Jaws (1975)

Director:

Steven Spielberg

Writers:

Peter Benchley (screenplay) and
Carl Gottlieb (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

20 June 1975 (USA)

Genre:

Thriller

Tagline:

The Nation's No.1 Best-Selling Book now the Screen's Super-Thriller

Plot:

When a gigantic great white shark begins to menace the small island community of Amity, a police chief, a marine scientist and grizzled fisherman set out to stop it.

Plot Keywords:

Shark | Beach | Island | Fisherman | Mayor

Awards:

Won 3 Oscars. Another 9 wins & 13 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Fri. Jan. 1

4:00 PM

MAX

Cast

Roy Scheider	...	Brody
Robert Shaw	...	Sam Quint
Richard Dreyfuss	...	Hooper
Lorraine Gary	...	Ellen Brody
Murray Hamilton	...	Vaughn
Carl Gottlieb	...	Meadows
Jeffrey Kramer	...	Hendricks (as Jeffrey C. Kramer)
Susan Backlinie	...	Chrissie
Jonathan Filley	...	Cassidy
Ted Grossman	...	Estuary Victim
Chris Rebello	...	Michael Brody
Jay Mello	...	Sean Brody
Lee Fierro	...	Mrs. Kintner
Jeffrey Voorhees	...	Alex Kintner
Craig Kingsbury	...	Ben Gardner
Dr. Robert Nevin	...	Medical Examiner
Peter Benchley	...	Interviewer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Chris Anastasio	...	Out of Towner (uncredited)
John Bahr	...	Beach Guitarist (uncredited)
Allison Caine	...	Additional Voices (voice) (uncredited)
Robert Carroll	...	Mr. Polk (uncredited)
Edward Chalmers Jr.	...	Mr. Denherder (uncredited)
Robert Chambers	...	Charlie (uncredited)
Denise Cheshire	...	Swimming Chrissie, First Victim (uncredited)
Fritzi Jane Courtney	...	Mrs. Taft (uncredited)
Cyprian R. Dube	...	Mr. Posner (uncredited)
Paul Goulart	...	Clarinet Player in Music Store (uncredited)
Mike Haydn	...	Bonfire Guitarist (uncredited)
Duncan Inches	...	Townsperson (uncredited)
Belle McDonald	...	Mrs. Posner (uncredited)
Donald Poole	...	Frank Silva, Harbor Master (uncredited)
Ayn Ruymen	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Peggy Scott	...	Polly (uncredited)
Steven Spielberg	...	Amity Point Lifestation Worker (voice) (uncredited)
Alfred Wilde	...	Harry Wiseman (uncredited)
Dick Young	...	Pratt (uncredited)

Directed by
Steven Spielberg

Writing credits
Peter Benchley		(screenplay) and
Carl Gottlieb		(screenplay)
Peter Benchley		(novel)
John Milius		Indianapolis monologue (uncredited)
Howard Sackler		Indianapolis monologue (uncredited)
Robert Shaw		Indianapolis monologue (uncredited)

Produced by
David Brown	....	producer
Richard D. Zanuck	....	producer

Original Music by
John Williams

Cinematography by
Bill Butler		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Verna Fields

Production Design by
Joe Alves		(as Joseph Alves Jr.)

Set Decoration by
John M. Dwyer

Makeup Department
Del Armstrong	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Verne Caruso	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Jim Gillespie	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
James Fargo	....	unit production manager (as Jim Fargo)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Barbara Bass	....	second assistant director
Tom Joyner	....	first assistant director
Joe Alves	....	second unit director (uncredited)
Verna Fields	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
Thomas Wright	....	production illustrator (uncredited)

Sound Department
John R. Carter	....	sound
Robert L. Hoyt	....	sound (as Robert Hoyt)
Gregory King	....	sound re-recording mixer (25th anniversary release)
Norval D. Crutcher III	....	sound effects editor (2000 restoration) (uncredited)
George Fredrick	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Gary S. Gerlich	....	sound supervisor (2000 restoration) (uncredited)
Walter A. Gest	....	adr recordist (uncredited)
Roger Heman Jr.	....	sound (uncredited)
William Hooper	....	sound effects editor (2000 restoration) (uncredited)
Andy Koyama	....	2001 restoration sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Richard LeGrand Jr.	....	supervising sound editor (2000 restoration) (uncredited)
Earl Madery	....	sound (uncredited)
Colin C. Mouat	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Patrick O'Sullivan	....	sound editor (2000 restoration) (uncredited)
Walter Spencer	....	dialog editor: restoration (uncredited)
Roger Sword	....	sound editor (uncredited)
James Troutman	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Robert A. Mattey	....	special effects
Kevin Pike	....	special effects assistant
Roy Arbogast	....	special mechanical effects (uncredited)
Richard S. Edwards	....	explosive expert (uncredited)
Richard Stutsman	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Eddie Surkin	....	special effects crew (uncredited)

Stunts
Richard E. Butler	....	stunts (uncredited)
Howard Curtis	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ted Grossman	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)
Frank James Sparks	....	stunt double: Richard Dreyfuss (uncredited)
Fred Zendar	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dick Ziker	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Chapman	....	camera operator
Rexford L. Metz	....	underwater photographer (as Rexford Metz)
Ron Taylor	....	underwater photographer: live shark footage (as Ron)
Valerie Taylor	....	underwater photographer: live shark footage
Vito Carenzo	....	grip (uncredited)
James A. Contner	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Louis Goldman	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Fred Schuler	....	additional camera operator (uncredited)
Ronald Vidor	....	underwater camera operator (uncredited)
Dennis Young	....	underwater grip (uncredited)
Ron Zarilla	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Shari Rhodes	....	location casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Louise Clark	....	wardrobe: women (uncredited)
Robert Ellsworth	....	wardrobe: men (uncredited)

Editorial Department
William C. Carruth	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Jeff Gourson	....	assistant film editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Bob Bain	....	musician: guitar (uncredited)
Joseph Glassman	....	music editor (uncredited)
Tommy Johnson	....	musician: tuba soloist (uncredited)
Paul Kegg	....	musician: cello (uncredited)
Steven Spielberg	....	musician: clarinet in orchestra (uncredited)
John Williams	....	conductor (uncredited)

Other crew
Charlsie Bryant	....	script supervisor
William S. Gilmore	....	production executive (as William S. Gilmore Jr.)
Fred Zendar	....	technical advisor (as Manfred Zendar)
Al Ebner	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Rick Fields	....	assistant: Mr. Spielberg (uncredited)
Ron Veto	....	underwater diver (uncredited)

Thanks
Leonard J.V. Compagno	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of: The Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University (as Mr. L.J.V. Compagno)

Production Companies

• Zanuck/Brown Productions (for)
• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1975) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cinema International Corp. (1975) (UK) (theatrical)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1976) (France) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1979) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• DiscoVision (1981) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MCA Home Video (1984) (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1996) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• CIC Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Prem'er Video Fil'm (Russia) (VHS)
• Universal Home Video (200?) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Canada (2000) (Canada) (DVD) (as Universal Studios Home Video Canada)

Special Effects

• Universal Title (optical effects)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes and dollies (uncredited)
• Cinematique  cosmetics
• Decca Records  soundtrack released by
• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)  this picture made under the jurisdiction of (as I.A.T.S.E.®)
• MCA Records  soundtrack released by
• National Geographic Society  the producers gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of (as The National Geographic Society)
• The Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University  the producers gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of
• Universal Title  titles
• Varèse Sarabande  score album released by

Runtime:

124 min | USA:130 min (TV version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Portugal:M/12 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (1995) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Iceland:16 | Spain:T | USA:TV-14 | Brazil:14 | New Zealand:M | Canada:14A (Canadian Home Video rating) | Argentina:18 | Australia:M | Chile:18 | Denmark:15 | France:-12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:15 | Israel:PG | Japan:PG-12 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 (video rating) | Norway:16 (original rating) | Singapore:PG | South Korea:12 | Sweden:15 | Taiwan:GP | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1987) | USA:PG (Certificate #24175) | West Germany:16 | Finland:K-16

Filming Locations:

American Legion Memorial Bridge, Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Zanuck/Brown Productions

Trivia:

Steven Spielberg originally wanted Joe Spinell and Frank Pesce to be the two guys on the dock fishing for the shark at night (Pesce as the guy who falls in the water and Spinell shouting to him). Unfortunately, Pesce couldn't make it to Martha's Vineyard.

Goofs:

Continuity: The dried bloody stains around the tiger shark's mouth, as it hangs on the dock, change and/or disappear, depending on the shot.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Tom Cassidy: What's your name again?
Christine 'Chrissie' Watkins: Chrissie.
Tom Cassidy: Where are we going?
Christine 'Chrissie' Watkins: Swimming

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Primeval (2007)

Soundtrack:

Show Me The Way To Go Home

Spielberg at the top of his game

My Rating: **** out of ****.

Steven Spielberg is one of the best American directors working today. He has made many films that have been hailed as classics. Yet before the Dinosaurs, Holocaust, Peter Pan, UFO's, and Indy there was the Shark. Jaws represents one of the masterpieces on Spielbergs resume. It is also probably the "Quintessential Spielberg Film."

Jaws was very popular when released, it was the gighest grossing film of 1975. It spawned three sequels, which were all inferior. In fact, no film about Sharks or any killer fish has been able to come close to the level of Jaws.

The genius in Jaws is its ability to build suspense. The Shark is never really shown till near the end of the film. When ever the Shark is approaching its victims, we get the Sharks point of view, instead of seeing the Shark. These POV shots combined with John Williams very effective score, make the scenes when the Shark is about to devour his victims much more effective.

Evry actor does a nice job with their performances. Roy Scheider brings Martin to life. Martin is not a showy character but Scheider is able to make us like him. Richard Dreyfuss exhibits energy in his performance as Matt Hooper. Robert Shaw is very effective as Quint, that Indiannapolis speech is still very chilling to me. Lorraine Gary and Murray Hamilton also give solid support.

People always talk about how fake the Shark looks. I think its passable but today it would definitely be done by CGI. However, the Shark is not seen that much in the film so its not that big of a deal.

I would like to say Jaws is Spielbergs best film, Schindlers List closely follows. But I would like to see Close Encouners and the Indiana Jones films again. I did not like Close Encounters the first time, and I like the Indiana Jones films but they never stood out to me. If these films dont surpass Jaws, then it is definitely Spielberg's best film.