Review of Jaws (1975) by Brittany F — 31 Aug 2013

Jaws is often credited as being the first summer blockbuster and boy once you see it you'll understand why. Not only does it have those great action scenes with the shark, but it also has excellent moments of human drama and comic relief.

The fact that two of my absolute favorite scenes, not just from this movie but of all time, don't even contain the shark is a testament to that. One of those scenes is the one in which the famous line, "That's some bad hat Harry" is said.

The editing Spielberg uses to create all these false shark attacks is amazing. He is able to create this tense atmosphere without showing the shark into at least an hour into the movie. My other favorite scene is the one on the boat in which Quint and Hooper are comparing scars.

It's a great moment of humanity and humor within a monster movie. You really get a sense of bonding between these two men while at the same time alienating Shaw from the group. In fact there is a moment where Spielberg uses a lens that is half in focus and half out of focus emphasizing the two different sides of this conversation: The tough guys and Shaw.

As I've mentioned a lot already, I think a lot of this can be credited to Spielberg's vision and direction. The studio wanted to show the shark right off the bat, but due to technical issues and Spielberg's insistence they had to be more careful with the use of the shark causing them to be more creative.

I haven't talked much about the shark scenes because that's always what you hear about when this movie is discussed. Those parts are awesome and intense, but I wanted to explain some of the reasons I think this more than a monster movie, it's a masterpiece.

I usually don't talk about picture quality but for this blu-ray it's a necessity. The transfer and re-master are absolutely pristine; it almost looks as if this film was released recently. I would recommend this movie to anyone because it combines the best aspects of several genres seamlessly.

I do not regret purchasing this blu-ray at all, its perfection.