I feel there has been a strong shift to an anti-Steven Spielberg mentality over the past couple of years. Yes, he has put out some not A+ material recently, with The Adventures of Tintin and War Horse, but that does not take away the man has made some truly outstanding films and is a master of his craft.
Arguably, his best film, or at least the best showcase of the man’s visual technique, is 1975’s Jaws. It is packed with tension, excitement, and terrific performances. I rewatched the film not too long ago, and it holds up immensely well, because Spielberg knows how to put together a scene.
That is what the following video essay is about. Antonios Papantoniou has taken it upon himself to do a shot by shot breakdown of nine scenes from Jaws, showing Spielberg’s methods of crafting the most dynamic scene. It is a thirty-minute watch, but if you are as interested in craft as I am, it is a rewarding one. You can give it a look below.
[vimeo id=”117709159″ width=”500″]
