A Book A Week

A year before Steven Spielberg frightened audiences away from beaches with his blockbuster film Jaws, author Peter Benchley was terrifying readers with the book that would inspire the movie. That movie has become so entrenched in our popular culture that Benchley's novel seems to be forever stuck in its shadow. As a fan of the film (I even appreciate the atrocious sequels for the silly fun that they are), I decided to read the book that created the phenomenon.

The peaceful tourist town of Amity is disturbed when the mangled remains of a woman's body washes ashore. There is no denying the cause of death. The woman was clearly attacked by a shark. And from the severity of the wounds, it looks like it was a massive one. 

Amity Police Chief Martin Brody is determined to do everything in his power to prevent any further attacks, but he is met with a united resistance from the local political and business leaders. Shutting down the beaches during the peak of summer tourist season would cripple the town's economy and scare away any potential new visitors. Instead the townsmen elect to bring in the expertise of shark guru Matt Hooper. Hooper assures the town that sharks rarely stick around and that any future attacks are highly unlikely. Hooper is wrong. 

The resulting hunt is as thrilling and suspenseful as anything I've ever read. The book particularly benefits from being able to show readers the shark's perspective. The plot inches further with an ever present foreboding. Benchley inhabits his story with a variety of townspeople whose motivations add to the complexity of the situation. That being said, I found most of the characters difficult to sympathize with. These are not 'good' people, and most of their troubles are self inflicted. I was particularly troubled by a detailed account of Brody's wife having an affair. This portion did little to advance the main plot or to develop the character. Overall, Jaws the novel is a fun but inconsistent story that never reaches the same depth or excitement of the movie. 

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, or GoodReads.

(2016, 9)

Noted for being the first summer blockbuster, Steven Spielberg's 1975 adaptation of author Peter Benchley's Jaws was a groundbreaking cinematic achievement. A thriller that continues to terrify audiences to this day, Jaws combines a great story with interesting characters and a threatening monster to create an iconic and timeless movie.

The film takes place in the small New England tourist town of Amity Island. The town is shocked when the remains of a young woman who died of an apparent shark attack washed on shore. Police Chief Brody (Roy Scheider) is determined to protect beach-goers from any further attacks, even if that means closing the beaches. Amity's mayor is equally motivated to keep the beaches open, and enlists oceanographer Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) to examine the remains. But the mayor, sensing a publicity nightmare that would destroy the town's reputation and financial stability, refuses to search for a long term solution to the problem.

When Brody and Hooper discover the remains of another victim, this one with a great white tooth embedded in their boat, they decide to enlist the help of eccentric shark hunter Quint (Robert Shaw). The unlikely trio heads out to hunt the animal and restore peace to their small town. Along the way, they learn that they are not facing any ordinary animal. The shark that is preying on their town is a real monster with only one goal. . . killing any person who comes in contact with it.

Jaws is one of those rare horror films that scares not by shock but by imagination. In fact, many of the scenes that do not show Speilberg's monster are far more terrifying than when we actually get to see it. Composer John William's iconic score instantly creates an ever mounting tension that foreshadows the impending doom of the shark's next victim. Populated with unique characters who each receive a fair amount of development, Jaws becomes the standard for a blockbuster film that succeeds through emotional connections, not purely spectacle. The greatest achievement of this classic movie is the way in which Speilberg trusts his audience to imagine things far scarier than anything he could ever put on the screen. Ultimately, Jaws stands the test of time and remains a highlight of Speilberg's illustrious career.

What if we could rebuild the world as it was millions of years ago? What if we could bring back plants and animals that are extinct? Could we? Should we? Twenty-five years after its initial publication, Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton continues to thrill readers and dares to tackle the questions of ethics in scientific discovery. A 1993 movie adaptation became a blockbuster, spawned three sequels, and cemented Jurassic Park as a pop culture phenomenon. But as with most book to film adaptations, the novel offers much more detail and a richer overall experience.

The corporate world is abuzz with word of Ingen's new project. The corporation is run by the peculiar John Hammond who has funneled large amounts of money into a mysterious enterprise on a Caribbean island. Hammond has assembled a curious team of geneticists, zoological experts, computer scientists, and former theme park managers for his newest venture. As his competitors scramble to discover the secrets of his project, Hammond faces problems of his own. Whatever is being done on the island has caused death and serious injury to some of the local construction workers. Ingen's board sees massive potential in Hammond's endeavors, but they worry about the skyrocketing costs and the inherent physical hazards. In order to ease the minds of the board, investors, and company lawyers, Hammond invites a group of experts to tour his island before it is revealed to the public.

Doctors Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler, paleontologist and paleobotanist respectively, are among the experts who are summoned to the island. Grant is much more at home digging up the remains of the long extinct animals he studies, but Hammond's generous funding of his digs does much to persuade him to leave the comfort of his dirt and bones. The duo is joined by Dr. Ian Malcolm, a hot shot mathematician from the University of Texas who specializes in the chaos theory. Also along for consultation is a lawyer hired by the investors, Donald Gennaro. Hammond tells his panel of experts that his high stakes project is a "biological preserve" that he plans to open as a state of the art amusement park. As the group enters Jurassic Park, it becomes clear that this is not a typical zoo. The main attraction is a scientific feat that will revolutionize the study of genetics and create unprecedented profits for Ingen. Jurassic Park is the home to living dinosaurs.

At first glance, Jurassic Park is a quintessential sci-fi thriller. Michael Crichton writes of a genetic regeneration program founded in the science of the time (which turns out to be pretty questionable with 25 years of hindsight) to craft a clever narrative of discovery gone wrong. On the surface level, the story works as an effective piece of entertainment. Beyond the stereotypes of the genre, the novel becomes a cautionary tale. In the vein of Frankenstein, the men of science in this novel must face the repercussions of their discoveries. Crichton weaves philosophical questions of morality and responsibility in the face of technological advancement into his tale of exploration and corporate intrigue. This allows Jurassic Park to be a thoughtful commentary on greed and stock driven research while still maintaining a page turning pace. Unlike the movie, the villains of this novel get what's coming to them in deliciously devilish detail that will leave you thoroughly satisfied. Even better, those who practice logic and reason become the heroes of this fable. Twenty-five years later, Jurassic Park remains a smart and thrilling pillar of fantastic storytelling.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and GoodReads.

(2015, 17)

Today, 25 years after the release of the novel and 22 years after the first film, Universal Studios releases the latest blockbuster in the the Jurassic Park series, Jurassic World. While this new film is not based on a book, I thought it would be fun to take a look at the original Jurassic Park adaptation. Released in 1993 and based on the novel by author Michael Crichton, Jurassic Park was a groundbreaking summer blockbuster that shattered box office records and set a new standard for special effects in film.

By now, I think it is safe to say that almost everyone has seen Jurassic Park, or is at least familiar with the premise of the film. Like the novel, the film follows the story of an amusement park that is designed to display the fruits of a landmark scientific discovery. Through a painstaking process of collecting dinosaur DNA from petrified mosquitoes, scientists at InGen, led by John Hammond, are able to bring the extinct animals to life. Hammond's lawyers see enormous profitability, but urge him to have experts attest to the safety of the park. Hammond brings in Dr. Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler, paleontologists, and mathematician and chaos theorist Dr. Ian Malcolm to tour the park and provide their expert recommendations.

When the group of scientists first set eyes on the dinosaurs of the park, they experience awe and wonder at seeing the incredible creatures. In 1993, and I'd argue still to this day, the audience shares in these feelings. The buildup is perfectly timed to the fantastic payoff of finally seeing the animals on screen. Add to this the fact that Jurassic Park marks the first time CGI was ever used to create animals on film, and you can understand the power and historical significance of this moment. But this moment is not meant to last. As the film continues, all of the failsafe, man-made systems begin to malfunction and the animals begin to overtake the island.

In the hands of director Steven Spielberg, Jurassic Park is elevated from B-movie horror to a thoughtful commentary on morality in science. To be fair, the movie is pure escapist entertainment at its finest. The large set pieces are expertly crafted and the film plays as everything audiences have come to expect from a big-budget summer blockbuster. Still, on a larger level, the film questions the power of science  and dares to show both the magnificent and terrifying effects it can have. In the end, it is a lack of respect for the science that leads to the human's demise. This disregard for consequence in favor of profit and entertainment, also brings forth an interesting point. After 20 years, Jurassic Park remains the pinnacle of an effects driven movie. Spielberg manages to strike the perfect balance in the film, employing effects that truly serve the story. As we find ourselves now with every blockbuster film saturated in CGI effects, it is interesting to note that this film, which had far less access to the technology that filmmakers currently enjoy, remains far superior to many of the films that have followed it (even two sequels). It is the respect of the filmmakers for the science at their disposal that makes the story and film one of the most enjoyable blockbusters of all time.