Jaws (1975) – Encore Review 5

“Fellows, let’s be reasonable, huh? This is not the time or the place to perform some kind of a half-assed autopsy on a fish… And I’m not going to stand here and see that thing cut open and see that little Kintner boy spill out all over the dock. ” – Mayor Vaughn

Number of Times Seen – Between 10-20 times (TV, Video, DVD, 26 Jun 2007, 17 Nov 2013, 28 Aug 2016, 29 Aug 2019, 4 Jul 2021, 5 Jan 2022 and 14 Sep 2022)

Link to original review – Here, Here, Here, Here and Here

Brief Synopsis – After a deadly shark begins to attack bathers on a small New England island, the local police chief tries to find a way to stop the menace from claiming more victims.

My Take on it – Such an amazing film that was enhanced by the fact that I finally got to see it on the big screen; in fact in IMAX.

The story is great and Steven Spielberg found some really interesting ways to make the film even more thrilling as the suspense level is constantly on the rise even without the need to show the shark itself.

Even after having seen this movie so many time,s it is still enjoyable to go back to it because of the way that they build up the characters and the story.

The music by John Williams is genius and just those few beats are so recognizable to almost everyone despite the film being made almost 50 years ago.

The special effects are also great and they add so much to the realism of the shark and the way it attacks over and over.

Yes, it’s a known fact that the production had lots and lots of problems with ‘Bruce’ the shark, but still manage to keep it all so amazing to look at.

The cast is superb and I love the way that the three main ones played by Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss are all so diverse in their personalities, yet manage to find ways to work together towards the common goal of catching and killing this menacing shark.

This movie is very deserving of its 4 Oscar nominations including Best Picture.

It actually managed to win three of the four (Sound, Music (by Williams) and Film Editing), yet eluded the big win for Best Picture which is a shame since it was the best of the crop IMHO.

This film is early proof of the genius and talent of a young director named Spielberg and even after nearly 5 decades, it’s so easy to see how great he would eventually become just by what he does here.

Highly Highly Recommended!

MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia – Though respected as an actor, Robert Shaw’s trouble with alcohol was a frequent source of tension during filming. In later interviews, Roy Scheider described his co-star as “a perfect gentleman whenever he was sober. All he needed was one drink and then he turned into a competitive son-of-a-bitch.” According to Carl Gottlieb’s book “The Jaws Log,” Shaw was having a drink between takes, at which one point he announced, “I wish I could quit drinking.” Much to the surprise and horror of the crew, Richard Dreyfuss simply grabbed Shaw’s glass and tossed it into the ocean. When it came time to shoot the infamous USS Indianapolis Scene, Shaw attempted to do the monologue while intoxicated as it called for the men to be drinking late at night. Nothing in the take could be used. A remorseful Shaw called Steven Spielberg late that night and asked if he could have another try. The next day of shooting, Shaw’s electrifying performance was done in one take. (From IMDB)

Rating – Oscar Worthy (10/10) (no change from original review)

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