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Spoilers)
I really enjoy the movie, Jaws. I even named our Shark vaccum cleaner Bruce, named after the animitronic from the movie which was in turn named for Steven Speilberg's lawyer. I figured I'd give the book a spin.
Now, love for the movie aside, I went into this with a bone to pick. In a Facebook book group, Jaws waa voted as a better villain than Moby Dick, so I may have been predisposed to harbor (pun) negative feelings.
The writing is clear but isn't exactly lively. The book focuses a great deal more on the politics of Amity and alludes to some underworld ties. Characters from the movie that remain in the periphery are more fleshed out, particularly the Mayor who ends up with an interesting arc and Mrs. Brody. A great deal of the book focuses on the relationship between Chief Brody and his wife Ellen, and an eventual torrid affair with Ellen Brody and Hooper.
I remembered a behind the scenes interview with the actress who played Ellen in the movie talking about how she accepted the role, in part, because of her charactera affair with Hooper and that she thought Richard Dreyfus was very handsome. The affair in the book is honestly pretty revolting. The romantic banter certainly didn't age well and I wonder how well it was received at the time.
Eventually the book barrells towards the conclusion, which is more whimper than blockbuster bang.
Overall, I'd say this is one of those exceptions were the movie is much better than the book. 2/5
I really enjoy the movie, Jaws. I even named our Shark vaccum cleaner Bruce, named after the animitronic from the movie which was in turn named for Steven Speilberg's lawyer. I figured I'd give the book a spin.
Now, love for the movie aside, I went into this with a bone to pick. In a Facebook book group, Jaws waa voted as a better villain than Moby Dick, so I may have been predisposed to harbor (pun) negative feelings.
The writing is clear but isn't exactly lively. The book focuses a great deal more on the politics of Amity and alludes to some underworld ties. Characters from the movie that remain in the periphery are more fleshed out, particularly the Mayor who ends up with an interesting arc and Mrs. Brody. A great deal of the book focuses on the relationship between Chief Brody and his wife Ellen, and an eventual torrid affair with Ellen Brody and Hooper.
I remembered a behind the scenes interview with the actress who played Ellen in the movie talking about how she accepted the role, in part, because of her charactera affair with Hooper and that she thought Richard Dreyfus was very handsome. The affair in the book is honestly pretty revolting. The romantic banter certainly didn't age well and I wonder how well it was received at the time.
Eventually the book barrells towards the conclusion, which is more whimper than blockbuster bang.
Overall, I'd say this is one of those exceptions were the movie is much better than the book. 2/5