MovieChat Forums > Jaws (1975) Discussion > I hate it when people refer to the SHARK...

I hate it when people refer to the SHARK as 'Jaws'

posted 3 years ago by NitroHangover (1127)
36 replies | jump to latest

My sister used to do this when she'd be talking about the movie as a kid, and it drove me crazy. She'd say something like "Yeah, and then Jaws popped up from under the water and bit his arm off!" And I see people doing the same thing in some of these threads.

Can we all just agree that 'Jaws', although it obviously refers to the powerful, deadly jaws of the shark, is just the name of the MOVIE, and not the name of the shark? The shark doesn't HAVE a name, because it's a freaking SHARK. Peter Benchley could have just as easily titled the book 'Teeth'. Besides, it's a different shark in each of the movies. Are they ALL named Jaws?

[–] seagal72 (1866) 3 years ago

It's usually just to save time.....I'd be more worried that you'd harbour such a strong emotion as 'hate' (especially to your own sister) When she calls the shark 'Jaws', you (both) know what she's referring to (the same reason that people refer to Boris Karloff as 'Frankenstein'.....when in fact, he's the 'Monster' or at very least, 'Frankenstein's Monster')

I love both Jaws & Frankenstein....but still (incorrectly) refer to them by their 'titles' (as opposed to what they actually are)

Give your sister a hug (if possible) and forgive her such transgressions?

[–] GreenGoblinsOck8 (7497) 3 years ago

Frankenstein'.....when in fact, he's the 'Monster' or at very least, 'Frankenstein's Monster')

I am rather annoyed at this way of thinking because of the fact the guy who created the monster is named Frankenstein and therefore the name automatically goes to his creation. Since that would make him the Monster's father. Therefore the Monster's name is Frankenstein. Also the movie Son of Frankenstein has Ygor say that too. It also doesn't help your case that some later movies in the series had the title Frankenstein referring to the Monster. Like Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man or The House of Frankenstein. Neither is referring to his creator or to a relative of the creator.

[–] NitroHangover (1127) 3 years ago

Oh, come on... I didn't say I hated my sister. I said I hated one trivial little thing she used to do as a kid, and it drove me crazy when she did it. My sister is awesome, and one of my favorite people. But for the record, I've hated THOUSANDS of trivial little things she's done over the years, lol. Doesn't make me love her any less.

And yes, I understand full well why people call the shark Jaws. It's still incorrect, and still drives me crazy.

[–] seagal72 (1866) 3 years ago

I'm fully aware you love your sister, amigo (I was being glib)

[–] SandyR (7687) 3 years ago

I hate it when people call soccer football!

[–] pjl69 (2535) 3 years ago

Its funnier that american football is called football, when its played mainly by carrying ball (which is not ball-shaped at all) in hand. Where's the foot and ball in that one?

[–] trevorh321 (5495) 3 years ago

Soccer is the most popular sport in the whole world!

[–] GreenGoblinsOck8 (7497) 3 years ago

I agree. Though there is the part of the game where someone kicks the ball. Though this is coming from someone who hasn't ever watched Football very much or any sport for very long as I find them kind of boring. Rather watch a movie. I am American by the way. But then, maybe my not caring for sports also has to do with the fact my mom and dad never watched sports when I was a kid.

[–] SandyR (7687) 3 years ago

There's always one...

[–] NitroHangover (1127) 3 years ago

I used to think the same way, but I've changed my mind with age. Literally the entire world, with the exception of the US, is talking about Soccer when they refer to Football. And the name Football really does make way more sense to refer to Soccer, just based on the physical mechanics of the game. I'm as American as they come, but I really think we should get on the same page as the rest of the globe, and call our version of "Football" something else. Something uniquely American.

I actually like what the Aussies call our version of Football. They call it 'American Gridiron'. That's pretty cool! And "The Gridiron" has always been a nickname we've had for our Football, anyway. I say we go with that.

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

How about "soccer"?

[–] aavfreak (2975) 3 years ago

If people commonly refer to the shark as "Jaws" then Jaws is the name of the shark, by default.

[–] Roguemail (1580) 3 years ago

No, because the shark is never referred to by that name by any of the characters in the movie. Nor in the original book.

[–] aavfreak (2975) 3 years ago

That doesn't matter.

"Name: a word or phrase that constitutes the distinctive designation of a person or thing"

If someone refers to "Jaws" in casual conversation, as in "be careful swimming, Jaws may be in the water," we all know exactly what they are referring to. That is a word that constitutes a distinctive designation of a thing.

Its name may not be Jaws in the story, but its name is Jaws in popular culture. It's the word we use to refer to the shark. i.e. its name.

[–] Roguemail (1580) 3 years ago

Utter nonsense. Never heard anyone refer to the shark in the movie as Jaws. People are more likely to say "Be careful, shark might get you".

And fundamentally, anyone who refers to the shark as Jaws by name is plain wrong.

[–] thingmakersback (1265) 3 years ago

Well, he probably was fundamentally wrong but Dino De Laurentiis has been quoted, about the greater value of his upcoming movie, King Kong (1976): "Nobody cry when Jaws die..."

[–] aavfreak (2975) 3 years ago

Thank you for this. It shows that I am not wrong. Anyone who reads that quote knows exactly what Dino is talking about.

"Name: a word or phrase that constitutes the distinctive designation of a person or thing"

Everyone knows from the quote you posted - "Nobody cry when Jaws die..." - that he is referring to the shark in the movie and not the movie itself. That constitutes a distinctive designation of a thing. That is a name.

[–] Pete314 (2514) 3 years ago

Maybe it was a reference to the dying Jaws-franchise...

[–] aavfreak (2975) 3 years ago

It doesn't matter what people are likely to say. We're not debating the likelihood of someone saying that.

The fact remains that if someone were to say that, you would know exactly what they were referring to. That meets the literal definition of a name, as I posted.

[–] mcqueen (1150) 3 years ago

But that is his name.

[–] Otter (24464) 3 years ago

The shark's name is actually "Bruce". No, really, google "Bruce the shark"!

In the movie, nobody ever gives the shark a name or a nickname or personalizes it in any way, which is deliberate. It's meant to represent everything scary in the natural world, not to be an individual of any kind.

[–] mcqueen (1150) 3 years ago

oh okay

[–] Otter (24464) 3 years ago

I googled Bruce the Shark, and found that that one of the mechanical sharks from the movie (nicknamed "Bruce") is still around, and is going to be displayed in the Academy of Motion Picture museum, when or if if it ever opens.

[–] mcqueen (1150) 3 years ago

oh wow nice

[–] Otter (24464) 3 years ago

I'm going, if the damn thing ever opens! Try to keep me away!

I love LA's "Museum Row", the LA County Museum of Art is fabulous, there's the La Brea Tar Pits paleontology museum which is way cool, there's soon to be the AMPAS movie museum, and there's some sort of car museum across the street for people who like that sort of thing. Definitely going, if the damn place ever opens again.

[–] mcqueen (1150) 3 years ago

lol cool

[–] e3e34ifj (1481) 3 years ago

lol oh yeah i remember the scene where they go "oh no!!! run!! it's jaws!! jaws is swimming towards you!!!"

[–] rateater (9528) 3 years ago

jaws is the name of the doctor who created the shark

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

That's fuckin' funny, fella!

[–] ODB82 (2055) 3 years ago

Are you supposed to call it The Shark from Jaws?

Calling it Bruce is kind of dumb. That’s what they called the mechanical shark. No one nicknamed the killer shark, Bruce, in the film.

[–] NitroHangover (1127) 3 years ago

I agree calling it Bruce is dumb. And yes, I always refer to it initially as "the Shark from Jaws", and then as the conversation goes along, just "the Shark."

[–] cj3333 (1046) 3 years ago

I met a lady who had a dog named Frank.

[–] NitroHangover (1127) 3 years ago

Bump.