Steven Spielberg Hilariously Parodies Iconic ‘Jaws’ Opening Scene 

‘Jaws’ was the first real summer blockbuster and a cultural phenomenon when it made its premiere in the summer of 1975, revolutionizing the film business. The movie had a huge impact because of its famous opening scene, which horrified viewers by revealing the shark’s threat. Unquestionably successful, the film’s eerie atmosphere—which was further accentuated by John Williams’ iconic score—solidified its legacy in cinematic history. Four years later, Spielberg considered Jaws’ impact while filming his World War II comedy, ‘1941’.

‘Jaws’ is directly honoured in the first scene of ‘1941’. The first scene shows Susan Backlinie, who portrayed Chrissie Watkins in the film ‘Jaws’, bathing on a Los Angeles beach. They anticipate another shark attack, just like in the iconic ‘Jaws’ scene. In a lighthearted turn of events, though, she instead runs into a Japanese submarine. 

Image Courtesy: IMDb

With the same John Williams score to finish the tribute, Spielberg uses this setup to mock the suspense of ‘Jaws’ while letting the viewer know that ‘1941’ would be a completely different movie. Despite being humorous, the sequence is among the few instances of comedy in ‘1941’ that failed to achieve the comedic tone it sought.

Even though Spielberg acknowledged Jaws’ cultural importance, ‘1941’ was a rare setback for him in terms of both reviews and box office receipts. Despite having a big ensemble cast, the movie had trouble with character development and pacing, often slipping into slapstick humour. Its tone, which attempted to combine a catastrophic comedy with the actual tragedy of Pearl Harbor, was similarly challenging to follow. Furthermore, ‘1941’ featured problematic depictions of both Japanese and American characters, which makes it challenging to appreciate in the modern era.

Image Courtesy: People

Even though ‘1941’ is frequently considered to be among Spielberg’s worst films, it had the unintended advantage of helping him make more popular World War II-themed films in the future. Films like ‘Schindler’s List’ and ‘Saving Private Ryan’, which addressed the topic with far greater nuance and respect, were later huge hits for Spielberg. Despite its flaws, ‘1941’ aided Spielberg in developing a style that he would eventually perfect.

–Farheen Ali