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    Scottish Labour MP to vote against welfare reforms despite Keir Starmer climbdown

    Scottish Labour MP to vote against welfare reforms despite Keir Starmer climbdown

    Buy British buses to save 400 Scottish jobs at Alexander Dennis, says MP

    Buy British buses to save 400 Scottish jobs at Alexander Dennis, says MP

    Scots fear crime is rising in their local area as SNP Government accused of ‘hollowing out’ police

    Scots fear crime is rising in their local area as SNP Government accused of ‘hollowing out’ police

    Senior member of Anas Sarwar’s shadow cabinet ‘opposed’ to Labour welfare cuts bill

    Senior member of Anas Sarwar’s shadow cabinet ‘opposed’ to Labour welfare cuts bill

    How the Scottish MPs voted in the assisted dying debate

    How the Scottish MPs voted in the assisted dying debate

    Former Labour MP calls for party to ditch ‘rigged’ voting system

    Former Labour MP calls for party to ditch ‘rigged’ voting system

    Labour’s £14bn ‘fixation’ with new nuclear power ‘won’t cut bills or help climate’

    Labour’s £14bn ‘fixation’ with new nuclear power ‘won’t cut bills or help climate’

    SNP rebels plot to oust John Swinney as party leader after Hamilton by-election loss

    SNP rebels plot to oust John Swinney as party leader after Hamilton by-election loss

    Anas Sarwar should not expect to oust John Swinney yet, says polling guru

    Anas Sarwar should not expect to oust John Swinney yet, says polling guru

    Keir Starmer says he will not support a second independence referendum as Prime Minister

    Keir Starmer says he will not support a second independence referendum as Prime Minister

    Angela Rayner accuses Reform of ‘politics of hatred’ as she insists Labour can win bitter Holyrood by-election

    Angela Rayner accuses Reform of ‘politics of hatred’ as she insists Labour can win bitter Holyrood by-election

    SNP complain about Reform’s ‘race-baiting’ advert on Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar

    SNP complain about Reform’s ‘race-baiting’ advert on Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar

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      Salesforce boss Marc Benioff joins Weev.

      What is a virtual office and why you need one in Central London – Your Company Formations Ltd

      What is a virtual office and why you need one in Central London – Your Company Formations Ltd

      Inflation rises again to new 40-year high

      Inflation rises again to new 40-year high

      Bank of England hikes interest rates to 1.25%

      Bank of England hikes interest rates to 1.25%

      Hiring activity in Scotland slows amid steep decline in staff availability

      Hiring activity in Scotland slows amid steep decline in staff availability

      Scottish retail footfall growth ‘worst in UK compared to pre-pandemic’

      Scottish retail footfall growth ‘worst in UK compared to pre-pandemic’

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      Exact cost of Rangers injury crisis revealed as payments to crocked stars double that of Celtic

      Exact cost of Rangers injury crisis revealed as payments to crocked stars double that of Celtic

      Conor Coady in Diogo Jota tribute as old Wolves pal celebrates an ‘incredible person’

      Conor Coady in Diogo Jota tribute as old Wolves pal celebrates an ‘incredible person’

      Brendan Rodgers described me as huge Celtic coup after 24 clubs wanted me – now I have retired aged just 28

      Brendan Rodgers described me as huge Celtic coup after 24 clubs wanted me – now I have retired aged just 28

      Ange Postecoglou to LAFC has direct Celtic link as MLS heavy hitters plot ambitious manager move

      Ange Postecoglou to LAFC has direct Celtic link as MLS heavy hitters plot ambitious manager move

      The Rangers transfers Russell Martin needs revealed as AEK set Dessers deadline and Shankland a no-brainer

      The Rangers transfers Russell Martin needs revealed as AEK set Dessers deadline and Shankland a no-brainer

      Celtic on brink of four new signings as Benjamin Nygren lands staggering transfer claim and Balikwisha stays cool

      Celtic on brink of four new signings as Benjamin Nygren lands staggering transfer claim and Balikwisha stays cool

      I see cracks in Celtic with transfer fears over four starters so maybe this Rangers claim is a myth – Hugh Keevins

      I see cracks in Celtic with transfer fears over four starters so maybe this Rangers claim is a myth – Hugh Keevins

      Punters dramatically lose faith in Rory McIlroy in wake of his astonishingly honest US Open confession

      Punters dramatically lose faith in Rory McIlroy in wake of his astonishingly honest US Open confession

      ‘I still always visit Sir Alex Ferguson’s house – even though he branded me a Big Time Charlie’

      ‘I still always visit Sir Alex Ferguson’s house – even though he branded me a Big Time Charlie’

      The £17m reason Celtic won’t sit still this transfer window as Brendan Rodgers learns painful lesson

      The £17m reason Celtic won’t sit still this transfer window as Brendan Rodgers learns painful lesson

      Rangers placed on Vaclav Cerny red alert over Wolfsburg ‘fire sale’ as Cyriel Dessers makes transfer stance clear

      Rangers placed on Vaclav Cerny red alert over Wolfsburg ‘fire sale’ as Cyriel Dessers makes transfer stance clear

      Mathias Kvistgaarden waves Brondby farewell but Celtic hit with transfer blow as boss throws spanner in works

      Mathias Kvistgaarden waves Brondby farewell but Celtic hit with transfer blow as boss throws spanner in works

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        ‘Classy’ smartwatch that ‘performs as well as expensive brands’ now £50 in Amazon Prime deal

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        Argos offers free QLED TVs with one simple deal – how to get yours today

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        Everyone to get mobile phone alert as sirens sound for 10 seconds

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        Lenovo IdeaPad laptop praised for everyday use and affordable price

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        EE unveils huge new discount on JBL Flip 7 Wireless Bluetooth Speaker but you must act quick

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        Clinical microbiologist issues warning over hidden ‘droppings’ in bed sheets

        Scientists just found a sugar switch that ‘protects your brain from Alzheimer’s’

        Scientists just found a sugar switch that ‘protects your brain from Alzheimer’s’

        Brain dead pregnant woman’s family issue update after baby cut from her body

        Brain dead pregnant woman’s family issue update after baby cut from her body

        French chef shares ‘simplest ever’ one pot cake recipe ready in under an hour

        French chef shares ‘simplest ever’ one pot cake recipe ready in under an hour

        TikTok skin care routines ‘harmful’ and ‘problematic’ scientists discover in new study

        TikTok skin care routines ‘harmful’ and ‘problematic’ scientists discover in new study

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        People on highest PIP could see payments rise to nearly £800 each month from next April

        People on highest PIP could see payments rise to nearly £800 each month from next April

        Home Bargains’ ‘soft’ £30 coat looks ‘just like’ £175 Dryrobe version

        Home Bargains’ ‘soft’ £30 coat looks ‘just like’ £175 Dryrobe version

        Amazon’s most wished for sun lounger drops below £90 ahead of Prime Day

        Amazon’s most wished for sun lounger drops below £90 ahead of Prime Day

        Former DWP employee warns of two-tier State Pension payments for older people

        Former DWP employee warns of two-tier State Pension payments for older people

        Dozens of UK holidaymakers fall ill after five-star ‘holiday from hell’

        Dozens of UK holidaymakers fall ill after five-star ‘holiday from hell’

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        Lecturer struck off after falling asleep, playing on his phone and describing students as ‘d*** heads’

        Lecturer struck off after falling asleep, playing on his phone and describing students as ‘d*** heads’

        Teacher who drank alcohol in ‘mini-rave’ lesson and swore at pupils is struck off

        Teacher who drank alcohol in ‘mini-rave’ lesson and swore at pupils is struck off

        Pupil referral unit that takes children kicked out of school gets flawless Estyn report

        Pupil referral unit that takes children kicked out of school gets flawless Estyn report

        Exam bosses accused of ‘patronising’ Wales and students in Welsh GCSE paper

        Exam bosses accused of ‘patronising’ Wales and students in Welsh GCSE paper

        Cardiff University ‘has no God given right to exist’ bosses say

        Cardiff University ‘has no God given right to exist’ bosses say

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        Scottish Labour MP to vote against welfare reforms despite Keir Starmer climbdown

        Scottish Labour MP to vote against welfare reforms despite Keir Starmer climbdown

        Buy British buses to save 400 Scottish jobs at Alexander Dennis, says MP

        Buy British buses to save 400 Scottish jobs at Alexander Dennis, says MP

        Scots fear crime is rising in their local area as SNP Government accused of ‘hollowing out’ police

        Scots fear crime is rising in their local area as SNP Government accused of ‘hollowing out’ police

        Senior member of Anas Sarwar’s shadow cabinet ‘opposed’ to Labour welfare cuts bill

        Senior member of Anas Sarwar’s shadow cabinet ‘opposed’ to Labour welfare cuts bill

        How the Scottish MPs voted in the assisted dying debate

        How the Scottish MPs voted in the assisted dying debate

        Former Labour MP calls for party to ditch ‘rigged’ voting system

        Former Labour MP calls for party to ditch ‘rigged’ voting system

        Labour’s £14bn ‘fixation’ with new nuclear power ‘won’t cut bills or help climate’

        Labour’s £14bn ‘fixation’ with new nuclear power ‘won’t cut bills or help climate’

        SNP rebels plot to oust John Swinney as party leader after Hamilton by-election loss

        SNP rebels plot to oust John Swinney as party leader after Hamilton by-election loss

        Anas Sarwar should not expect to oust John Swinney yet, says polling guru

        Anas Sarwar should not expect to oust John Swinney yet, says polling guru

        Keir Starmer says he will not support a second independence referendum as Prime Minister

        Keir Starmer says he will not support a second independence referendum as Prime Minister

        Angela Rayner accuses Reform of ‘politics of hatred’ as she insists Labour can win bitter Holyrood by-election

        Angela Rayner accuses Reform of ‘politics of hatred’ as she insists Labour can win bitter Holyrood by-election

        SNP complain about Reform’s ‘race-baiting’ advert on Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar

        SNP complain about Reform’s ‘race-baiting’ advert on Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar

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        • Business

          Salesforce boss Marc Benioff joins Weev.

          What is a virtual office and why you need one in Central London – Your Company Formations Ltd

          What is a virtual office and why you need one in Central London – Your Company Formations Ltd

          Inflation rises again to new 40-year high

          Inflation rises again to new 40-year high

          Bank of England hikes interest rates to 1.25%

          Bank of England hikes interest rates to 1.25%

          Hiring activity in Scotland slows amid steep decline in staff availability

          Hiring activity in Scotland slows amid steep decline in staff availability

          Scottish retail footfall growth ‘worst in UK compared to pre-pandemic’

          Scottish retail footfall growth ‘worst in UK compared to pre-pandemic’

        • Sports
          Exact cost of Rangers injury crisis revealed as payments to crocked stars double that of Celtic

          Exact cost of Rangers injury crisis revealed as payments to crocked stars double that of Celtic

          Conor Coady in Diogo Jota tribute as old Wolves pal celebrates an ‘incredible person’

          Conor Coady in Diogo Jota tribute as old Wolves pal celebrates an ‘incredible person’

          Brendan Rodgers described me as huge Celtic coup after 24 clubs wanted me – now I have retired aged just 28

          Brendan Rodgers described me as huge Celtic coup after 24 clubs wanted me – now I have retired aged just 28

          Ange Postecoglou to LAFC has direct Celtic link as MLS heavy hitters plot ambitious manager move

          Ange Postecoglou to LAFC has direct Celtic link as MLS heavy hitters plot ambitious manager move

          The Rangers transfers Russell Martin needs revealed as AEK set Dessers deadline and Shankland a no-brainer

          The Rangers transfers Russell Martin needs revealed as AEK set Dessers deadline and Shankland a no-brainer

          Celtic on brink of four new signings as Benjamin Nygren lands staggering transfer claim and Balikwisha stays cool

          Celtic on brink of four new signings as Benjamin Nygren lands staggering transfer claim and Balikwisha stays cool

          I see cracks in Celtic with transfer fears over four starters so maybe this Rangers claim is a myth – Hugh Keevins

          I see cracks in Celtic with transfer fears over four starters so maybe this Rangers claim is a myth – Hugh Keevins

          Punters dramatically lose faith in Rory McIlroy in wake of his astonishingly honest US Open confession

          Punters dramatically lose faith in Rory McIlroy in wake of his astonishingly honest US Open confession

          ‘I still always visit Sir Alex Ferguson’s house – even though he branded me a Big Time Charlie’

          ‘I still always visit Sir Alex Ferguson’s house – even though he branded me a Big Time Charlie’

          The £17m reason Celtic won’t sit still this transfer window as Brendan Rodgers learns painful lesson

          The £17m reason Celtic won’t sit still this transfer window as Brendan Rodgers learns painful lesson

          Rangers placed on Vaclav Cerny red alert over Wolfsburg ‘fire sale’ as Cyriel Dessers makes transfer stance clear

          Rangers placed on Vaclav Cerny red alert over Wolfsburg ‘fire sale’ as Cyriel Dessers makes transfer stance clear

          Mathias Kvistgaarden waves Brondby farewell but Celtic hit with transfer blow as boss throws spanner in works

          Mathias Kvistgaarden waves Brondby farewell but Celtic hit with transfer blow as boss throws spanner in works

          Trending Tags

          • Technology
            ‘Classy’ smartwatch that ‘performs as well as expensive brands’ now £50 in Amazon Prime deal

            ‘Classy’ smartwatch that ‘performs as well as expensive brands’ now £50 in Amazon Prime deal

            Argos offers free QLED TVs with one simple deal – how to get yours today

            Argos offers free QLED TVs with one simple deal – how to get yours today

            Everyone to get mobile phone alert as sirens sound for 10 seconds

            Everyone to get mobile phone alert as sirens sound for 10 seconds

            Lenovo IdeaPad laptop praised for everyday use and affordable price

            Lenovo IdeaPad laptop praised for everyday use and affordable price

            EE unveils huge new discount on JBL Flip 7 Wireless Bluetooth Speaker but you must act quick

            EE unveils huge new discount on JBL Flip 7 Wireless Bluetooth Speaker but you must act quick

          • Health
            Clinical microbiologist issues warning over hidden ‘droppings’ in bed sheets

            Clinical microbiologist issues warning over hidden ‘droppings’ in bed sheets

            Scientists just found a sugar switch that ‘protects your brain from Alzheimer’s’

            Scientists just found a sugar switch that ‘protects your brain from Alzheimer’s’

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            Brain dead pregnant woman’s family issue update after baby cut from her body

            French chef shares ‘simplest ever’ one pot cake recipe ready in under an hour

            French chef shares ‘simplest ever’ one pot cake recipe ready in under an hour

            TikTok skin care routines ‘harmful’ and ‘problematic’ scientists discover in new study

            TikTok skin care routines ‘harmful’ and ‘problematic’ scientists discover in new study

          • Entertainment
            People on highest PIP could see payments rise to nearly £800 each month from next April

            People on highest PIP could see payments rise to nearly £800 each month from next April

            Home Bargains’ ‘soft’ £30 coat looks ‘just like’ £175 Dryrobe version

            Home Bargains’ ‘soft’ £30 coat looks ‘just like’ £175 Dryrobe version

            Amazon’s most wished for sun lounger drops below £90 ahead of Prime Day

            Amazon’s most wished for sun lounger drops below £90 ahead of Prime Day

            Former DWP employee warns of two-tier State Pension payments for older people

            Former DWP employee warns of two-tier State Pension payments for older people

            Dozens of UK holidaymakers fall ill after five-star ‘holiday from hell’

            Dozens of UK holidaymakers fall ill after five-star ‘holiday from hell’

          • Life Style
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            Lecturer struck off after falling asleep, playing on his phone and describing students as ‘d*** heads’

            Lecturer struck off after falling asleep, playing on his phone and describing students as ‘d*** heads’

            Teacher who drank alcohol in ‘mini-rave’ lesson and swore at pupils is struck off

            Teacher who drank alcohol in ‘mini-rave’ lesson and swore at pupils is struck off

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            Pupil referral unit that takes children kicked out of school gets flawless Estyn report

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            Exam bosses accused of ‘patronising’ Wales and students in Welsh GCSE paper

            Cardiff University ‘has no God given right to exist’ bosses say

            Cardiff University ‘has no God given right to exist’ bosses say

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          the Jewish sensibility that shaped Spielberg’s blockbuster and transformed cinema

          by BP Author
          June 20, 2025
          in World
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          It’s hard to believe Steven Spielberg was just 27 when he directed Jaws. Before that he’d mostly worked in television, helming episodes of detective show Columbo and the acclaimed TV movie Duel. He’d made just one theatrical feature, The Sugarland Express.

          Then came Jaws, a technically ambitious shoot set on open water with a mechanical shark that barely worked. But the result was a record-breaking blockbuster that redefined what Hollywood could be.

          Adapted from Peter Benchley’s 1974 novel, the film almost didn’t happen. When Spielberg first read it he said he found himself rooting for the shark because the human characters were so unlikable.

          What followed was a series of creative rewrites and re-castings that gave Jaws its distinctive personality and enduring power.

          Spielberg brought in Howard Sackler, a writer and scuba diver, to work on the script. Sackler left early without a screen credit. The director then turned to actor Carl Gottlieb, originally hired to play a toadying local newspaper editor, to redraft the script. Screenwriter and director John Milius, a second world war expert, also contributed.

          John Williams added what became an iconic musical score. Its simple two-note motif created suspense and became one of the most recognisable cinematic themes of all time.

          Jaws’ opening shark attack featuring its iconic score by John Williams.

          As a researcher of Jewishness in popular culture, I argue that many of these creatives brought a Jewish sensibility that lurked beneath the surface of the film.

          Spielberg took Benchley’s bitter, cynical and pessimistic novel and gave it a more hopeful vibe. He even humanised the shark, giving it the name Bruce after his lawyer, Bruce Ramer, a powerful and influential Los Angeles attorney specialising in entertainment law, also Jewish.

          That choice layers in unexpected meanings, from the “loan shark” stereotype to echoes of Shakespeare’s Shylock from The Merchant of Venice.

          Hooper v Quint

          Spielberg cast Jewish actor Richard Dreyfuss as Matt Hooper, the young ichthyologist and oceanographer. Against him stood Robert Shaw as Quint, the grizzled boat captain, who is a sexist, misogynistic, racist macho drunk. Hooper is everything Quint is not. Making up the triumvirate is Roy Scheider as police captain Martin Brody. Together, the three seek to capture and kill the shark that is menacing the town of Amity.

          The casting of Dreyfuss as Hooper, whom Spielberg called “my alter ego”, significantly changed the character and the tone of the film. Together, Dreyfuss, Gottlieb and Spielberg fleshed out Hooper’s part, making him much more sympathetic than in the novel. He became a “nebbishy novice on a swift learning curve”.

          For Spielberg, Hooper “represents the underdog in all of us”. Benchley, however, was less than impressed, describing him as “an insufferable, pedantic little schmuck”. It’s telling that Benchley used a Yiddish epithet to describe Hooper as if recognising his underlying Jewishness.

          Together, Spielberg and Gottlieb used Hooper as a mouthpiece to voice a social perspective. Brody wishes to close the beaches but is prevented from doing so by the mayor and the town council because Amity needs the business. The mayor puts commerce before human life. In a shift from Benchley’s novel where the pressure to keep the beaches open comes from shadowy pseudo-Mafia figures in the background, Spielberg placed the blame firmly on Amity’s merchants and civic representatives.

          Throughout, Spielberg undermines the dominant masculinity of the screen action hero of the 1970s. This was an era dominated by men like Burt Reynolds, Clint Eastwood and Gene Hackman. Nerdy Hooper outlives Quint, who becomes the shark’s fifth victim (hence his name, which is Latin for five or fifth). To show his contempt for Quint, Spielberg gives him a particularly gruesome death.

          Quint gets eaten.

          And because Spielberg identified with the shark, we see things from its subjective perspective. This was also dictated by pragmatic concerns as the mechanical shark kept breaking down. Shooting the killings from the shark’s point of view was a cinematic device borrowed from A Study in Terror (1965), a British thriller about Jack the Ripper.

          Jaws was a box office smash, breaking records previously set by The Godfather and The Exorcist and becoming the first film to reach the US$100 million (£74.5 million) mark at the American box office.




          Read more:
          Jaws at 50: a cinematic masterpiece – and an incredible piece of propaganda


          Before Jaws, studios typically released major films in the autumn and winter, leaving the summer for lower-quality movies. Jaws proved that it could be a prime time for big-budget, high-profile releases, leading to the current dominance of tentpole films during the summer season.

          It pioneered the strategy of opening a film in a wide release, rather than a gradual rollout. This helped it break box office records and redefine Hollywood’s practices. It was something that people got excited about, planned for and lined up for tickets in advance.

          Why has the film lasted?

          Half a century on, Jaws still has the power to shock. When I took my kids to see the 3D re-release, we all jumped during the scene when the decapitated head bobbed out of the sunken boat – even though I knew it was coming.

          Another reason why the film has lasted is the shark itself. It’s a primal, prehistoric creature that taps into our deepest fears. Quint calls it a thing with “lifeless eyes, black eyes, like a doll’s eyes”. It’s a chilling line.




          Read more:
          50 years after ‘Jaws,’ researchers have retired the man-eater myth and revealed more about sharks’ amazing biology


          But the film also works as allegory. The shark is a floating (or swimming) signifier, open to interpretation. Amity, the town it terrorises, is all white picket fences and small-town harmony. The shark’s arrival punctures that illusion.

          There’s also a political undercurrent. Hooper becomes the conscience of the film, voicing the dangers of civic denial and inaction.

          And in the end, Jaws isn’t just about a shark. It’s about masculinity, morality and capitalism. It’s about the stories we tell ourselves to feel safe. That’s why it endures. That, and one of the most iconic scores in cinema history – John Williams’ two-note motif that still makes swimmers glance nervously at the waterline to this day.



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