Some of the best movies to watch where editing is key are the Jaws movies. The combination of the music and the cutting back and forth between the point of view of the shark and the people creates the perfect suspense. Spielberg does an amazing job of making the audience sit on the edge of their seats in anticipation.
The scene I choose was the ending of the first Jaws movie. SPOILER ALERT if you haven’t already seen it. The main character Brody is on his sinking boat being attacked by the shark and he throws a gas tank in its mouth. The scene cuts to clear waters after and as soon the music starts you know he’s coming. Even when he does pop up it still makes you jump from the anticipation of the music. As soon as he shoots the tank and blows up the shark the music transform into this serene sound as the blood of the shark rises to the surface of the water. Throughout the attack of the shark the atmosphere is gloomy and dark almost meanwhile after the shark is dead Brody and his friend are seen laughing with the sun shining and seagulls squawking. It creates a sense of relief after all of the suspense.
The quick cuts of this movie also help build the anticipation of the viewer. The back and forth between the water and the person/people get shorter and shorter the closer the shark gets, while the music gets faster and faster with it, together building this huge suspense. The cuts are kind of obvious, but it works in this context because the anticipation of knowing is what keeps the viewer’s eyes locked on the screen.
