Jaws (1975)
On June 20, 1975, director Steven Spielberg released the horror-thriller movie Jaws, based on Peter Benchley's novel. At the time of the movie's release, no one could have imagined not only what a cinematic success it would be, but the impact it would make on Hollywood in the future. Jaws was the highest grossing box office film ever until Star Wars was released a few years later. Winning three Academy Awards and loved by critics, its success continues even to this day, achieving a cult classic type of status. Both young and old are familiar with the popular movie about an enormous great white shark terrorizing the beaches of a small town. Its main musical score, merely two notes played over and over, announced to the audience that the shark was coming. To this day, people still will mimic that suspenseful melody when trying to promote a frightening event.
Though horror movies tend to not be favorites among critics, some felt its success was due in part to the character development Spielberg put into his film. Jaws takes place in the charming beach setting of Amity Island in New England. The Amity police chief is Martin Brody, played by Roy Scheider, and he is the main character throughout the film. Other important characters are Ellen Brody, his wife (Lorraine Gary), marine biologist Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and the professional shark hunter known as Quint (Robert Shaw). Actor Murray Hamilton plays the town's mayor, Larry Vaughan. Peter Benchley himself even makes a small appearance as an interviewer. Spielberg makes certain you get to know all of these characters throughout the film.
The movie begins with a young woman going for an evening swim after a party. The suspense starts immediately, knowing something is lurking beneath the water. She is pulled underwater by Jaws and the horror begins. The town mayor, never wanting to do anything to harm tourism, decides to label the incident a boating accident. Not long after, a young boy is also killed by the great white. Hooper enters the scene, studying remains and determining there is, indeed, a shark problem in Amity. The mother of the young boy hires Quint to find and kill the shark that took her son's life. Quint hunts and kills a tiger shark, and the town believes their shark problem is over. But not long after, more lives are lost by Jaws, and Brody, Hooper and Quint take off aboard the vessel, Orca, determined to hunt and kill the great white terrorizing their beaches.
The suspenseful scenes that take place aboard the Orca are the most memorable, leaving the audience to question who is the hunter and who is the hunted. Jaws attacks the Orca on many occasions and, in the end, Jaws does meet his end, but not without taking Quint's life first.
Jaws was the first movie to be released in theaters across the country, all at the same time. It was also heavily advertised on television, building up suspense with anxious audience members counting down the days to its release. Hollywood had been in a slump until that point, but the hype and overwhelming financial and critical success of Jaws changed the way movies were released in the future. Movies used to gradually open in theaters across the country, a few at a time. Hollywood now saw what large money makers films could be, when heavily advertised and opened nationwide.
Jaws was a favorite thriller back in 1975 and will be for generations to come. Its story is timeless as the great white shark still swims the oceans. The combined talents of writer Peter Benchley and award-winning director, Steven Spielberg, resulted in a perfect film, destined to succeed.