Jaws: Anniversary Collector's Edition

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Music reviews of Jaws: Anniversary Collector's Edition

Music Review: John Williams  Jaws, The Collectors Edition Soundtrack
Rating: 5 Stars

Aaaaahh: Jaws,

What a fond memory I have of this music. And the movie. Imagine a small boy of about eight or nine - scared to death of "gritty" movies - watching Steven Spielberg's "Jaws". You are reading the words of a kid who absolutely loved Indiana Jones and The Temple Of Doom, but ran away at the sequence where the poor soul's heart is ripped out. The first time I saw that part must have been at the age of fifteen. On the other hand, I could bear watching the big henchman being mashed on the stone crusher. Why? In retrospect, I believe I could because in this scene you actually see nothing at all. The only thing you see is a trail of blood. How gross the rest of it is depends solely on your imagination and the amount of it you wish to use up on it. That is the power of Jaws as well, of that I am convinced. The first time we really see the shark we are well into the second hour of the film. Quite a few people have died atrocious deaths before that time, but we never see more than a distant outline - a fin - or a set of jaws deep in troubled water.

In terms of moviemusic, the film presents us two themes: one for the hunters ON the water, and one for the hunter IN the water. Both have common mathematics, but that could just as well be imagination, discerning that the shark's theme is basically two repetitive notes, backed up with some flourishes and instrumental tints. This is the famous theme - the one you can listen to on your Walkman chasing old people down the street, a funny predatorily feeling coming over you (- and perhaps the old people are listening to the same theme, chasing young people - you never know).
The second theme is a wordless sailor's ditty for the three protagonists: slightly humorous, yet moreover the adventurous and sensitive element. Both pieces intertwine; evolve around each other throughout the album - strikingly here, contemplative there. In between and through this is bodiless atmospheric music: plucking harp, humming cellos and brass, and whirling violin. At some times, special moments arise, such as the playful introspective "Father And Son", and deep momentum "Between Attacks". The short piece called "Montage" was called "The Menu" on the original release - a short baroqueske work underscoring the arrival of the hordes of dull big-town tourists on the island. Not an action piece in terms of violence, but of preparation, "The Shark Cage Fugue" is foreboding and driving. A broke-down version of the heroes' theme.
This is an earlier John Williams score, and yet one of his best. Could one compare it with Star Wars or Raiders Of The Lost Ark? I think one would better compare with The Sugarland Express and The Cowboys. Despite all its minimalism and moody tones, it beats both excellent scores easily. The greater part of the soundtrack is swallowed up by shark-music, which is potentially boring. However, Williams plays around with them, so that one gets the same theme with the same purpose, but ever slightly different in construction, thus maintaining the interest of the listener.

My favourite part of the score? Undoubtedly the small part where Williams subtly phrases Quint's sailor song, to mark the captain's inner resolution. Quint blew up the Orca's engines, when he panicked and wanted to get the hell back to mainland. He has grown calmer now though, but it is too late. The Orca is irrevocably going under, the shark is waiting, following like a jackal. Brody's out of spirit and Hooper is not doing any better. Quint retreats into the cabin. The camera outside shows us Brody, frightened. Then Hooper, breathing hastily, sweat is on his face. Then into the ship, to captain Quint, with his back to us. He slowly turns to the camera and reveals his face. Jaw set, lower teeth showing, eyes distant yet determined. You can see he is scared to death but pushing it aside. Overruling it. What is he thinking? What is he deciding? What goes on inside old Ahab's mind?
Williams gives the answer, by playing the little seaman's ditty Quint sings several times throughout the film. The one he sings when he is in a good mood, or when he needs to recall them. The one he undoubtedly learned when he was in the Navy, at the end of the Second World War. When he was stationed on the Indianapolis, when it sank and delivered her crew to the tigersharks. `Farewell and a-do to you fair Spanish ladies, farewell and a-do to you ladies in Spain.' He descends into the flooding hold and retrieves lifejackets. Two. No more than two.

This scene does not appear on the original album release. Neither do "Father And Son" and many others. Did you like Jaws, and do you like film-music? This collector's edition is an absolute must-have. The music is remastered to crystal clarity, the booklet contains background info with pictures (including one of Spielberg being eaten by Jaws!) and well... and and and. Good buy all around, in short.

This one gets four stars for the music (remastering and new tracks inclusive), and one for the packaging. Haunting.

Bram Janssen, The Netherlands.

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