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FILM DETAILS

Certificate 15

Cast Roy Scheider Robert Shaw Richard Dreyfuss.

Directors Steven Spielberg.

Screenwriters Peter Benchley Carl Gottlieb.

Running Time 124 minutes

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Jaws
Bigger boat still needed

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Plot
A great white shark terrorises a small US coastal resort which relies on tourist dollars... they need a hero...

Review
As legend goes, Steven Spielberg took an immediate shine to a script he spotted in producer David Brown's office. It was a simple pitch: a Great White shark terrorises a Florida resort at the height of its tourist season.

Nowadays such a concise bedevilment would be deemed pure Spielberg. Back then he was an unheralded whipper-snapper up to his neck in insouciant brine, irritable actors and a mechanical fish that just wouldn't play ball. It was the complete nightmare that invented the "summer blockbuster", launched the genius on a global scale and delivered an astonishingly effective thriller built on a very primal level: fear.

Somehow it all fell into place. The actors (Scheider, Dreyfuss, even Shaw as cantankerous quasi-Ahab, Quint) gelled; the script formed a precise three act chronology; and the shark was sensibly kept hidden until the very close. And John Williams happened to write the most impactful score in history. But one shouldn't discount the influence of Spielberg as director. Instantly dubbed a technobrat, he laces the narrative with tricksy delights - reverse zooms, fast edits, woozy oceanbound camerawork.

Jaws is one of the defining moments in his brilliant career. On a sheer cause and effect basis, it could be Spielberg's finest moment.

Jaws Released: 03 September 2012 Two feature-length documentaries offer a chance to see how Richard Dreyfuss’ impression of a walkie-talkie has evolved between 1995 and 2007, since he tells the exact same anecdote twice: “‘The shark is not working! BZZZZZTTT! The shark is not working!’” The older ‘making of’, by long-time Spielberg doc-maker Laurent Bouzereau, is a solid hand-me-down from the DVD, full of trivia on casting (Jeff Bridges and Lee Marvin were approached) and production issues (Gregory Peck nixed a scene in which Quint laughs so hard during a screening of Moby Dick that everyone else in the cinema leaves). But the real gem is the more recent doc: a group of Jaws fans set out to make a tribute called The Shark Is Still Working and ended up getting interviews with everyone from Spielberg and Scheider (who also narrates) to celebrity fans like Kevin Smith and Robert Rodriguez. Only available as an extra on this Blu-ray, it’s astonishingly good and clearly fuelled by love, with the crew even tracking down the guy who voiced the original trailer, the artist who drew the iconic poster and — maddest of all — Quint’s gimpy little friend, whose interview is longer than his Jaws screentime. Plus deleted scenes and more, as seen on the DVD.

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Jaws

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Average user rating for Jaws

RE: Jaws

Jaws remains a classic. The characters, the score, the humour mixed in with the gross out moments, it's all good. ... More

Posted by rich at 16:08, 17 February 2013 | Report This Post

RE: JAWS OVERATED.

Along with ET, Raiders and Close Enounters, Jaws is my favourite Spielberg movies. Back when he made movies to entertain us all rather than try to win Oscars. I still feel we have really got two Spielbergs. Pre and Post Schindler's List. I prefer the man who made the family movies rather than the guy who gave us Amistad and the like. I used to be a massive Spielberg fan, but for me James Cameron has eclipsed him. Quality not quantity. Back to the movie... Jaws is simply a su... More

Posted by Private Hudson at 15:52, 17 February 2013 | Report This Post

Jaws

L: Vitamin F Ah, the old 'rubber shark' criticism cliche...and on a reputable film forum too! Someone should initiate a "Bruce's Law" for this crime, akin to Godwin's. :D] Love it. I've spent years defending Bruce, if I had a pound for the "Yeah, it's good, but the shark looks rubbish" I'd be a few million pounds over the entire budget. ead The Jaws Log, or better still, Memories from Martha's Vineyard (the best film book I've ever read) and you'll appreciate just how difficult and... More

Posted by jonson at 17:41, 13 February 2013 | Report This Post

RE: Really Over-rated

Are we really even arguing over this? The film is a stone cold classic. Everyone who thinks otherwise can go play with their soulless CG franchises. ... More

Posted by film man aidy at 14:09, 13 February 2013 | Report This Post

RE: Really Over-rated

L: Cloud Cuckoo L: S1lent B0b This so-called classic hasn't dated well sharks ightfullly clear cliches don't really do it anymore.re you real? I can't comprehend any real person thinking that. et me started on the sequels o one wants to start you on the sequels; they have jack shit to do with the original. h, the old 'rubber shark' criticism cliche...and on a reputable film forum too! Someone should initiate a "Bruce's Law" for this crime, akin to Godwin's. If al... More

Posted by Vitamin F at 13:35, 13 February 2013 | Report This Post

RE: Really Over-rated

L: S1lent B0b This so-called classic hasn't dated well rubber sharks and frightfullly clear cliches don't really do it anymore.re you real? I can't comprehend any real person thinking that. et me started on the sequels o one wants to start you on the sequels; they have jack shit to do with the original. ... More

Posted by Cloud Cuckoo at 06:35, 13 February 2013 | Report This Post

RE: My favourite film

L: benny the jet Perfect film hat sums it up succinctly. I'm baffled by the negative comments here. There are cinephiles that don't worship Jaws? How can that happen? I am glad I first saw Jaws as a child. I wasn't at the time - it left me in frightened tears - but now I know its power to terrify. Jaws thrilled me as a child in the worst way (I still remember running out the room at John Williams' predictive score); now it thrills me in the greatest way possible. It is... More

Posted by Cloud Cuckoo at 06:07, 13 February 2013 | Report This Post

RE: faultless

I couldn't care less about little things like that. I mean, if you're going to start there, you may as well pick apart Scorsese's work because even in his best films the continuity is all over the place. Count these small errors in The Godfather and you'd probably end up in triple figures. And if you call that a blinding error, then your eyes must have been burning out of your skull at the scene in Citizen Kane where no-one is there to hear Charles say "Rosebud". These small things are lik... More

Posted by Mr Gittes at 23:32, 08 February 2013 | Report This Post

RE: faultless

L: CRUNT Shame Spielberg couldn't make his mind up whether it was day or night at the beach scene at the start though. how the fk can you overlook a blinding error like that don't think it was a matter of overlooking it, more of a case of it being shot "day for night" and being what, 38 years old (and Spielberg being only 26 years old) we can forgive that bit. Rather than it being a blinding error, more a case of that was the best he could do at the time. ... More

Posted by jonson at 17:00, 08 February 2013 | Report This Post

RE: faultless

Shame Spielberg couldn't make his mind up whether it was day or night at the beach scene at the start though. how the fk can you overlook a blinding error like that ... More

Posted by CRUNT at 15:47, 07 February 2013 | Report This Post

RE: faultless

L: mclane1 THE best film ever made, you can take your godfathers, your star wars and your excorcist and shove em. quite simply the greatest movie of all time. I have watched it now hundereds of times and everytime its as good as the last. Brilliant! dn't agree more, Mr McClane. My all time favourite movie. Perfect in every way. ... More

Posted by Mr Gittes at 14:06, 07 February 2013 | Report This Post

Some of you need to buck up!!!

This is without doubt a hands down classic that will never lose its effect for makin you scared of the water. Just watched the Blu-ray and it still looks just as good now. The mechanical shark is very effective and beats the shit out of any CGI shark out there! Those of you who think otherwise need not waste any more of our time on here trying to state it as overrated! This can never be rated high enough! ... More

Posted by dannyfletch at 21:43, 16 September 2012 | Report This Post

Err where is the blu ray review

Dont just review the movie,empire,WHAT'S IT LIKE ON BLU RAY, ... More

Posted by paulmitchell at 17:59, 15 September 2012 | Report This Post

JAWS Anniversary

This film STILL scares the bejeezus out of me. Which is all the more impressive when one considers the robust crapness of the mechanical "shark" itself. ... More

Posted by Roo at 15:00, 08 September 2012 | Report This Post

Jaws is a brilliantly made film which repays endless viewings

The first time I watched Jaws I did not understand it that well, which is why I disliked it. But then I decided to watch it again and I felt like watching it all the time, because of how entertaining and suspenseful it is I really enjoyed it. The character development is very good and I particularly enjoy Richard Dreyfuss character. It really didn't scare me, but I can understand and respect the culture and what it did to people in the 70's and 80's and even 90's. ... More

Posted by robmarathon at 09:37, 25 July 2012 | Report This Post

faultless

THE best film ever made, you can take your godfathers, your star wars and your excorcist and shove em. quite simply the greatest movie of all time. I have watched it now hundereds of times and everytime its as good as the last. Brilliant! ... More

Posted by mclane1 at 18:53, 22 March 2012 | Report This Post

Classical Killing Spree Movie

Having only seen Jaws for the first time a couple of days ago, I will admit it looks very dated, and the effects are somewhat laughable to observe today. Despite this, however, no one can deny the pure shot of adrenaline they get when watching this film. It's completely based around the concept of fear itself, and one of films' most famous scenes clarifies this by proving shocks can happen at any time. Performances are still strong by modern standards, as is the entertainment factor, which is wh... More

Posted by blaud at 14:51, 24 October 2011 | Report This Post

One of my all-time favourite films

This is without a doubt the most purely entertaining film I've ever seen and is my favourite Spielberg film. A masterpiece to the core. ... More

Posted by lewistarantino at 19:11, 22 April 2011 | Report This Post

Classic

Who cares about the sequels? ... More

Posted by Han Shot First at 03:15, 15 November 2010 | Report This Post

RE: Really Over-rated

It's completely unfair to have a go at Jaws based on a dig at the sequels,especially Jaws 4. It was unfortunately the done thing in that era to ride the shit out of a franchise until what was left was utterly different and of totally inferior quality to the first film. Although the Potter franchise springs to mind too.... Anyway,the first is a stand-out classic and still merits credit even upon modern viewing. A simple premise delivered masterfully-classic Spielberg. ... More

Posted by BOHEMIANBOB at 08:58, 15 August 2010 | Report This Post

RE: Really Over-rated

L: S1lent B0b Don't get me started on the sequels Sequels? what a ridiculous statement to make, Anyone who has any love for Jaws knows that there never were any sequels made There were never any teenage kids in peril or helicopter-attacking sharks, no 3d sharks, and Michael Caine was definitely never in Jaws, anyone who tells you they have seen a sequel to Jaws is clearly deluded, and must have dreamt it! There has only ever been and can only ever be one film called Jaws. sim... More

Posted by MrBear at 23:52, 14 August 2010 | Report This Post

RE: One of the best movies ever made

For some reason beyond my understanding I have only just gotten around to picking this up on DVD. Long time childhood fave and it was a pleasure to rediscover it. I picked up part 2 aswell because I think it's just as ace, at least I used to when I was a kid. Hopefully it still holds up! ... More

Posted by The REAL Bozz at 19:42, 14 August 2010 | Report This Post

One of the best movies ever made

I don't give a shit what anyone else says, I think that this is Spielberg's most purely entertaining picture and this has always been and always will be one of my favourite movies. ... More

Posted by !xHoTRoDx! at 22:30, 21 May 2010 | Report This Post

I dont care what anybody says....Jaws is spielbergs best film. Sure hes done great classics that are a fave of mine notably ET, schindlers list, jurassic park, indiana jones movies but jaws remains his top film. Its so fucking timeless and i thank god the shark didnt even operate properly otherwise we wud have ended up wiv a different movie altogether ... More

Posted by Coolerking2007 at 15:31, 05 January 2010 | Report This Post

Really Over-rated

This so-called classic hasn't dated well rubber sharks and frightfullly clear cliches don't really do it anymore.Don't get me started on the sequels ... More

Posted by S1lent B0b at 15:08, 17 September 2009 | Report This Post

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