Why JAWS without John Williams' music is unthinkable

Hello, Islanders!

I’m sure that many of you reading this have a love and appreciation for movie music.  A score for a film can often be as popular, and fondly remembered, as the film itself.  Maurice Jarre’s “Lara’s Theme” from Doctor Zhivago, Max Steiner’s main theme for Gone with the Wind and pretty much ANYTHING by the maestro, John Williams, have not only endured over the decades but will continue to do so long after we’re gone.  Having read that, I ask you to do something.  Imagine watching JAWS with no musical score.

JAWS director Steven Spielberg with composer John Wiliams

Movies and music have gone together almost since the beginning.  Even in the days of silent film, there was always someone accompanying the film on a piano in the theatre to help set the mood.  Music is as key to a film as the actors.  In my film promotion and marketing days I saw a very early version of Out of Africa, minus what would eventually be the Academy Award winning score by John Barry.  If you’ve ever seen the film, it is long (2 ¾ hours) and, well… long.  I was bored to tears.  However, seeing the film again, with the musical score, I was immersed in the film and the period.

 Now go back to the first paragraph where I asked you to imagine watching JAWS without music.  Is it possible?  I would think not, especially since even if you watched the film without music, you would be humming the “bum bum bum bum” in your head.  John Williams’ Oscar winning score is perfect in so many ways.  As the film progresses, you begin to understand that when you hear the music, the shark is nearby.  Except for when you hear the music and there is no shark.  What the heck?  You had me at the edge of my seat, searching the screen for any sign of a fin, and then…nothing??  Actor/writer Tim Kazurinsky once told me a story about the first time he saw JAWS. 

The film had been out for a couple of weeks by the time he got around to seeing it in a large, packed theatre in Chicago.  As Chrissie began her nighttime swim, the musical score kicked in.  After the first “bum bum,” a man sitting behind Tim, who had obviously seen the film before, whispered, “bitch, get out of the water.”  “bum bum.”  A little louder - “Bitch, get out of the water.”  “bum bum BUM BUM.”  “Damn it bitch, get out of the water!  Can’t you hear the music???”

Words by Michael A Smith. Michael is co-author of Jaws 2: The Making Of The Hollywood Sequel. You can order the book by contacting Michael at OsFanMike@aol.com.

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