p e n g u i n d e v i l

What do you get when you mix a seasonal town, a business-minded mayor, a new sheriff, a silver spoon marine biologist, an old sea dog and twenty five feet of killing machine? You get, of course, Jaws! Another visual treat from the past. A fun filled monster movie with a trio of determined heroes, a stubborn bureaucrat, and the biggest darned shark head you’ll ever lay eyes on!

no, not this one…

Though it’s not as scary as in the days of yore, it is still a great movie. Sure, the effects maybe aren’t what they used to be, but its only really noticeable during the close-up’s and during those scenes, you’ve got other stuff to think about! Roy Scheider is a small town sheriff on Amity Island (the late 70’s were a bad time for Amity’s) when a man-eating shark makes its appearance on the eve of the towns big 4th of July festival. Of course, the mayor doesn’t want to make a big deal and scare away the tourists, so Roy, soon joined by a marine biologist (Richard Dreyfuss, looking oddly young), goes about trying to make people listen. Of course, no one does…

is that water turning to wine?

Inspired by the reward a women offers for the shark after it eats her son, the movie perks up when grizzled and grumpy, shark hunting old mercenary sea dog Quint joins the effort. Robert Shaw really takes the movie as Quint, a charming character, in a very uncharming fashion, and the three of them spent the second half of the movie rolling about on the sea, drinking, singing old drinking songs and trying to get this damned shark!

yes, it is quality male-bonding…

What I had remembered most from my original viewing was being quite moved by their rendition of “Show me the way to go home”, but aside from that, the John Williams score is a bit much for this film, way too dramatic, as is his usual style. But of course, there is drama and there is action a-plenty, but it is just a great film. There are nice quiet scenes that aren’t dull and do a good job building the characters and the story, great cinematography and directions and, as mentioned, a great starring cast!

but we know where it is headed…