Would you consider Jaws a little too slow?

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So a man who comes out of a traumatic experience and is willing to endanger the lives of two other men (and by extension cost at least one family their provider and protector) is "manly" why?

If you want to see Quint as the most compelling figure in the film, that's fine.

But nothing you are talking about is particularly masculine, is it?

Assuming you alone can handle an overwhelming problem and endangering the lives of others just to serve your own personal purposes is literally the definition of being an arrogant (overestimating one's own abilities) narcissist (self-centered).

And if the purpose of the radio-smashing was the script wanting to recreate the Indianapolis, then why not have the radio get damaged in any other way? Given that Quint himself is the one that smashes the radio, isn't the much more obvious conclusion that Quint is recreating what happened on the Indianapolis, recreating the conditions in which he was formerly powerless so that he can this time be powerful and triumphant?

Also: if you need to understand the history of the real man who inspired Moby Dick who inspired the author of Jaws which was adapted into the film . . . in order to understand the film, I think you're doing too much heavy lifting.

If you remember, Quint told Brody that he wasn't wanted. Brody told him that he was going along for the ride because the Amity merchants were paying for it.

Brody volunteered against Quint's wishes. Fair enough, but in doing so, he accepts the associated risks. He forced his way onto Quint's boat.

Why not have the radio malfunction? Because that doesn't tie in with the idea that Quint is dealing with his own personal hell the best way a man can do, which is to face it head on, rather than call for mommy to help you out. That's what a girl would do.

Honestly, I don't know what modern concepts of masculinity are, so maybe that does involve begging for help, and you'd love to, but dagblammit, the radio isn't working for some reason. This is an old movie from the 70s based upon a much older book from the 18th century.



Why not have the radio malfunction? Because that doesn't tie in with the idea that Quint is dealing with his own personal hell the best way a man can do, which is to face it head on, rather than call for mommy to help you out. That's what a girl would do.

Honestly, I don't know what modern concepts of masculinity are, so maybe that does involve begging for help, and you'd love to, but dagblammit, the radio isn't working for some reason. This is an old movie from the 70s based upon a much older book from the 18th century.
I guess you must think that those babies at Dunkirk were pretty pathetic. What a bunch of girls.

I don't know what 19th century concepts of masculinity were: did it involve pointlessly dying while failing in your objective?



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I guess you must think that those babies at Dunkirk were pretty pathetic. What a bunch of girls.

I don't know what 19th century concepts of masculinity were: did it involve pointlessly dying while failing in your objective?
I'm not sure what the battle of Dunkirk has to do with it. That was a military decision by the Germans to halt their advance.

Did concepts of masculinity involve pointlessly dying while failing in your objective? Most definitely! Forget what the generals are doing, and think about that WW1 soldier going over the top, knowing that his life is probably going to end in about ten seconds after the whistle is blown.

Look, I know that most people can watch Jaws and enjoy it despite knowing nothing about the back story. Some things might not make sense, but it's still enjoyable. That's a perfectly acceptable way to enjoy a movie. Going in there knowing nothing is going to mean coming out thinking that Brody was a real hero taking that last almost ridiculously impossible shot, and actually hitting a moving target while on a moving platform.

But what if he had missed? He has a wife and sons to provide for, but no, he had to be the idiot who knows nothing about hunting sharks, and now his wife is a widow and his sons are going to grow up without their father. Was killing that shark despite knowing nothing about killing sharks, or even being able to swim really that important?

That's a hero?
How about him being afraid of the ocean, but still going out there anyway because this shark is a danger to his community? That step took a man to make. A boy would move back to NYC, rather than step up to the plate, which is what Brody did, despite knowing he's a greenhorn.

Getting back to my idea that Jaws is about boys becoming men, lead by Quint who has been a man since before they were born.



I'm not sure what the battle of Dunkirk has to do with it. That was a military decision by the Germans to halt their advance.

Did concepts of masculinity involve pointlessly dying while failing in your objective? Most definitely! Forget what the generals are doing, and think about that WW1 soldier going over the top, knowing that his life is probably going to end in about ten seconds after the whistle is blown.

Look, I know that most people can watch Jaws and enjoy it despite knowing nothing about the back story. Some things might not make sense, but it's still enjoyable. That's a perfectly acceptable way to enjoy a movie. Going in there knowing nothing is going to mean coming out thinking that Brody was a real hero taking that last almost ridiculously impossible shot, and actually hitting a moving target while on a moving platform.

But what if he had missed? He has a wife and sons to provide for, but no, he had to be the idiot who knows nothing about hunting sharks, and now his wife is a widow and his sons are going to grow up without their father. Was killing that shark despite knowing nothing about killing sharks, or even being able to swim really that important?

That's a hero?
How about him being afraid of the ocean, but still going out there anyway because this shark is a danger to his community? That step took a man to make. A boy would move back to NYC, rather than step up to the plate, which is what Brody did, despite knowing he's a greenhorn.

Getting back to my idea that Jaws is about boys becoming men, lead by Quint who has been a man since before they were born.

Should we be thanking your Melville decoder ring for these droplets of wisdom?



Should we be thanking your Melville decoder ring for these droplets of wisdom?
I think it's broken. Jaws wasn't based on Moby Dick, which wasn't written in the 18th Century, and, in this analogy, Quint being Ahab, he would still be a pretty ****ty example of a man. So we're out on all counts here. Children, dude.



Registered User
Should we be thanking your Melville decoder ring for these droplets of wisdom?
Yes, but it's not necessary. You could try debating a point, but... we all know where that's going to go.



Victim of The Night
I'm pretty sure that you thought that taking an ax to the radio so Brody couldn't call for help was the action of a madman...
No, it was the action of a self-absorbed *******.



Girls are gross, though. Making our men so girly. A girl could never be a real man, a real hero. Now Melville? There was a man who knew how to toss back a cold bro or six. He didn't need girls to squeeze his sweet unctuous duty. He knew about man's hands, about the sweat and sultry spray of salty sun-simmered sea. When men were men, and girls were plunder. Right there in chapter 94, written in 1597, "Ahab rocked a crank like a block busting brontosaurus." That's firm, turgid verse. Like a man. Not all flowery and soy like some Elizabeth Barrett Browning bull****. No way she could slay an illucid beast with that piffling pentameter. I need a daddy. I need musky guidance. I need to deny that sweet lady-like song in my heart which can't be drowned by beer nor beef. Why does this lithe melody of dewy grace continue to haunt my atavistic instincts? Is there such a place where I can sing, sing, sing until my arms embrace the warm joy of wet love and tears and laughter. No. Smash the pretty flowers. Get thee to the sea. Smother my love in blisters and stubble. I want it hard. I want it hard. I want it hard. I want it hard. Squeeze. Squeeze. Squeeze. I squeezed that sperm till I myself almost melted into it; I squeezed that sperm till a strange sort of insanity came over me; and I found myself unwittingly squeezing my co-laborers’ hands in it, mistaking their hands for the gentle globules. Such an abounding, affectionate, friendly, loving feeling did this avocation beget; that at last I was continually squeezing their hands, and looking up into their eyes sentimentally; as much as to say,- Oh! my dear fellow beings, why should we longer cherish any social acerbities, or know the slightest ill-humor or envy! Come; let us squeeze hands all round; nay, let us all squeeze ourselves into each other; let us squeeze ourselves universally into the very milk and sperm of kindness.


Books are too girly for me. A man needs action.



Just talking about Dick. Moby Dick, the book that, for some reason, Jaws was based on.



Sorry if I'm rude but I'm right
How come this isn't aronisred's troll post targeting mark f?
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Look, I'm not judging you - after all, I'm posting here myself, but maybe, just maybe, if you spent less time here and more time watching films, maybe, and I stress, maybe your taste would be of some value. Just a thought, ya know.



"How tall is King Kong ?"
Okay, let's just say :

1) Benchley's novel is indeed a lame rip-off of Mody Dick (which, also, doesn't mean it's Moby Dick).

2) The film isn't - it's not even the novel. In fact Spielberg hated the novel's characters and deliberately changed them, so "Moby Dick therefore Jaws" arguments are just hot air.

3) Not wanting to traumatize anyone or to overhaul anyone's worldview with avant-garde scientific theories that society at large is not necessarily ready for, but I have to mention that recent studies tend to hint at women being people too.

4) Also worth pointing out :


So there. Thread perfectly back on track. That is, until we get an antisemitic rant by someone who misread the title.
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Get working on your custom lists, people !



Yes, but it's not necessary. You could try debating a point, but... we all know where that's going to go.

My point has already been stated. For someone eager to plumb the depths of a 600 page allegorical novel about whaling to explain the nuances of a Steven Spielberg shark film, here is your opportunity to go back a post or two to figure out what it is.


And yes, I know exactly where this discussion is going. Probably something to do with the girth of Quint's dick and how this relates to his hero's journey. I think that's from Billy Budd though.



Quite slow - absolutely.
Too slow - I don't think so.
He was played by a 7'2" actor so I think if he'd been portrayed any faster it would have looked a little false.



Just remember it's Billy Blanks Jr. not to be confused with Billy Blanks