JAWS 2 "Audience Reaction Tape" From 1978

[AndyDursin]

This is kind of fun, have to admit.

Movies in 2020 do not generate the same response.

[Monterey Jack]

It's stuff like this why it's so important to make sure movie theaters survive the pandemic, because you can't get that kind of vicarious, cumulative thrill watching a movie on Netflix in your living room. Seeing a 40th anniversary screening of Jaws in a packed matinee five years ago was one of the best moviegoing experiences of my life, everyone laughing and screaming at the right parts and going pindrop-silent for Quint's monologue.

[AndyDursin]

You definitely can't get that at home -- and if they were still making movies like JAWS or JAWS 2 that'd be one thing but...they aren't. When was the last new movie you sat through that generated any kind of audience response? There were a few people who made the 2014 GODZILLA fun when I saw it, and THE FORCE AWAKENS had a jacked up crowd on an opening night 10pm show, but...that's kind of it. Pretty much every movie I've seen in the last 10-20 years results in stone cold silence, even when there's an audience around me. Doesn't matter what it is. I've seen plenty of Marvel movies where most viewers have no visceral/audible reaction to the film at all.

Plus seeing old movies on the big screen only works for me if it's in a large auditorium. Much of the time my local theater puts them on the smallest screen possible (we were turned away from seeing JAWS in that anniversary showing because tickets sold out -- in the tiniest venue they had) so my motivation to physically go see a movie in that small a venue, when my own TV screen is better, is nil.

[Paul MacLean]

You definitely can't get that at home -- and if they were still making movies like JAWS or JAWS 2 that'd be one thing but...they aren't.

A number of years ago I showed Jaws 2 to a couple I am friends with, and one of them was like "WHOA!!!" at that shot of the shark at :45.

But yeah, I agree, when a movie is "working" there is an electricity in the audience -- particularly when the film is really exciting, or funny, or scary, etc.

I grew-up walking distance from Cornell University, which had a movie theater that showed classic and cult films (as well as newer films a few months after their initial theatrical runs). This was where I first saw the original Mad Max. Even before the lights went down -- the audience were chanting "Max! Max! Max! Max!" -- and you should have heard the cheers of fury when Max retrieves his police uniform and takes off in the black interceptor.

Even Memphis Belle -- a movie which did tepid box office -- was met with applause at its conclusion by the college students.

Cornell Cinema also had an advance screening of Hoosiers (which was free -- no admission charge!) and the audience ate that one up too.

As far as first run movies at our local cinemas, I saw Highlander opening night, and that was was a kick, with the audience laughing hysterically at the film's over-the-top nuttiness. Ghostbusters was also tons of fun.

[Monterey Jack]

A number of years ago I showed Jaws 2 to a couple I am friends with, and one of them was like "WHOA!!!" at that shot of the shark at :45.

That's honestly as good a moment as anything in the original film, and one of the great "pull your feet up off the floor" moments in a horror movie. Jeannot Szwarc is obviously no Spielberg, but he did an admirable job on a production where he had to step in late in the process and "clean up" after original director John Hancock was let go. It's no wonder Universal gave him carte blanche for his next movie, and that gave us the lovely Somewhere In Time.

[Monterey Jack]

Here's an all-time Bad Take from Blu-Ray.com regarding John Williams' score to Jaws 2...

The score for Jaws 3 doesn't deserve to be as great as it is. It's the only sequel that tries to establish its own themes and does so brilliantly. It's one of my favorite scores. It's not just a rehash of Williams.

Yes. Really. Other than the sailing (?) theme, nothing really sticks out. I've never been a fan of that score. It was always the worst of the 4 for me.

[Edmund Kattak]

Sorry world, I saw JAWS 3D in the theater in 1983 with the bad 3D glasses. It sucked then and it still sucks now.

[Paul MacLean]

Sorry world, I saw JAWS 3D in the theater in 1983 with the bad 3D glasses. It sucked then and it still sucks now.

I saw Spacehunter in the theater the same summer. the 3D effect drove me insane. Fortunately someone had left their glasses on the floor from the previous showing, so I picked them up, and swapped the right lens of my glasses with the left from the one I found on the floor, and was able to watch the movie without getting a migraine!

Didn't improve Spacehunter as a film though -- which also sucked!

[AndyDursin]

dp

[AndyDursin]

I very much enjoyed JAWS 3D in 3D in theaters, also felt the effects were pretty good. I was 8 but I enjoyed it lol.

Of course it's bad but it's better than JAWS THE REVENGE!

[mkaroly]

To this day I have not seen JAWS THE REVENGE. I plan on keeping it that way...lol...

[Paul MacLean]

To this day I have not seen JAWS THE REVENGE. I plan on keeping it that way...lol...

You're missing out!

[Edmund Kattak]

I very much enjoyed JAWS 3D in 3D in theaters, also felt the effects were pretty good. I was 8 but I enjoyed it lol.

Of course it's bad but it's better than JAWS THE REVENGE!

JAWS the Japanese Anime would be better than JAWS THE REVENGE!

[Edmund Kattak]

Sorry world, I saw JAWS 3D in the theater in 1983 with the bad 3D glasses. It sucked then and it still sucks now.

I saw Spacehunter in the theater the same summer. the 3D effect drove me insane. Fortunately someone had left their glasses on the floor from the previous showing, so I picked them up, and swapped the right lens of my glasses with the left from the one I found on the floor, and was able to watch the movie without getting a migraine!

Didn't improve Spacehunter as a film though -- which also sucked!

Did you happen to complete the trifecta of badness with METALSTORM: THE DESTRUCTION OF JARED SYN?

[AndyDursin]

Don't forget AMITYVILLE 3-D, which came out that fall. I was in 3rd grade and SO excited that one got a PG rating!

I never saw SPACEHUNTER or METALSTORM theatrically. They're both far worse than JAWS 3-D and AMITYVILLE 3-D. SPACEHUNTER in particular is utterly charmless and lame, even Elmer's score I've never cared for.