Director: Steven Spielberg
Genre: Horror/ Thriller
Runtime: 124 minutes
Year: 1975
Starring: Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, Robert Shaw, Lorraine Gary, Murray Hamilton, Carl Gottlieb, Jeffrey Kramer, Susan Backlinie, Jonathan Filley, Ted Grossman, Chris Rebello, Jay Mello, Lee Fierro, Jeffrey Voorhees, Craig Kingsbury, Robert Nevin, Peter Benchley
Description: When a gigantic great white shark begins to menace the small island community of Amity, a police chief (Roy Scheider), a marine scientist (Richard Dreyfuss) and grizzled fisherman (Robert Shaw) set out to stop it.
Review: “Jaws” is a perfect adventure film, that is now a classic and one of the most successful films in movie history. “Jaws” had an enormous impact and it still holds up.
The movie is based on the book by Peter Benchley, that was a bestseller in 1973. In the book the small town Amity is ravaged by a series of shark attacks. Producers David Brown and Richard Zanuck thought it would make a great movie and the then 27-year-old Steven Spielberg was hired to direct.
“Jaws” follows three men, very different from each other, that try to hunt down the giant shark that causes all the trouble in Amity. First we have police chief Martin Brody, a New Yorker who was tired of all the violence in the big city. Now he is stationed in the small town of Amity, in New England. When a shark starts taking victims, Brody wants the beaches to be closed, but it’s summer season and the mayor doesn’t want all the tourists to leave. Brody gets help from oceanographer and shark expert Matt Hooper, who also doesn’t manage to convince the mayor. When more victims are claimed, the rough and harsh fisherman Quint is hired as well. The three of them try to catch and kill the shark.
Filled with suspense, humor, good acting and unforgettable music, “Jaws” should be on everyone’s “must-see” list. And in everyone’s collection. The film has an amazing buildup, where you see the actual shark when you’re about 45 minutes in. The element of not showing the shark, makes it even scarier and it will make you think twice about swimming in the ocean for a while. Even though the movie is from the 70s, and the effects are dated, “Jaws” still manages to give you the chills and scare you every single time. It holds up, even with those effects.
“Jaws” won three Academy Awards: montage, sound and music. That music, by John Williams, is one of the most recognizable themes in movie history. Even people who haven’t seen “Jaws” recognize it.
Let’s forget there were tree sequels (the second was acceptable, the rest is just terrible). “Jaws” is an ultimate classic, an enjoyable view every time.
Rating: 5/ 5
