Rating: 
Summary: This is not a boating accident!!
Review: My first encounter with Jaws was back in 1978 when I saw Jaws 2 as a 7 year old. A year or two later I got to see the original Jaws when it was re-released during the summer. I was genuinely enthralled by this landmark classic as a kid and to this day Jaws hasn't lost any of its bite!It's simply amazing what Steven Spielberg pulled off despite the legendary problems that was faced throughout the production of the film. This adventure/horror story based on Peter Benchley's original novel, is exciting, terrifying and even funny. Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss and the late Robert Shaw made a unlikely but highly memorable team as they went about hunting down a 25 ft 3 ton Great White Shark named Bruce. Jaws is filled with memorable images and scenes from the opening credits to the very end. One that always stands out to me is watching the Orca set sail through a set of shark jaws hanging over a window in Quint's studio. A combination of skilled direction and editing, terrific acting, and a highly charged and unforgettable music score by John Williams create of the greatest films of all times. This upcoming DVD looks to be the definative edition to watch this groundbreaking film for many many years to come. Jaws still delivers the goods 25 years later.
Rating:
Summary: Contains one of the best one-liners in film history
Review: For once, I find myself agreeing with Leonard Maltin's short take - Jaws as a novel was a bubble gum read. Jaws as a movie is a terriffic thrill ride. Problems with the mechanical shark (named "Bruce") led Spielburg and his editors to cut the film so that the shark is rarely seen on camera except for an ominious fin slicing through the water. This builds up the suspense and terror, and is the main reason that Jaws was the success that it was. If you doubt that, go to your local library and look up the back issues of your local paper or Time magazine. They'll tell you the story of how the success of the film kept people out of the water at the beaches that year (which had towns that run beaches hopping mad because no one was coming to their beaches and they were going broke). The strength of the three leads is also one of the pillars of this film. Scheider, Dreyfuss and the late Robert Shaw are all extremely believable in their roles. And Scheider gets to deliver an actor's dream; a simple one-liner that will rank in history as being forever identified with that actor and film: "You're gonna need a bigger boat."
Rating: 
Summary: A must-see
Review: This version has a much clearer picture, better sound, and a spectacular image. If you have ever heard of Steven Speilberg, you must purchase one of his finest!
Rating:
Summary: Sink your teeth into this! (Bad pun, I know. Sorry)
Review: A few years ago, I and a few thousand other laserdisc fans plopped down $150.00 and change for the super duper Signature Collection version of JAWS on laserdisc. It came with all the extras: -- bonus footage, outtakes, interviews, marketing goodies, the CD soundtrack, novelization, and a few other bells and whistles. Now, some 4 or 5 years later, you lucky DVD owners can get basically the same thing, minus the soundtrack and paperback, for a fraction of the cost. AND IT IS WORTH EVERY PENNY!!!!!! If this isn't your favorite movie, I'd be rather curious to know what IS! The TNT network has run this film many times over the last few years, and the copy they show has been beautifully restored and the color "tweaked" a bit. So just think of how great the DVD version is gonna look! And sound! Granted, and by Spielberg's own admission in the laser's and DVD's accompanying interview footage, JAWS turned out as well as it did almost by happy accident. Spielberg initially was counting on getting a great deal more footage of the mechanical sharks in the film, but it was not to be (as a few humorous production stories in the interviews will attest). So JAWS had to take on a rather Hitchcock-ian feel instead -- "less is more", if you will. Precious little shark footage until the third act, and virtually every usable piece of mechanical shark footage that was shot wound up in the film. So it begs the question: Is JAWS as great a film as it is IN SPITE of itself? Probably. But who cares? Even if you are only a casual fan of this film, you owe it to yourself to check out all the bonus features that come with this 25th Anniversary set. While not boasting as much bonus material as many other DVDs have (THE ABYSS, ALIEN, the upcoming TERMINATOR 2 COLLECTOR'S EDITION), JAWS does have the advantage of being a very big part of American pop culture, and the insight you can gain to this film from the DVD extras actually draws you further into an already exciting movie experience. Now if we can only convince Universal Pictures to re-release this film to theatres for this 25th Anniversary year. Even with the bonus DVD and laserdisc features, this film will always play best in a big, dark, crowded theater. We should be able to let our kids experience it that way, much like George Lucas did when he re-released his trilogy a few years ago. There is at least one generation of people who never got to see JAWS 20 feet high and 48 feet across. And I challenge you to play this DVD will full THX or DTS Surround and NOT GET GOOSEBUMPS when John Williams' score kicks in!
Rating:
Summary: Jaws: A Classic in Action and Horror Genres
Review: There are few sounds more terrifying than hearing someone screaming "Shark!" at a beach or from the water, whether it be in real life or the movies. A young Steven Spielberg went out and milked that scream for help for all it is worth and more: made a classic Adventure-Horror movie. "Jaws" is great in every department. The acting is flawless, with Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw "bonding" in their search and detroy mission of the ultimate great white shark. So powerful is Jaws that almost any picture since has taken little bits from it, unable to escape from its enormous shark shadow. Spielberg, from the opening night sequence shocks us(one of the most terrifying in history) when we don't even see the shark, but see the first victim from the shark's eye view and John William's brilliant soundtrack telling us the terror is just starting. Spielberg has made many great movies, but none scarier than Jaws, none that has its combination of terror, adventure, high spirits, great acting and superb technical achievement of editing, cinematography and sound. With this masterpiece, Spielberg, at a young age, set the bar higher for horror and adventure films, and showed he was a genius in making action movies. It still holds up well, much better than digital movies that are pale in comparison, sloppy and incoherent compared to the great unity of Jaws. Steven Spielberg might have made movies after Jaws that were as good but none better. Jumping beyond its genre , it is on my list of top twenty movies ever made.
Rating:
Summary: Narrowing down the odds
Review: Living near the beach made"JAWS"a must see.That was 25 yrs.ago,lasting impact,I've been fascinated and obssesed with the Great White ever since.Havn't ever had the desire to go"into" the ocean in 25 yrs! Exellent portrail of what "could"happen !
Rating:
Summary: The greatest film of all time
Review: And that is in my opinion, of course. JAWS affected me when I was only 5 years old when I saw JAWS 2 on television while living in Colorado. I soon saw the original JAWS movie and loved it instantly (funny thing is, they never scared me much--E.T. was about the scariest thing I've ever seen). I have always been a huge fan of this movie and still get a jolt out of seeing certain scenes, and am horror-struck still when Quint becomes shark food (the only time I think pan and scan worked EVER was there when the shark first bit down on him and he screams--it takes up the whole TV screen and shocks you into silence). The characters are believable and more real than most people I know! I can only hope to strive for that like Spielberg did in 1973-74. Sure the shark is a bit fake by today's standards, but only showing the shark little bits at a time out of neccessity really helped with the fear factor for me--I use my imagination and fill in the blanks; less is more (JOHN CARPENTER'S THE THING is one example of more is more). The directing, writing, cast, and even the effects make it the greatest film ever (in my humble opinion!).
Rating:
Summary: We're gonna need a bigger boat
Review: "Jaws" is my all time favorite movie. it's that simple. I have seen it so many times - I can't even count. I have the VHS Special Edition & have been waiting for it to be released on DVD for quite awhile now. Speilberg's summer thriller of 1975 is still the best shark movie of all time. It will have you on the edge of your seat until the very end. If by some freak chance - you haven't seen this movie yet. Get it. Watch it. Love it!
Rating:
Summary: A Modern Adventure Classic!
Review: This movie is a credit to everyone associated with it, from the stellar cast of actors and actresses to the direction by Steven Speilberg to the original story (a novel) and screenwriting by Peter Benchley. This is a riviting tale superbly told, with excellent cinematography and special effects, and a scary soundtrack that builds the edge of mystery to a crescendo each time it musically announces the shark's appearence. The idea for the movie is deceptively simple; a great white shark with a fond taste for the sweet taste of human flesh is patrolling the water off Amity Island (read Nantucket or Martha's Vineyard)and terrorizing the summer tourist population. Inject into this some interesting and novel subplots regarding a burned-out city cop and unlikely undersung hero, a brainy, affable but basically misunderstood young marine biologist, and a wonderfully crusty old mariner turned professional shark fisherman and you have the recipe for an entertaining rollercoaster ride. This movie is a modern classic, one with a young Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, and the late Robert Shaw. Watching their characters interact is an afternoon's entertainment well deserved, one that is durable and repeatable. It also is one that translates very well into the DVD mode. One caution; don't view it anytime before going for your summer vacation. You may really be afraid to go back into the water!
Rating:
Summary: As good and as captivating as it was 25 years ago!
Review: JAWS is, in my opinion, one of the movies that saved Hollywood and revitalized the movie industry. Speilberg and Lucas, along with a few others, sent America back to the movies. The movie includes an assemblage of great actors. The casting is superb, and the acting is top-notch. The story line, though somewhat more difficult to believe now than it was in the 1970s, still makes people think twice about getting in the water. The idea of being eaten alive by a huge animal that has evolved into a perfect eating machine is one of the few things that instills nearly universal feelings of horror among virtually everyone. The special effects (FX) support the character and plot development, but the FX do not overpower the acting. "Bruce" the huge shark mechanical used in the movie actually takes on a character of its own, one that develops as the story moves along. Main and supporting characters are all outstanding...from the narrow-minded mayor all the way up to the three primary characters who make up the majority of the movie on the boat. There is suspense, story line, acting, and nearly tactile horror that grips you as you are drawn into this story. If you have watched this movie only on broadcast TV, do yourself a favor and watch the movie on video or DVD for as close to the original experience as you can get. A true classic by an outstanding director, featuring an excellent cast. As for the faithfulness to Benchley's book, there are whole subplots that had to be trimmed in order for the movie project to work. But if you never read the book you'd never know. In either case, I recommend watching the movie and then reading the book -- both are wonderful treats for anyone who enjoys tales of the sea. 5 stars all the way! I hope this review was helpful to you -- Alan Holyoak
| 
