By Dave Bradt, Aron Theatre Co-op board member
Fifty-one years ago, Steven Speilberg made the first true blockbuster. A film that was both wildly successful and also superb. If ever there was a movie that I consider a perfect film, JAWS is at the top of the conversation.
This film is two solid hours of smart dialogue, edge-of-seat tension, rousing soundtrack, iconic characters, and it is a masterclass of film direction. There are so many individual aspects of this film that I could write full essays on: the amazing direction of Steven Speilber. The USS Indianapolis speech. Long-takes with perfect framing and blocking transitions are a short film in themselves. The John Williams score that Spielberg says he owes half of the film’s success to.
And of course, the scariest monster that you almost never see. This is a movie that has lived rent-free in the popular culture and the social zeitgeist for half a century, and that privilege is well earned.
Many of you have seen JAWS. But some you, perhaps, have not.
So to all of you, I extend this invitation: If you have never seen JAWS, come and see one of the best motion pictures ever created. If you've only seen it on the small screen, come and see it on the big screen. And if you have seen it before, come and see it again!
Here at the Aron, we love movies. We program first run Hollywood films every week, trying to serve up a popular choice of current cinema, We also have a love for the favourites, the Classics, from the wildly successful to the hidden gems. That's why we started the Classic and Retro film series, screening movies from more than a few years ago.
We offer these films twice a month as pay-what-you-can events, to break down financial barriers and encourage everyone to join us for an evening at the cinema. We try to span the genres, and the decades. But no matter what, we promise to deliver movies that are good.
And once in a while we deliver something truly great. Yes, it’s JAWS!!