“Did you enjoy ‘Jaws’ (1975)? Why or why not?”

I enjoy Spielberg’s “Jaws” to a certain point. I think there’s a lot one can learn from his film, but it’s not the type of movie in which repeated viewings are really necessary.

Yes, if you watch a movie multiple times, you will certainly pick up on more things each time. “Jaws” is no different and should be viewed a few times. However, I first watched this movie as a child, then again in high school, then again at a friend’s house, and then again for every cinema class I’ve taken. And in each class, I would dissect the film for a different reason, specific to each class. So I feel as though I have a pretty good grasp on this movie.

After watching it so many times in a year, it starts to become almost dull. That dolly zoom while Martin Brody is at the beach and everything starts to go wrong? It’s an awesome shot! It builds tension and brings you into the character's fear! But after seeing the movie 3+ times a year for 3 years, there’s no impact anymore. You hear the music swell and you just think: “Oh here comes the dolly zoom. Oh the kid is dead now? Alright.” 

It’s like repeatedly watching a movie with a twist ending. After a while, the twist loses its impact.

That’s how “Jaws” feels to me. It’s an incredible movie with so many things to learn from and admire about it…but it’s lost its impact.

All of this being said, I still like the movie. It has some funny moments, some tense moments, and some scary moments. I just feel as though I’ve seen it too many times in close succession to gain anything by watching it again.