Product Description

Steven Spielberg's second feature, released in 1975, was an adaptation of a best-selling trash novel about a killer shark's effect on a New England tourist town. Under extreme pressure on a catastrophic location shoot, Universal's 27 year-old prodigy crafted a thriller so effective that for many years Jaws was the highest-grossing film of all time. It was also instrumental in establishing the concepts of the event movie and the summer blockbuster. Jaws exerts an extraordinary power over audiences. Apparently simplistic and manipulative, it is a film that has divided critics into two broad camps: those who dismiss it as infantile and sensational - and those who see the shark as freighted with complex political and psychosexual meaning. Antonia Quirke, in an impressionistic response, argues that both interpretations obscure the film's success simply as a work of art. In Jaws Spielberg's ability to blend genres combined with his precocious technical skill to create a genuine masterpiece, which is underrated by many, including its director. Indeed, Quirke claims, this may be Spielberg's finest work.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #207390 in Books
• Published on: 2002-07-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 96 pages

About the Author
Antonia Quirke has written on film for the Independent on Sunday, and on actors for the New Statesman. She contributes to BBC Radio 4's weekly film programme Back Row and presents documentaries for BBC Television.

Customer Reviews

One of the better mainstream attempts on the film.
Quirke's effort is a victim of the format of BFI's series; it is impossible to give justice to a two hour "work of art" within 91 small pages. Those worthy ideas within this book rarely extend beyond a paragraph, and it is regrettable that editorial disdain was not asserted to eliminate some material in favour of the expansion of others. Promising subheadings ("absolution," "solipsism") precede disappointing material, but at least she does not resort too often to regurgitating the trivia repeated so many times in so many books and magazines.
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Her journalistic background implies that she mistakes her annoying short sentences for style. Rather than a standardised referencing system, an informal two page "note on sources" is used. Although one may be used to a more precise bibliography, she never really offers any substantial quotations. A more substantial work that offered a variety of viewpoints would have been welcomed, though this criticism cannot be levied solely at Quirke since the series is meant to be personal.

All of the frames used from the film are reproduced in the correct aspect ratio and look almost as beautiful here as in the film itself. For a mainstream book, this is a reasonable account of the film's depth and will be most useful to students just beginning film studies rather than those seeking real critical analysis. Serious work which does sufficient justice to Jaws has yet to be published.

Jaws
An interesting insight into how the author perceive this classic film.The book has actual images from the film, if you like Jaws pick this book up. Do it now..

A Fantastic View of a sensational Fiilm
This book is a fantastic view of a sensational film . Finally an author who has put my views about the film on paper. This is a must read for all film fans especially film students studying Speilberg and his works, this film made the man a great at a very young age. The film has had many critics and many views about the film but Antonia Quirke has captured everything i have been feeling about Jaws. This is a must for all and a great guide for film students.