Because I started my march through 52 years at the end of August, and because that placed 1975 into the second week of September, and because Jaws was back in theatres to mark its 50th anniversary ... I was able to go to the movie theatre and celebrate the film in style.
It has been so long since I've seen this movie that I couldn't even guess when it was. The truth is that it freaked me out as a kid and I don't really like being freaked out. I don't watch horror movies for fun, and I never felt the need to return to this one.
Well, this viewing was fun. Really fun.
It didn't feel like 1975, of course. Popcorn is too expensive (but almost always purchased), only three other people were in the theatre, and it was remastered into 3D. Because this was never meant for 3D, the transfer actually created my favourite kind of 3D movie: one in which it extends the depth and background rather than focusing on having stuff poke out of the screen. It looked great.
I couldn't help but smile when the main theme played. I'm sure it was foreboding and moody at the time, but too many viewings of Airplane! have robbed it of that effect for me.
And after hearing people talk about Robert Shaw for years without actually remembering much about his performance, I will concur that he perfectly threads a line between cartoon and character.
I can see why there was desperation to try and re-create the magic of this movie in sequels, but the well-known, at-times accidental brilliance of this film's creation is such a great story and, like me seeing a rerelease that coincides with my viewing schedule, there really wasn't a chance of catching the lightning again.
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