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Jaws is a 1975 American thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on Peter Benchley's Jaws. The prototypical summer blockbuster, its release is regarded as a watershed moment in motion picture history. In the story, a giant man-eating great white shark attacks beachgoers on Amity Island, a fictional summer resort town, prompting the local police chief to hunt it with the help of a marine biologist and a professional shark hunter. The film stars Roy Scheider as police chief Martin Brody, Richard Dreyfuss as oceanographer Matt Hooper,Robert Shaw as shark hunter Quint, Murray Hamilton as the mayor of Amity Island, and Lorraine Gary as Brody's wife, Ellen. The screenplay is credited to both Benchley, who wrote the first drafts, and actor-writer Carl Gottlieb, who rewrote the script during principal photography.

Shot mostly on location on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, the film had a troubled production, going over budget and past schedule. As the art department's mechanical sharks suffered many malfunctions, Spielberg decided to mostly suggest the animal's presence, employing an ominous, minimalistic theme created by composer John Williams to indicate the shark's impending appearances. Spielberg and others have compared this suggestive approach to that of classic thriller director Alfred Hitchcock. Universal Picture] gave the film what was then an exceptionally wide release for a major studio picture, over 450 screens, accompanied by an extensive marketing campaign with a heavy emphasis on television spots and tie-in merchandise.

Generally well received by critics, Jaws became the highest-grossing film in history at the time, and it was the most successful motion picture of all time until Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. It won several awards for its soundtrack and editing and is often cited as one of the greatest films of all time. Along with Star Wars, Jaws was pivotal in establishing the modern Hollywood business model, which revolves around blockbuster action and adventure pictures with simple "high-concept" premises that are released during the summer in thousands of theaters and supported by heavy advertising. It was followed by three sequels, none with the participation of Spielberg or Benchley, and many imitative thrillers. In 2001, Jaws was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry, being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

Cast[]

Roy Scheider Chief Martin Brody
Robert Shaw Sam Quint
Richard Dreyfuss Matt Hooper
Lorraine Gary Ellen Brody
Murray Hamilton Mayor Larry Vaughn
Carl Gottlieb Meadows
Jeffrey Kramer Deputy Hendricks
Susan Backlinie Chrissie Watkins
Lee Fierro Mrs. Kintner
Peter Benchley Interviewer

Gallery[]


v - e - d
Jaws transparent logo
Media
Films: Jaws (soundtrack/video) • Jaws 2 (soundtrack/video) • Jaws 3-D (soundtrack/video) • Jaws: The Revenge (soundtrack/video)

Video games: Shark JawsJawsJaws UnleashedJaws.ioUniversal Studios Theme Parks AdventureJaws: Ultimate PredatorKiller Shark

Characters
Jaws: Martin BrodySam QuintMatt HooperEllen BrodyLarry VaughnMeadowsJeff HendricksChrissie WatkinsMrs. KintnerAlex KintnerMichael BrodySean BrodyBen GardnerBrucePipit

Jaws 2: Len PetersonDr. ElkinsTina WilcoxTom AndrewsAndy NicholasJackie PetersEddie MarchandPaul LomanTimmy WeldonLarry Vaughn Jr.Doug FettermanBrooke PetersMrs. TaftHarry WisemanMr. PosnerDiane HetfieldPhil FogertyBrucetteBaby Shark
Jaws 3-D: Kathryn MorganPhilip FitzRoyceCalvin BouchardKelly Ann BukowskiJack TateDannyLizEthalShelby OvermanMrs. KellenderBrucetta
Jaws: The Revenge: Jake McCayCarla BrodyThea BrodyHoagie NewcombeJason WitherspoonClarenceWilliamTiffanyPollyMayor JimDeputy LennyMrs. FergusonVengeance

Locations
Amity IslandAmity Police StationAmity GazetteAmity Hardware StoreAmity Town HallJaws BridgeAmity HarborAmity FerryQuint's Shop
See also
Jaws: The RideGreat White SharksThe Shark Is Still WorkingThe Game of JawsThe Shark Is BrokenThe Making of JawsIn the Teeth of JawsBruce
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