GREAT WHITE

Italy, 1981, 88 minutes, Colour.
James Franciscus, Vic Morrow.
Directed by Enzo G. Castellari.

Great White is an imitation Jaws. In conception, writing, characterisation and advertising, it played on the original film. This film was the subject of court action throughout the world. In Australia, an injunction was made to withdraw Great White from commercial release. American stars James Franciscus and Vic Morrow do competent jobs in the central roles. However, many of the cast are dubbed. The film shows how the basic synopsis of Jaws can be presented in a sensationalist way in an hour and a half. The interest of this film is in the areas in which Jaws captured audience interest: the shark itself and its preying on people, the obtuseness of the humans, the final confrontation of the shark.

1. The impact of Jaws in the mid-'70s? Its impact as entertainment, in terms of realism, in terms of the symbol of confrontation between man and monster? The many imitations? The quality of this imitation? Its using the original's basic outline - improving it in any way?

2. Italian production qualities: the United States, Malta? The stars? Location photography? Special effects with camera work? The presentation of the shark? Stunt work? The emphasis on violence?

3. The following of the Jaws plot and characters? The youngsters and the swimming, the competition, the adults and their concerns, authority and political ambition, crowds coming for entertainment and being in danger, the calling in of experts, hunters? The various deaths? Crises? How well treated? The danger of cliche?

4. The suggestions of the American lifestyle: Welles and his ambition, his son, unscrupulous politics, the concern for the protection of the visitors, the net in the harbour? His aides and their advice? His grief? Acknowledging his mistake? His going out to confront the shark in his helicopter? The ugliness of his being bitten in half, etc.?

5. Benton as hero? His authority about sharks, daughter and wife, his reaction to the situation, advice given, the diving and the rescuing, his daughter and her amputation, his vengeance against the shark, his finally killing it?

6. The hunter and his warnings, the protection of the harbour, the diving, the fight with the shark, his death, the explosives on his body killing the shark?

7. The picture of American youth: wind-sailing, competitiveness, the youngsters killed by the shark? Youth style, songs, recreation? Terror and deaths? The people on the boat, on the float?

8. The aides and their deaths? The unscrupulous television man and his wanting to film everything (as were the film-makers themselves!)?

9. The picture of the city, the ordinary characters - children, wives, officials?

10. The reasons for making this film - entertainment, exploitation?