CINÉMA DE LA PLAGE – Jaws, thrills and chills Spielberg style!

A chilling soundtrack and a shark’s fin that still terrifies beachgoers around the world today. Thrills and chills are guaranteed on the sands of the Cinéma de la Plage this evening as the audience is taken back to the menacing waters of Amity Island, the playground of Jaws (1975),  Steven Spielberg’s second film

Still from the film © RR
 

Amity is one of those film locations that has made a lasting impression on film lovers right up until today.  And, in the specific case of Jaws, on beachgoers around the world. Based on a novel by Peter Benchley published in 1974, Jaws is set in and around the clear waters of an American island by the name of Amity. There, a shark with over-sized jaws terrorises and gobbles up students and holidaymakers.

A year after the book’s publication, a young director aged 28 named Steven Spielberg leapt on adapting the story to use as the basis for his second film.  Not only was Jaws one of the first American blockbusters; it is also one of the most famous films in the history of cinema. The feature also illustrates the immense talent of Steven Spielberg – this year’s President of the Feature Films Jury – when it comes to bringing stories to life.

For Spielberg, the filming of Jaws was, at the time, anything but a pleasurable experience. The shooting was long and tedious. The difficulties encountered were such that successful completion of the project came under threat. Production costs didn’t stop rising and the mechanical sharks didn’t work well. However, upon its release, the film was a resounding success. Overall, it won three Oscars and made 470 million dollars. It continues to influence film enthusiasts the world over today.

Benoit Pavan

SCREENINGS
Tuesday 21st May / Plage Macé / 9:30 pm
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