Jaws: 9 Easters Eggs You Never Noticed

6. The Jaws Theme Only Plays When The Shark Is Present

Jaws Quint Death
Universal Pictures

Composer John Williams' score for Jaws had the job of filling in for the shark in many scenes, as the faulty rubber prop famously refused to work most of the time. And it seems like Williams is nothing if not honest, as the Jaws theme only plays when the shark is actually present in a scene. 

For example, during the scene where the two boys cause a huge panic on the beach with a cardboard fin the observant will notice the theme isn’t playing at all. It's only a moment later when the shark turns up for real that the score hums to life.  And later on. when Quint hooks what he believes to be the shark. the theme is noticeably absence too. 

A lesser film might have added the score to these scenes just to up the fear factor, but Spielberg and Williams resisted that impulse. The theme became an iconic piece of music known the world over, even by people who've never seen Jaws. Most brilliant of all, it is only a couple of repetitive notes, but play it loudly at a swimming pool and people won't be long getting out. 

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