Steven Spielberg made sure thatJawshad one of the most iconic opening scenes in film history, so much so that he parodied it four years later. Steven Spielberg is responsible for many film classics from different genres, and in 1975, he conquered the branch of thriller and horror withJaws. Based on the 1974 novel of the same name by Peter Benchley,Jawswas a massive critical and commercial success, becoming the prototypical summer blockbuster and earning a spot in film history, as well as on countless lists of the best horror movies of all time.
Jawstakes the audience to the New England beach town of Amity Island, where a giant white shark has been killing swimmers. While Mayor Larry Vaughn (Murray Hamilton) worries about these incidents ruining the town’s tourism, Chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) teams up with marine biologist Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and local fisherman Quint (Robert Shaw) to hunt the shark down. Many elements fromJawshave become part of pop culture, including its iconic opening scene, which Spielberg himself ended up parodying a couple of years later.
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Steven Spielberg Parodied Jaws’ Opening Scene In 1941
1941 Is A Comedy Movie
Jawsbegins with a young woman named Chrissie, played by Susan Backlinie, going into the water for a late-night swim during a beach party.
Jawswastes no time going straight into the suspense, action, and horror, which is in large part what made the opening scene so memorable.Jawsbegins with a young woman named Chrissie, played by Susan Backlinie, going into the water for a late-night swim during a beach party. Once in the water,Chrissie begins to be pulled underwater by an unseen force that attacks her and kills her, with her remains washing up on the beach the next morning. Originally, the opening scene had the shark devouring Chrissie, but it was changed to be less graphic.
The ambiance, the attack itself (even without seeing the shark), and the iconicJawsmain theme by John Williams made the movie’s opening scene memorable, so much so that it has been parodied many times, including by Spielberg himself. Four years later, in 1979, Spielberg brought the war comedy movie1941, written by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale.1941is set during the panic in the Los Angeles area after the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 and follows a group of misfits who prepare to defend the state against a supposed Japanese invasion.
Backlinie returned to play a woman skinny-dipping, and Spielberg even used theJawstheme for the scene.
Spielberg borrowed his own iconic opening and gave it a comedic twist in1941, and even brought the same actress. Backlinie returned to play a woman skinny-dipping, and Spielberg even used theJawstheme for the scene. However, instead of being attacked by a shark,Backlinie’s character is scooped up by an Imperial Japanese Navy submarinethat surfaced off the Californian coast.
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1941 Wasn’t A Huge Hit But Wasn’t A Failure, Either
1941was called “messy”, “chaotic”, and “overstuffed” by critics.
Steven Spielberg is now synonymous with big-budget productions, blockbusters, and box office hits, but not all of his movies have had that massive impact.1941was called “messy”, “chaotic”, and “overstuffed” by critics, though some noted that it’s a movie meant to be watched twice, and it’s a lot more enjoyable the second time around. Spielberg’s style of comedy in1941wasn’t for everyone, but it was still a moderate box-office success, grossing $94.9 million against a budget of $35 million.1941isn’t one of Steven Spielberg’s biggest productions or box office hits, but it’s still worth watching.
Jaws
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.
1941
1941 is a war comedy directed by Steven Spielberg that depicts Los Angeles during the days following the attack on Pearl Harbor. The film stars Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi as members of a misfit group of soldiers and civilians who panic over a potential Japanese invasion. 1941 explores the ensuing chaos and hijinks as the characters try to defend the city.
