beach is safe and protected. Spielberg, the director introduces the first two characters, Tom Cassidy and Chrissie Watkins. The director uses a close up of them looking at eachother, tom is facing the opposite side to the fire and Chrissie is sat in the distance from the rest of the group on the outsider of the fire, there is also a fence on the outside to show that past there isn’t safe. There then is a long tracking shot as the couple are going for a swim in the dark. Chrissie then dives in to theShow MoreRelatedExploration Of Exploitation During The 1970 s Generation1417 Words   |  6 Pagesuncertain time for the film Industry. Due to financial instability, the Hollywood studio system had collapsed. The invention of the television too had a disastrous effect on audiences attending movie theaters as many people were inclined to stay at home because they had children and did not want to pay for a movie and a baby sitter. 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