Jaws

The iconic shark movie that most likely changed how movies are packaged to audiences as much as any in history is now thirty-seven years past its initial release. The cinematic landscape has grown into a vastly different battle of extremes in comparison to what it was in 1975, when Jaws opened in a then-unheard of 464 screens in North America. The film's wunderkind director Steven Spielberg has subsequently had a storybook career filled with awards, box office success and massive amounts of influence. Jaws, a true phenomenon upon release, went on to become the highest grossing movie of all time, a title it held for just two years until Star Wars came along. It also earned an Oscar nomination for Best Picture, and has settled in as one of the most acclaimed, beloved films ever made.

Despite its age and having been made in a vastly different Hollywood climate, Jaws seems to have held up rather well, so much so that it perhaps resembles the modern brand of filmmaking more than the rebellious, gritty style typically attributed to American cinema of the 1970s. One could similarly argue that Jaws simply represents a spike in the throughline of a classical, audience-pleasing type of Hollywood storytelling. I don't think either would be exactly wrong. Jaws comes across as a transitional film, even more so than the less thematically daring Star Wars. Spielberg was careful to harken back to the adventurous themes and moods that audiences have always shown a passion for during the course of film history. Having John Williams add a score which virtually wills the viewer into whatever feeling is being demanded at any given point also plays a crucial role.

That Jaws also still feels relevant, as a classic certainly but not a relic, is a testament to both the movie's influence, which probably extends to even current fare, and its maker's willingness to sacrifice the safe and easy. Spielberg, having made just one theatrical feature at the time in The Sugarland Express, directed as though he had very little to lose. He took risks of the kind which he'd only rarely take in the future. He begins Jaws much like a horror movie, with a naked young woman being violently killed. Borderline subversive ideas of capitalism above all else, even the safety of the citizenry, are introduced rather prominently. There's a daring here, of emphasizing Murray Hamilton's mayor character as a villain unconcerned with little else than the revenue generated by his tourist season. In this and other sections of the film, such as when the three principals sit around drunkenly singing of their desire to return home, there exists a slight darkness beyond the obvious battle between shark and man which permeates much of the movie.


It's also worth keeping in mind that Jaws has two halves which are vastly different. Following an earlier, highly memorable introduction, Robert Shaw's Quint only enters the movie in earnest a little over an hour into it. The previous half allows Captain Brody, as played with ideal and heroic stiffness by Roy Scheider, to be introduced slowly. The earlier characterization of Brody makes the second half's obsession with heroism and adventure more palatable. Instead of Brody, Quint and Richard Dreyfuss' Hooper merely existing as ragtag action heroes thrown together for a common cause, their mission serves a unique purpose for each man. A sense develops that all three need to find and kill the shark for something almost existential within themselves.

The safety net throughout is (and always will be ) Steven Spielberg. On some level there's this nagging reminder that Spielberg is incapable of true bleakness. His cinema is deservedly synonymous with hope, be it real or imagined. The mixture of courage and stupidity that Spielberg has talked about in regards to making Jaws served him well, and I'm reminded that his movies are almost always more interesting when he takes risks with his formidable talents. I'm not sure I truly love any of Spielberg's films but the ones I find most intriguing tend to be those where he's especially ambitious. There are enough of these to somewhat offset all of the more treacly offerings but it's nonetheless easy to sometimes wonder whether that filmmaker who spent over five months of difficult shooting on Jaws has made the caliber of movies his talent once promised. I couldn't say for sure whether that's simply a testament to the strength of this film or a more bothered reaction to some of what has followed it.

The Disc(s)

Jaws comes to Blu-ray, first in North America (the one being reviewed here) and a bit later in the UK, on the occasion of Universal Studio's 100th Anniversary. It's a stacked release, with two feature-length documentaries and an extra DVD copy of the movie also included. The BD is region-free.

The image quality on this high definition transfer is largely impeccable. While retaining some degree of the inherent grain of the film, the 2.35:1 image pops well for its sharpness, detail and faithful rendering of colors and skin tones. Universal has drawn some deserved criticism of late for its overly filtered-looking Blu-rays but there are no such concerns on the occasion of Jaws. This is an absolute winner which looks more like a modern new release than a film which came out in 1975. Very impressive indeed.

Audio is similarly strong. The film was given an English DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track which sounds exceptional. Also available is a DTS 2.0 mono option, as well as French and Spanish DTS 5.1 Surround dubs. The much-celebrated John Williams score really shines here. Subtitles are available in English for the hearing impaired, Spanish and French. The DVD trades the 7.1 track for a 5.1 alternative, but also includes the dubs as well as a Dolby Digital mono.

The two feature-length documentaries included here are genuinely deserving of praise. The Making of Jaws (2:02:48), made by Laurent Bouzereau in 1995 for the film's laserdisc release, has gained enormous and deserved acclaim over the years. While The Shark Is Still Working The Impact & Legacy of Jaws (1:41:21), a more recent documentary on the world of Jaws, does (inevitably) repeat some of what's found in the earlier making-of piece, it also expands upon certain elements and, ultimately, becomes a worthy companion. It's easy to watch both documentaries without experiencing the sort of fatigue which could conceivably afflict such dueling supplements. Both are in standard definition and Academy aspect ratio. The Shark Is Still Working is broken up into ten sections but can also be watched utilizing the Play All feature.

Also here are a collection of Deleted Scenes and Outtakes (13:33), which are in standard definition and letterboxed inside a 4:3 frame. These are not playable separately or even divided into individual chapters.

"Jaws: The Restoration" (8:28), in HD, is a look at the most recent work, derived from the original negative and analog audio tracks, done on the film and features Steven Spielberg among its interviewees.

"From the Set" (8:56) is a vintage behind-the-scenes look at the film's production, made for the UK and hosted by Iain Johnstone. It's in standard definition and 4:3. A sit-down interview with the 26-year-old Spielberg, on his second day of shooting at Martha's Vineyard, is the highlight of the piece.

Numerous Storyboards (29:45) and Production Photos (48:34) can be found in the section of the menu labeled Jaws Archives. Also included in this area is "Maketing Jaws" (9:20), which amounts to seventy or so pictures of posters and ads for the picture. The "Jaws Phenomenon" (10:08) is a similar feature for international marketing. It should be noted that these aren't necessarily the friendliest ways of viewing the images considering how small they appear on the screen.

The film's original Theatrical Trailer (3:15) is presented in standard definition, letterboxed in 4:3.

In terms of supplements, the included DVD contains only "Spotlight on Location: The Making of Jaws (50:10), a truncated version of the longer documentary.

Other BD bells and whistles include a My Scenes feature, D-Box motion code, Pocket Blu, and BD-Live.

There's also an Ultraviolet Digital Copy code included with the set, plus a nifty Universal 100th Anniversary slipcover.

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