Jaws (film)

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Jaws is a 1975 American thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on Peter Benchley's 1974 novel of the same name. The film stars Roy Scheider as Martin Brody, a police chief who, with the help of a marine biologist (Richard Dreyfuss) and a professional shark hunter (Robert Shaw), hunts a man-eating great white shark that is attacking beachgoers at a summer resort town. The screenplay is credited to Peter Benchley and Carl Gottlieb.

Plot

The film is set in the fictional resort town of Amity Island, where a young woman is killed by a shark while swimming near the town. After discovering her remains, police chief Martin Brody wants to close the beaches, but the mayor, Larry Vaughn, overrules him, fearing that the loss of tourist revenue will cripple the town. The shark kills several more victims, including a young boy, prompting Brody to enlist the help of marine biologist Matt Hooper and professional shark hunter Quint. The trio sets out on Quint's boat, the Orca, to hunt the shark. After a series of encounters, they manage to kill the shark, but not without significant personal cost.

Cast

• Roy Scheider as Martin Brody
• Robert Shaw as Quint
• Richard Dreyfuss as Matt Hooper
• Lorraine Gary as Ellen Brody
• Murray Hamilton as Larry Vaughn

Production

Jaws was shot mostly on location on Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts. The production was troubled, with many delays and budget overruns. The mechanical sharks used in the film frequently malfunctioned, leading Spielberg to use them sparingly and rely more on suspense and suggestion to create fear. This approach was highly effective and has been credited with making the film more terrifying.

Music

The film's score was composed by John Williams, whose theme for the shark, a simple alternating pattern of two notes, has become iconic. Williams won an Academy Award for Best Original Score for his work on the film.

Reception

Jaws was a massive critical and commercial success. It became the highest-grossing film of all time until the release of Star Wars in 1977. The film is credited with establishing the summer blockbuster genre and has had a lasting impact on the film industry.

Legacy

Jaws has been preserved in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." It spawned three sequels, none of which matched the success of the original. The film has also inspired numerous parodies, homages, and references in popular culture.

See also

• List of thriller films
• Steven Spielberg filmography
• Great white shark

External links

Jaws

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