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Jaws (1975)

Starring Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, and Lorraine Gary.  Cinematography by Bill Butler.  Edited by Verna Fields.  Produced by David Brown and Richard D. Zanuck.  Written by Peter Benchley and Carl Gottlieb. Directed by Steven Spielberg.

Martin Brody (played by Roy Scheider), the new police chief in the New England town of Amity, is called to the beach one day when the body of a young woman is washed ashore. After her autopsy Brody is informed that the death was likely the result of a shark bite, but Larry Vaughn (played by Murray Hamilton), the town’s mayor, insists that this is not the case. He is worried that if word gets round that there are sharks in his waters his town will miss out on the lucrative Fourth of July tourists.  Shark expert Matt Hooper (played by Richard Dreyfuss) is brought in to analyze the case and he too suspects a shark.

Unfortunately their concerns are confirmed when another body washes up on the beach. July Fourth eventually comes and despite their pleas to the contrary, hundreds of vacationers take to the waters.  Suddenly a third victim is taken and the situation can be ignored no more. Brody and Hooper, along with a shark hunter named Quint (played by Robert Shaw), take to the seas to locate and kill the treacherous Great White.

In the early seventies, Peter Benchley was inspired to write his book when he read a newspaper article detailing the capture of a five thousand pound Great White shark off the coast of Long Island, New York. He called his story Jaws and when it hit bookstores in 1974 it was an instant success. It continued to thrive for weeks, spending nearly a year on top of the bestsellers list.  When film producers David Brown and Richard D. Zanuck read the Benchley’s novel, they were impressed with its on screen potential and immediately sought to purchase the rights; which they ultimately did for one hundred and seventy five thousand dollars.

They offered their project to director Dick Richards and he accepted.  While visiting their offices, Steven Spielberg (who was making their film The Sugarland Express), saw the script and was taken with it as well.  Its theme reminded him of his first feature, Duel, and he asked if he could direct it.  His request was initially denied, but Richards quickly bowed out of the deal and Brown and Zanuck decided to hand it over to Spielberg.

There is a film every so often that becomes less of a movie and more of a phenomenon.  Audiences didn’t just watch Jaws; they greedily feasted upon it, filling theater after theater and purchasing millions of dollars in related merchandise.  Jaws quickly became the highest grossing film of all time and was the first to ever topple the one hundred million dollar mark.  History will remember it as the first “blockbuster” film as it single-handedly changed the way that producers marketed and distributed their investments. And all that’s just the film.

Spielberg was also showered with appreciation and awards. He became Hollywood’s “golden boy” and was from this point on given his pick of the litter for future projects. The amazing thing about Jaws is that the film continues to keep it’s viewers on the edge of their seats as the years pass by. The film is absolutely timeless and will undoubtedly be studied and enjoyed by audiences for many years to come.

Budget: $12,000,000

Total US Gross: $260,000,000

Genre: Thriller

Runtime: 124 Minutes

US Release Date: 6/20/75

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Awards:

Academy Awards: 
Won for best editing, original score, and sound.
Nominated for best picture. 

Golden Globes: 
Won for best original score.
Nominated for best screenplay, director, and dramatic picture.

Directors Guild of America: 
Nominated for the Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures. 

Writers Guild of America: 
Nominated for Best Drama Adapted from Another Medium. 

American Film Institute’s Top 100 Lists: 
100 Years… 100 Movies (#48)
100 Years… 100 Thrills (#2)
100 Years… 100 Heroes and Villains (#18 Villain – The Shark)
100 Years… 100 Movie Quotes (#35 – “You’re gonna need a bigger boat.”)
100 Years of Film Scores (#6).

Tagline: The Terrifying Motion Picture From The Terrifying No. 1 Best Seller.

Quote: “Mr. Vaughan, what we are dealing with here is a perfect engine... an eating machine. It's really a miracle of evolution.  All this machine does is swim and eat and make little sharks and that's all.”

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