Is ‘Jaws’, based on deadly NJ shark attacks, a horror movie?

It’s long been said that the inspiration for the story that led to the movie “Jaws” was a series of vicious shark attacks in New Jersey in 1916.

On July 1, Charles Vansant, 25, was swimming in the ocean off the coast of Beach Haven. A shark attacked him, and a lifeguard pulled him to shore where he very quickly bled to death.

Five days later, another fatal shark attack; then still more for a total of four dead. It was huge news and was believed to be the inspiration for Peter Benchley’s novel, although he downplayed it.

When that book was made into the film “Jaws”, it became part of the national consciousness, and people were staying out of the ocean in record numbers.

Great film. Well-acted. The Indianapolis monologue by Robert Shaw is among the most gripping movie scenes of all time.

But is “Jaws” a horror film? I had this debate with Kylie Moore recently, who insists it is. She has terrific taste and insight into much of pop culture, yet she’s also the poor misguided soul who insists “Die Hard” is a Christmas movie.

Just because the subject matter is scary and suspenseful doesn’t make it a Halloween classic. IMDb.com, the movie resource site, lists the film genres as adventure, mystery and thriller.

Action adventure sounds about right to me. Sure, the best jump scare in the film comes when lost boater Ben Gardner’s body floats up to show its disfigured, ocean-eaten face in the hole in the ship.

But is it the kind of movie that leaves you afraid to go to sleep or walk down a dark hallway? No. It’s scary in the way that “Twister” may have caused some kids to fear tornadoes. But is “Twister” a horror movie? No.

Next, we’ll be told Forrest Gump is a war movie. We’ll be told with a straight face, “The Shining” is a rom-com.

Puh-lease.

You need a lesson in what a real horror movie is? Watch the 1968 classic “Night of the Living Dead.” The ghouls are dead people which regenerate to come back and feast on flesh of the living. There’s nothing scarier than ourselves.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

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