51 Years Ago, Spielberg Didn’t Realize He Was Hearing Iconic Movie Music!

Since 2024, Disney+ has been streaming the documentary “Music by John Williams,” which passionately delves into the musical world of one of film’s most legendary composers. Among his many works, one finds the famous “Jaws” theme, created for Steven Spielberg.

Laurent Bouzereau, a key figure in the realm of making-of documentaries, directed this film. Having moved to the United States years ago, this Frenchman has produced some of the most memorable cinematic behind-the-scenes features. In 1995, he made a making-of for “Jaws” that was as long as the movie itself, initially available on an extended play laserdisc. Last year, he returned with “Music by John Williams,” chronicling the career of this composer whose name is forever linked with Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. Naturally, the iconic “Jaws” theme is a central element of this documentary.

The Meeting That Changed Cinema

Steven Spielberg was deeply impacted by the soundtrack of “The Reivers,” composed by John Williams, and dreamed of meeting him, perhaps to collaborate on a future project. Their first meeting occurred in 1972, during a surprise lunch organized by Universal. That day, Spielberg met the man who would become his go-to composer for decades, integral to his outstanding career.

After scoring “The Sugarland Express” in 1974, Williams composed the soundtrack for “Jaws.” The result was a masterpiece of simplicity and effectiveness, earning Williams his second Oscar, just four years after his first for “Fiddler on the Roof.”

A Minimalist Melody, Yet Incredibly Effective

The theme for “Jaws” is based on a very simple ostinato: two notes, E and F, played in a low register. Gradually, the pattern intensifies, creating a suffocating tension that heralds the arrival of the massive shark.

When Spielberg first heard this melody, his reaction was immediate: he burst into laughter. “I thought he was joking!” he confesses in the documentary, addressing Williams. “I thought, ‘Oh my God, we won’t have an orchestra, there will just be a piano and Johnny playing some low notes.’ You told me to listen carefully. And I finally realized that your idea was brilliant.”

The filmmaker also highlights the impact of this music on the film: “My mechanical shark wasn’t working. And I had no idea that John would give me a shark that worked through music. His musical shark was far more effective than my mechanical one.”

Thus, the phenomenal success of “Jaws,” which heralded the dawn of the blockbuster era, is closely tied to this legendary theme, proving the power of a soundtrack to transform a film.

“Jaws” is available for streaming on Netflix and Disney+.

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