Actor Roy Scheider, or Chief Brody from Jaws and Jaws II, died last week.  Chief Brody is one of my favorite movie characters of all time. In fact, the trio of Chief Brody, Matt Hooper and Quint comprise some of the best character juxtapositions in a film - that's my opinion. Now only Hooper, the scientist (Richard Dreyfuss) is left. Not even Peter Benchley, author of Jaws, is alive still. But I'm quite certain the mechanical shark is doing well at a theme park in L.A. or Orlando, Florida.

Regarding the characters of Brody, Quint and Hooper...once they get on the Orca, shed the small town politics of Amity and agree on the method to destroy their common problem, the killer shark, Jaws becomes less of a horror film and more of an analysis into and test of the psyche. Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss and Roy Scheider perfected their roles in acheiving this.

Quint becomes more than the crusty, working class, rugged individual - we see him as a (WWII USS Indianapolis) survivor; that and a madman. When he smashes the radio on the boat as Brody tries to call for help, there's no need for a subtitle that says "This is the point of no return." Quint sealed his own fate, and even now, I haven't really figured out why.

Brody is the prototypical hero, this never changes in the film. A hero is necessary against a villain, and for the cause of hope in a cinematic journey (and Jaws is one hell of a journey, also, based on real events). I can't ever get enough "Smile, you son of a *****!" in my life. He never gives up on his own survival. I dig that.

Hooper, I have a sentimental attachment to, I just love a rogue intellectual (Ian Malcolm in Jurassic Park, same thing - intelligence saves the day more often than brute strength). But not just that, he gets in the water with a 25-footer, two tons on him (and have you read the book? Do you know what happens to Hooper?). Not only in the water does he show, well, character; Hooper's conviction is admirable against the inept system that also acts as an antagonist - "This was no boat accident!" Who cares if he was cutting money all his life. He had the goods.

And the test of the psyche, when you finally see the shark, you are still scared, but how much can you take? Aren't you so wrapped up in just how the trio is going to defeat the beast? That's good storytelling. Are you asking yourself, would I be able to hit the scuba tank with a bullet, would my fight or flight see me through, would I get that lucky? Would I have the sense to take a bigger boat than the Orca? Deep questions for just a fish tale, huh? And finally, do your wheels start turning about what your shark will look like? 

I ask myself those questions, still, every time I watch Jaws. My six-year-old daughter, Zoe, rewinds Quint getting eaten alive over and over. She, right now, does not have the fear of death that I seem to at my age. I guess I am hoping I can outsmart any potential string of events that lead me into the belly of a beast. Maybe I'm building on my own Brody should I come face to face with a monster. 

If I do, I hope I have the fortitude to stand poised on the very top of a sinking boat with a gun, until I'm out of bullets or out of luck.

Good-bye Chief Brody, prototypical hero. Unless it's on the DVD I keep on top of my television, so nevermore shall we see you again.