JAWS

In 1975, Steven Spielberg directed the movie "Jaws".

The film is about a great white shark attacking beach goers in Amity Island, a holiday resort.

The local police chief and marine biologist try to hunt down this shark as it has created fear and panic in the community after two fatal attacks.

The composer of the film, John Williams creates much tension and suspense through the use of various instruments, pitch, tempo and volume.

John Williams has used 2 semitones- E and F in the riff.

The two notes played by the tuba, represents the shark's heart beat.

DIRECTOR: Steven Spielberg/COMPOSER: John Williams

Questions:

1. List 10 famous films Steven Spielberg has directed.

2. List 5 films where Spielberg is the director and Williams is the composer.

Hint: here

Activity 1:Watch and listen- Shark Attack Scene from 'Jaws' here

Write down what is happening musically in the different scenes.

Activity 2: Interview with Steven Spielberg and John Williams here

Questions:

1. What was one of the first films Spielberg and Williams worked together?

2. What was Spielberg's first reaction to the 2 notes Williams played to represent the shark theme?

3. John Williams only used music to signal the _ _ _ _ _.

4. Williams used silence (no music) in some scenes. Why did he not use music in some scenes?

5. How effective do you think the film 'Jaws' would be without the music?

6. Steven Spielberg commented that half of the success of the film was from John Williams theme music. Do you agree? Why?