Discuss the effects and function of music in the film

If anyone were out swimming in the beach and, without warning, heard the iconic “dun-dun dun-dun duun-duun dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-dun", they would be petrified. The effect of music in Jaws builds tension, suspense, and intrinsically ingrains dread and fear into the audience. The build up in music captures essence of the shark and makes the audience feel more associated with the film. The audience is conditioned to anticipate the shark to attack when music is heard but when the shark attacks without any musical warning it sets a dramatic mood. In the latter part of the film, before Brody kills the shark, as the shark swims closer the music crescendos and gives us a sense of panic and terror, adding suspense. The pitch and rhymth also blur when the shark is absent. During the climax, when Brody kills the shark, the pitch gets lower, reflecting the peace and harmony the audience can feel now that the shark is dead. The function of music in the film underscores the mood, time, setting, and emphasizes relationships, trust, and character motivation. The music makes the characters intentions more clear as well. Having seen the film a number of times, the eerie music, still to this day, frightens me.