Δευτέρα 20 Αυγούστου 2012

Jaws - Creating a legendary film Pt 4


Casting - Jaws


Steven Spielberg’s approach about actors and actresses in Jaws


Steven Spielberg dis not want to cast big stars for “Jaws”. His approach was that “somewhta anonymous” performers can create the illusion to a audience “that jaws story was real and to believe that story was happening to people like them”. Steven Spielberg believed that known audience stars bring memories to audience and it can corrupt the story. According to Steven Spielberg there was place for only one star - and the star in Jaws is the giant - man eating shark. The producers of Jaws Richard Zanuck and David Brown had a different idea and wanted to cast known stars but Steven Spielberg convinced them to agree with him and to cast not so famous stars.

The cast of Jaws


The character of Brody the local police officer

Was offered to Robert Duvall, but he wanted to play the part of Quint - the professional shark hunter. Roy Scheider interested in Jaws film project when Roy heard the young director (Steven Spielberg was only 26 years old) to describe to other screenwriters about a shark jump up onto a fishing boat. Steven Spielberg believed that Roy would appeared in front of the audience as a “very tough character” similar to Roy Scheider’s performance in the “French Connection” film.  


The character of Quint - the professional shark hunter

The role of Quint was offered to actors Lee Marwin and Sterling Hayden. The producer of the film Zanuck and Brown proposed to Spielberg the Robert Shaw (Robert Shaw played a part on Zanuck’s and Brown;s film “The Sting”). It’s very interesting that Robert Shaw did not want to participate in Jaws, because he didin’t like the book Jaws. Robert Shaw’s wife and his secretary encouraged Shaw to accept the Jaws offer. According to a later interview Robert Shaw said about his wife and his secretary encouragement to participate in film Jaws “The last time they were that enthusiastic was From Russia with Love and they were right”.

The character of Ellen Broody - wife of local police officer

The fictional character of Ellen Broody wife of local police officer (Roy Scheider) was offered to Lorraine Gary.

The character of Hooper - the marine biologist

The character of rich marine biologist who volunteers to catch the giant - men eater shark was offered to John Voight, to Timothy Bottons, to Joel Grey and Jeff Bridges. It was the idea of George Lucas to propose to his friend Steven Spielberg, Richard Dreyfuss who had participated successfully at his film American Graffiti. Richard Dreyfuss was not so interested to play the part of marine biologist because he had read the book and he didn’t like it. Spielberg asked from Dreyfuss not to read the book and finally the character of Hooper (marine biologist) was rewritten to fit the needs of casting.

A large number of secondary roles were played by local resident’s of Matha’s Vineyard, the location where the film was shot. Among the locals who participate in Jaws film is Craig Kingsbury (a local fisherman famous for his eccentric attitude) she played the part of Ben Gardner.

Elias Stoikos

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