HFB: Round 1: Predator (15) VS JAWS (20)

[Wang Chung]

JAWS (20)

Jaws is an American film franchise that consists of a novel, four films, a theme park ride, and other tie-in merchandise. The franchise primarily focuses on a great white shark, and its attacks on people in specific areas of the United States. The Brody family is featured in all of the films as the primary antithesis to the shark. The original film was based on a novel written by Peter Benchley, which itself was inspired by the Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916. Benchley would adapt his own work, along with help from Carl Gottlieb and Howard Sackler, into the 1975 film Jaws, which was directed by Steven Spielberg. Although Gottlieb would go on to pen two of the three sequels, neither Benchley or Spielberg would return to the film series in any capacity.

The first film was regarded as a watershed film in motion picture history; it became the father of the summer blockbuster movies and one of the first "high-concept" films.[1][2] The film is also known for the introduction of John Williams' famous theme music, which was a simple alternating pattern of the E and F notes of a piano. Williams' theme would go on to win an Academy Award. The film would win other Academy Awards, and even be nominated for Best Picture.

The success of Jaws led to three sequels, which have amassed almost $800 million worldwide in box office gross. The franchise has also seen the release of various soundtrack albums, additional novelizations based on the sequels, trading cards, inspired theme park rides at Universal Studios Florida and Universal Studios Japan, multiple video games, and a musical that premiered in 2004. Although the first film was popular with critics when it was originally released, the sequels have generally been seen negatively by critics. This reception has spread to the merchandise, with video games seen as poor imitations of the original concept. Nevertheless, the original 1975 film has generally been regarded as one of the greatest films ever, and frequently appears in the top 100 of various American Film Institute rankings. Jaws is also considered by some to be the last of the great Universal Monsters.

VS





Predator (15)

The Predator film series is a science fiction horror film franchise. Produced by 20th Century Fox, the series started in 1987 with the film Predator, which led to two sequels and novel, comic book and video game spin-offs. Related to the franchise are the Alien vs. Predator films, which combine the titular Predator with the creatures from the Alien film series.

 

[Fuji Vice]

This is the hardest matchup of the first round as far as I'm concerned. The originals are both classics while their sequels are solid. Both AvP movies are horrid and Predators isn't much better, but then Jaws III is a mockery and IV is potentially one of the worst movies ever made. Fuck man, I really don't know what to do here. I'm leaning towards Jaws but I'm going to hold off voting for a day or two.

 

[Swinny]

Thought it was Jaws, and definitely first movie vs. first movie it's definitely Jaws, but then I remember Predators which is definitely my favorite sequel of either series. I do enjoy the Jaws sequels too though, with all their ridiculousness, so I guess I still have to go with Jaws