The most inept shark shot in Jaws 2

According to the DVD commentary, this was the only take of this shot where everybody's timing was right. Unfortunately, it also gives us a fairly clear view of the mechanism that makes the shark's mouth move.

[TheDylandProductions]

Well, that, and the shark's mouth folds inward like a paper mache wreath.

[larrytalbot]

This is actually 100% accurate, as _all_ great white sharks do in fact have hydraulic pistons in their mouth & they also have an evolutionary ability to fold their heads inward at impossible angles when trying to eat people. it's all true.

[ethanberry]

I would still take these practical effects over alot of todays CG!

[Ethan]

It is amazing how no one directly mentions his mouth literally folding in on itself... how this scene made it in the movie still makes me think... not to mention it had to go through editing!

[Tizzz]

I remember seeing this on tv for the first time. I noticed this immediately.

[gabrielbrown]

Regardless, when I watch this scene this shot always scares the shit out of me 😂

[wireoneunplugged]

Also the fact that the upper jaw bends past the point of compound fracture.

[jamesshunt]

I noticed this immediately when I saw Jaws 2 on tv when I was a kid. I told my friends the next day:"Did you see how weird the mouth of the shark looked like when it swept past the sail boats? I mean it looked as if it's upper jaw had split and resembled a tent in shape."
The shark in Jaws 1 looked way better. Spielberg widely discarded all shots which looked bad.

[OpinionatedChicken]

I can't believe that shark swallowed a whole hydraulic ram!

[theguyshow]

I remember watching this scene on the big screen and it looked bad back then in 1978!

[Drforrester]

I absolutely love this movie and feel it’s a criminally underrated sequel, but I always get a chuckle out of this shot. Kudos to them for trying a very ambitious action shot with the prop, the original only really did that with the shark breaking into the sinking Orca

[davidsalkin]

It's still 1000 times better than anything CGI could do. It's an actual shark raising up, out of the water in real time.

[sean.furlong]

Still better than the shark roaring like a circus lion in Jaws: The Revenge.

[daveleidy]

Remember that this was 1978. Nobody knew the incredible technology that was to come. It was a second or two scene that happened so fast nobody noticed in the theater. Or almost nobody. There are tons of movies & TV shows that if you pause the film you can see a wire, or a stunt man, or any number of flaws. Remember when these movies were made. They were incredible for the time period.

[zacpanther]

Say what you like about this movie but it's the best shark movie out there apart from the first Jaws. Reef isn't a bad shark movie either. All other shark movies are bad, bad, bad! The scariest part of Jaws 2 was when the burnt lady sprung up out of the water at Broady. Gave me nightmares as a kid.

[ZANGOJOE]

The shark in general looks not as real as the first one. First of all it's the coloration of his skin which isn't as striking and resembles a Tiger Shark much more than a great white. Then there are the eyes which just don't look right. And as awesome as this scene looks, they should have redone it because of the obvious flaws, but especially because of the broken jaw.

[johnwihebrink]

Ppl who criticize this amazing shot are fools in my opinion. To build a mechanical shark, put it in the ocean, and drag it continually thru the water, while getting the timing correct to open its mouth when it swam by boats that are anchored and moving w the tide.is a next to impossible task. Read about the difficulties Steven and Jeannot had trying to do this in the 70s. This is an awesome shot. Esp that dude in water was snagged by cable dragging the shark. Chill ppl

[mekonta]

In Jaws IV you can visibly see the scuba divers working the prop from behind and in one shot where it's skimming the sea bed, you can see the diver's fins/feet.

[reddeadresident]

Still good for its time. That scene accomplished what it was supposed to, which was scare me into thinking that kid was ganna get snatched.

[isaiasnieto]

Still one of the scariest and intense scenes in this series. This scene scared the crap outa me when I was a kid.