Jaws [1976]

You can tell from the off that this film is a classic, with the opening score, that has become so synonymous with the animal star of the film, by the great John Williams (who has also written the score for Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Home Alone, Jurassic Park and, more recently, Harry Potter, to name but a few). The acting is much more than you would expect from the average film of this genre, and this above all else keeps the viewer hooked to the very end. For their time the action sequences are excellent, though by todays standards they would seem dreadful. This does, however, not detract from the movie in the slightest.

Jaws has had a huge following, and will always be hailed as a classic. The film is so good, in fact, that it has created an almost world-wide fear of the great white shark. Of course, included on the DVD are a multitude of special features - even an educational video - so you can learn for yourself the whether or not this beast will rise from the deep next time you're out having a doggy-paddle! The full list of features is printed above, so I won't bore you with repetativeness. Needless to say that there is an impressive array of special features which far out-weigh those of most DVD's both in terms of content and quality.

To sum things up:

If you have seen this film and enjoyed it, then this is the DVD for you. If you haven't seen this film there are few that I can recommend more highly. Rent it, buy it, but whatever you do, you MUST see this film!


Brilliant Movie - Shame About The Features   January 6, 2001
6 out of 6 found this review helpful

There can be no complaints about the movie Jaws and I'm delighted to add it to my growing DVD collection. It is a classic in every sense - beautiful character development, comedy, tension,shocks and thrills, inspired direction and conception...it's all there in one amazing package.

One thing that did seriously disappoint me about this particular version on DVD, however, was the 'special' features included.

I am always fascinated in particular by deleted scenes and out-takes. So I was particularly looking forward to viewing these.

To my mind, however, 4 shots of Roy Scheider having problems firing a gun and 1 shot of Robert Shaw screaming (not very different from the actual shot used, except the crew laugh) do not constitute out-takes.

Equally, the deleted scenes were uninspired and often nonsensical, many of them being taken from very raw and shaky footage. The sound quality was often extremely poor.

I did find that I felt conned by this and it took the edge off my viewing. But in the grand scheme of things, the movie itself rises above the disappointment of poorly presented extras and I would certainly urge any fan of Jaws to buy this version.

Just buy it for the movie - not for the features - and you won't be left high and dry.

LabRat :)


Nature's perfect killing machine brought to cinematic life   November 9, 2003
Daniel Jolley (Shelby, North Carolina USA)
5 out of 6 found this review helpful

Jaws is not only the first blockbuster to gross over one hundred million dollars, a visceral thriller that showcases the art and craft of moviemaking at its finest, and a film that probably made millions of families rethink their summer vacation plans over the past quarter of a century plus, it is a cultural phenomenon that has become a permanent part of pop culture. John Williams' theme to Jaws is immediately recognizable on both an intellectual and emotional level, whether you've seen the movie or not. Major and minor problems alike are still met with the words, "You're [or we're] going to need a bigger boat." This twenty-fifth anniversary DVD release only furthers and adds to the legend, tossing extra features into the waters of our consciousness like so much delectable chum, and we are drawn to this aromatic feast of bloody entertainment the same way the star of this movie (which isn't Dreyfus, Scheider, or Shaw) is drawn to the smell of blood and the necessity of constant feeding as it slips through the oceans of our planet and, thanks to Peter Benchley, Steven Spielberg, and others, the oceans of our very thoughts and fears.

This movie works on so many levels. First, we have Amity police chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider), a New York City transplantee who now polices an island despite his fear of water. When a young lady is killed in the movie's memorable opening scene, pretty obviously by a shark, he allows himself to be dissuaded from closing the beaches by a slimy mayor who cares more for the holiday tourist season than the lives of the men, women, and children vacationing there. When a boy is killed soon thereafter in front of basically everyone, Brody is rightly racked with a guilt that the mayor still doesn't understand. A bounty on the shark brings all kinds of crazy people to the harbor, fighting each other in piddling little boats in a race to catch the killer. It also brings shark expert Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and self-proclaimed shark hunter Quint (Robert Shaw) to town. A shark is captured, but it soon becomes clear that this tiger shark is not the rogue killer terrorizing the island; Brody's son is in fact lucky to survive the ultimate proof of this fact. Eventually, Hooper and Brody go out on the Orca with the eccentric, roguish Quint determined to find and kill the great white shark whom we finally get a close-up view of well over halfway through the movie. This first real look at the mammoth twenty-six footer is brilliantly shot; having been conditioned to expect the shark only after Williams' incredible theme song begins, Jaws decides to make his first close-up a memorable surprise to the audience and, most especially, Brody. The hunters soon become the hunted, leading to an increasingly suspenseful, riveting conclusion.

Many would view the shark as a monster, but if there is a monster in this film it is the mayor and local businessmen who sacrifice lives in the name of money. The shark is just doing what he does naturally, feeding, and I cannot do anything but respect this remarkable creature. The shark is nature's perfect killing machine, perhaps the most magnificent and certainly the most efficient animal on this planet. This particular shark is as smart as he is huge, making him the most formidable of opponents for the Ahab-like Quint. Certainly, such a rogue killer has to be either starved out or killed in the interest of human life, but I mourn the eventual defeat of this magnificent animal.

This film was released in 1975, and the great white shark does not look terribly real today, but this takes nothing away from its magnificence and visceral impact on the viewer. Spielberg shows his genius early on in his directing career by holding back our first look at the shark for so long; the early deaths are quite memorable and pack quite a punch as it is, with levels of blood and panic that make this a film that probably haunted the dreams of many younger viewers and a fair share of adults for many a night. The final leg of the film is particularly extreme, making me wonder how this film got a PG rating. One of the most compelling scenes of the film, however, does not involve the shark at all; Quint's absorbing account of his experience after the sinking of the U.S.S. Indianapolis stands as one of the most emotionally enthralling scenes ever filmed.

The anniversary DVD edition of Jaws is simply loaded with extras, featuring 75 minutes of bonus footage, including several deleted scenes and outtakes. The main attraction, though, is the feature Spotlight on Location: The Making of Jaws, which delivers incredible insight on the making of the film. After watching these interviews with important cast and crew members and behind-the-scenes looks at the grueling, exceedingly challenging making of the film, this viewer's respect for the cinematic wonder that was created here grew by leaps and bounds.


'Show me the way to go home....'   August 10, 2004
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

On release in the summer of 1976, Jaws quickly became one of the biggest films of all time. It was recognized then, and still is, as a Hollywood Blockbuster with all the ingredients of an American Classic. From John Williams' haunting score, to the climatic 'dance of death' between Roy Schreider and the Great White, Jaws is simply perfect. When I realised that Universal this time were releasing a DVD with a good selection of extras, an improved picture and sound quality, I did not hesitate for a moment in purchasing it. Either should you.
The storyline you will probably already know, but I'll recap for some new viewers. A giant Great White Shark becomes the attention of the community of Amity Island, when a young girl dies when swimming in the ocean. Police Chief Martin Brody (Roy Schreider) and Shark Expert Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) try to persuade the local town commitee to indeed close the beaches, despite the loss of needed 'summer dollars' from tourists. It soon becomes clear that Amity's survival lies in the hands of Brody, Hooper and Amity Fisherman Quint (a fabulous Robert Shaw). What follows is one of the best fishing trips depicted on film.
What about the extras, I hear you screaming. Well, I was really impressed. The main attraction is undoubedly the 50 minute documentary, which I won't spoil, but some of the tricks that Spielberg pulled out to visualize the shark was simply genius. Very interesting facts about Quint's famous 'USS Indianapolis' speech, plus recent interviews with most of the cast, including Steven Spielberg himself. Deleted scenes I am never a fan of in any DVD, for they are all obvious why they did not make the final cut. The deleted scenes here roll on after each other without really pausing, and become a wee bit confusing to the viewer. The threatrical trailers are quite good actually, and quite terrifying if I may say so! For many, the sound and picture quality make this DVD worth purchasing or not. The picture is extremely clear and rich, and it begs the question, was this actually made almost 30 years ago? My favourite however needs to be the sound. Jaws has one of my favourite themes in film history, and it has never sounded better than it does here.
If you are looking for another DVD to add to your collection, look no further. Ask pretty much any film fan or critic out there, and they will tell you that Jaws IS special. Along with Schindler's List, this in my opinion is Steven Spielberg's greatest achievement. Do you and your DVD collection justice: buy this.


Not just a classic   August 13, 2004
-meaulnes- (UK)
4 out of 6 found this review helpful

'Jaws' is not just a classic. That word suggests an old movie that is no longer relevant in today's world of advanced technology and changing values, except to pretentious critics who live in the past. 'Jaws' is nearly 20 years old, but it still has the power to frighten, entertain and thrill audiences today. It's a masterclass in lean, tight and powerful movie storytelling.

If you watch the movie with someone who has never seen it before, it may be interesting to watch their reaction to it. They will jump out of their skin and shout in horror at the right moments. They will shout frantic instructions at the characters as they battle with the shark. They may laugh a little at the dated shark effects towards the end of the movie, but that will not detract from their enjoyment of the chase and their emotional identification with the characters. In this sense, the movie really is an anachronism, because it doesn't rely on cheap visual gimmickry to provide the thrills and action.

This DVD also features an excellent documentary on the movie, some amusing outtakes, and some interesting deleted scenes (including a truly bizarre scene in which the sailor and shark hunter, Quint, has a strange singing duel with a boy with a clarinet). Buy three copies of this instead of going to see 'Catwoman', and give the spare ones to your friends. The only thing to remember is to avoid the sequels. They were made by different directors and they are all massively inferior to the original.