Jawsis one of the most successful and popular blockbusters of all time, but one iconic scene cements Spielberg’s legendary creature feature as an out-and-out horror movie – despite its broad appeal and massive financial success. Categorizing the movie in the 49 years since its release hasn’t always been easy.Jaws' incredible cultural, critical, and financial successstems from its clever blend of genres – from straightforward monster movie to buddy comedy. However, lurking below the surface of every scene is an undercurrent of horror – encapsulated by the movie’s greatest jump scare.
In many ways,Jawseschews typical horror movie techniques. Instead of featuring dimly-lit set pieces and characters creeping round dark corridors,some of the film’s most effective and terrifying moments happen in broad daylight, with the giant shark striking out of nowhere. The opaque surface of the ocean gives the movie all the cover it needs, creating moments of genuine jeopardy even when the sun is shining. However, while this unorthodox approach helps the movie stand out, one particular scene is firmly rooted in the horror tradition.
It’s The Movie’s Most Traditional Jump Scare
AlthoughJaws' greatest strengthis the growing sense of dread as the shark ominously approaches unsuspecting victims, the movie’s severed head scene comes straight out of a more stereotypical horror flick. The moment itself takes place relatively near the start of the movie, when protagonists Hooper and Brady are struggling to figure out their enemy. During their haphazard investigation,they stumble across Ben Gardner’s wrecked boat, prompting Hooper to leap into the water to take a closer look.
More than any other, this moment utilizes horror traditions to great effect. For starters, it’s set at night, with the boat’s lights illuminating everything with an eerie glow.John Williams' haunting scoreratchets up the expectation, while the inky blackness of the ocean only heightens the sense that something monstrous is waiting just out of sight to devour its next victim. Just as the tension is becoming unbearable, the scene delivers its coup de grâce, asBen Gardner’s severed head (complete with missing eyeball) floats into view. It’s a simultaneously grisly, startling, and exhilarating moment that stands alongside any number of iconic jump scares.
It’s A Masterclass In Tension
Like many great horror scenes,Jaws' severed head moment juxtaposes an oppressive atmosphere against the uncertain knowledge that something unsettling lurks just out of view. It also represents a masterclass in misdirection and subverted expectation. At this point in the story, viewers still haven’t had a glimpse of the shark. WhileJawsfamously would have featured more shark had the animatronics workedproperly,keeping the main villain out of sight keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. When Hooper enters the water, the expectation is that the shark will finally appear. What happens, however, is even worse.
…the movie leaves a gruesome and sinister reminder of what this animal is capable of – all while effectively utilizing the kind of gore one might expect from a slasher.
Not only does the severed head act as an incredible double-bluff, but its unexpected arrival when audiences are expecting to see a giant killer shark sustains the terror that builds throughout the movie’s first act. Introducing the shark at this point would have broken the spell. Instead, the movie leaves a gruesome and sinister reminder of what this animal is capable of – all while effectively utilizing the kind of gore one might expect from a slasher. If you don’t know what to expect,the severed head is a startling reminder thatJawsis determined to wrong-foot the audience– never letting them settle.
Jaws Is Unconventional, But Indisputably A Horror Film
It’s A Complex Blend Of Multiple Genres
Compared to many more straightforward horror movies,Jawshas several clear points of difference. There’s nothing supernatural about its antagonist, andmoments of genuine terror are interspersed with scenes of island life and personal drama. It’s also one of the rare movies where some of its scariest scenes happen during the day – such as Alex Kintner’s death and the attack in the pond. Yet, despite its refusal to play by conventions,Jawsremains one of the most effective horror movies ever made.
Jaws Ending Explained
Jaws is one of the best Steven Spielberg films of all time, and like much of his work, it comes with a powerful message for the audience.
Like all great horror films,Jawsdraws its strength from exploiting an everyday fear. In this case, it is the understandable anxiety many people have about what lurks out of sight beneath the waves, as well as the untameable power of nature. What makes the movie startling is how it manages to make apparently innocent activities (such as a family trip to the beach) sinister by puncturing their sanctity and safety. Just like other genre classics likeThe ExorcistandAlien,Jawsexplores the idea that there are horrifying forces beyond our control and understanding. Moments like the severed head scene only help reinforce this broader sense of terror.
Jaws
Cast
Jaws, directed by Steven Spielberg, follows the residents of Amity Island as they face terror from a menacing great white shark. The town’s police chief, a marine biologist, and a seasoned shark hunter join forces to track and kill the predator threatening their coastal community. Released in 1975.
