Key Takeaways:
– Ishana Night Shyamalan, M. Night Shyamalan's daughter, credited Steven Spielberg's Jaws as her primary inspiration for The Watcher.
– Despite Jaws' problematic production, it significantly influenced Shyamalan's filmmaking approach.
– Jaws, Spielberg's second feature, was challenging to shoot due to various technical issues but ended as a box office success.
– The on-screen tension and suspense in Jaws appealed to Shyamalan, resulting in a similar treatment for the creatures in The Watcher.
Body:
Acclaimed Hollywood director Steven Spielberg is known for his exceptional storytelling and cinematic creations. However, Spielberg was once a novice, just like any other newcomer, navigating through challenges to create his second feature film – Jaws. Despite the numerous issues during its production, Spielberg managed to deliver on his vision for the film. Now, this cinematic giant has become an inspiration for a new generation of filmmakers, including M. Night Shyamalan's daughter, Ishana Night Shyamalan, for her directorial debut, The Watcher.
Shyamalan's Deep Dive into Horror
With The Watcher, Shyamalan ventures into the depths of the horror genre. The film, featuring Dakota Fanning, revolves around an artist stranded in a vast Irish forest and stalked by mysterious creatures. While the creatures take center stage in the narrative, their physical appearances are subtly depicted, much like Spielberg's approach in Jaws.
Spielberg's Jaws as the Inspiration
In an interaction with Jake Hamilton, Shyamalan revealed Spielberg's Jaws to be her primary influence in crafting the suspenseful narrative of The Watcher. She drew inspiration from the masterful storytelling in Jaws, wherein the audience could sense the fear without the creature being explicitly showcased. This play of suspense and terror is something Shyamalan decided to implement in The Watcher.
Spielberg's Troublesome Journey with Jaws
Jaws was a marvel in filmmaking when it was released in 1975. However, the making of the film was no less than a nightmare for Spielberg. Inexperienced in making a killer shark movie and facing myriad technical problems, Spielberg decided to shoot in the actual ocean, triggering a series of unfortunate events like poor weather conditions and damaged equipment.
These impactful experiences even influenced how Spielberg depicted the killer shark in the film. Owing to the technical difficulties, Spielberg presented most of the shark scenes indirectly, letting viewers' imagination run wild with the fear of the unseen. This significant shift in approach not only increased the runtime of the movie's shoot but also led to budget overruns, taking the cost to $12 million – 300% over the initial budget.
Despite the hurdles, Spielberg's masterpiece ended up grossing over $483.6 million at the box office, setting a precedent in the world of cinema.
Footprints of Jaws in The Watcher
Appreciating Spielberg's masterstroke, Shyamalan adopted similar techniques for her debut film. The manipulation of tension and fear in Jaws guided her in creating the narrative of The Watcher. With her vision for the movie, she has managed to create a similar sense of suspenseful intrigue around the mysterious creatures in the film.
While Spielberg and Shyamalan's filmmaking journeys have been full of trials and tribulations, their resilient determination and innovative filmmaking techniques have brought forth engaging narratives that have shaped the cinematic landscape of their time.
To experience this exciting confluence of legendary filmmaking and promising talent, The Watcher is now showing in theaters, and Jaws can be streamed on Hulu.
In conclusion, the legacy and influence of Steven Spielberg's Jaws have not only cemented its place in cinematic history but also served as a significant inspiration for emerging filmmakers. Steven Spielberg's arduous journey of bringing terrifying narratives to life underscores the essence of resilient filmmaking, a trait echoed in Ishana Night Shyamalan's directorial debut, The Watcher.
