Rating: Summary: DVD could have been better Review: I purchased the 25th anniversary DVD hoping for some great extras. I knew I was getting a great movie. And the movie is great. Also, the picture quality is excellent. And I just noticed how necessary the widescreen actually is with this movie because you would miss a lot of the action without widescreen. We all know the movie which definitely stands up to the tests of time. The performances are great, particularly that of Robert Shaw whose Quint is portrayed as not-quite-sane but not totally over the line. And does anyone not tense up when they hear John Williams' music and know that the shark is in the area once again? This is definitely one of the best movies of all time, definitely one to buy and keep. I just wish I could give this DVD 5 stars, but for a 25th anniversary release I really expected more. What about more outtakes? What about an alternate audio with commentary by the director and one of the stars? And, BTW, why didn't we get a summer theatrical release for the 25th anniversary? Well, it's too late now. Buy the DVD for the movie, but don't expect much else.
Rating: Summary: A classic. Review: Very happy with my purchase. I have an old copy of the VHS version and forgot how brilliant the cinematography was until I played the newley mastered DVD verson. Great color, sharp images and wonderful sound! This a must have for any serious collector...
Rating: Summary: The Ultimate Adrenaline Rush! Review: Spielberg took a simple story and stretched it to limitless proportions and along the way created one of the highest grossing films of all time. Along with 'Casablanca' this is one of cinema's greatest 'happy accidents'. Spielberg began production without a finished script or an ending and without a fully operational main character ('Bruce' the shark). But still he managed to create one of the most shockingly suspenseful films of all time using the Hitchcock method 'less is more'. The story is simple, a huge 'great white' terrorizing the small summer island resort of Amity. And it's three very different main characters; the sheriff (Roy Scheider), the oceanographer and shark expert (Richard Dreyfuss) and the crusty old shark hunter (Robert Shaw) who all go out and try to hunt down the leviathan but instead become the hunted. Scheider and Dreyfuss are both excellent in their roles but Robert Shaw is unforgettable as the eccentric Quint, a Captain Ahab for the cynical 70's. Shaw's narration of the 'USS Indianapolis' story is one of the most frightening moments of the film. But still the best and most suspense-filled moments of the film are the shark-hunting sequences on the boat. Nail-biting suspense is given an adventurous air thanks to John William's brilliant score. A technical marvel with brilliant editing and cinematography. John William's score became one of the most famous of all time, simple but extremely efficient, it also informs us of the shark's presence. 'Jaws' is a money-making-crowd-pleasing machine that also happens to be one of the best movies of all time. Extras: Peter Bencheley, the original author of 'Jaws' appears on the beach as a news anchorman. From a scale of 1-10 I give this film a 10!
Rating: Summary: Superb Review: Jaws - The 25th Anniversary Edition is a superb example of what the DVD format can do. First, the movie. All the action, thrills and shocks are still there, no matter how many times you've seen this film. The quality of the image is excellent. And if you're lucky enough to own a home theater system to allow the full impact of the sound/music hit home, a huge extra dimension is added to the viewing experience. John Williams' excellent score turned up to a high volume will help drive up the tension. There are amusing outtakes (not nearly enough), deleted scenes and a fun trivia game. Highlighting this entire package is an excellent "making of" documentary, benefitting hugely from the participation of director Spielberg. Included are remininscenes from actors and crew. Fascinating is learning all about how the shark and the scenes involving it were done. A truly excellent job. All movie companies should look to this edition to realize the capabilities of the DVD package/experience.
Rating: Summary: JAWS ANNIVERSARY - WHERE IS THE DTS? Review: The Image quality is magnificant, but, adding to the review by "englishonly", who stated "there was very little activity in the rear speakers" consider this sound may be no more than Dolby Digital, and might have more activity on the Pro-logic setting. Are the extras in DTS and not the film? The advertising doesn't indicate that. WHERE IS THE DTS? My DVD player tells how many channels are outputing and the Decoder displays that info (2 channel). DTS won't activate, and on the same exact setup, Saving Ryan indicates DTS and rattles the rafters. Buy this for picture quality,YES. Buying for DTS?, better find out first. I hope it is my mistake and have not BEEN RIPPED OFF?
Rating: Summary: I know a taxidermist Review: that's going to have a heart attack when he sees what I brung him!" So says Quint near the climax of Jaws, the first summer blockbuster and one of the greatest, most exciting movies ever made. Face it, few other movies can match the intensity of the narrative, or the credibility of the characters. The shark, when it is finally seen, looks rather fake, but the characters seem real and that is what sells this movie and makes it surpass the likes of Armageddon. The scene where Brody (played by Roy Scheider) is being mimicked at the dinner table by his youngest son, the scene where his wife calms him down about yelling at his older son to get out of a boat, only to change her mind after looking at a picture in a book Brody was reading, the scene where 2 fishermen hook a roast & throw it off a dock to get more than they bargained for, all are strong examples of the verissimiltude that this movie carries with it. But along with the characters this movie also boasts scientific accuracy, at least as much as will be permitted to let the plot function. Territoriality, for example, is a theory that has been applied to sharks, but there has also been evidence to suggest that it is inaccurate. In general, sharks do not develop a taste for human flesh. However, the anecdotes of the shark experts ring true, & provides insights of their different personalities--Hooper chuckling over how a shark ripped apart his first boat & how it fascinated him vs. Quint's chilling narrative of The Indianapolis. The picture has never been clearer than on this dvd (I keep odd hours & have roommates, so I must keep the volume down & therefore will not rate the audio quality) The documentary is likewise terrific & makes up for the lack of audio commentary. Some of the deleted scenes were used in network broadcasts of the movie, others look like alternate takes of scenes. All in all, the only thing I found mildly disapointing about this movie were the bloopers. We only get 2. But still, it's Jaws, the most exciting movie released this year (excepting North-by-Northwest) whether it be the movie theater or video. And a quintessential popcorn muncher. See it before you go into the water.
Rating: Summary: Jaws is back! Review: Jaws has always been and will always be my all time favorite movie. And the 25th Anniversary Edition is brilliant! The re-done sound effects and 75 minutes of bonus footage are great! If you haven't seen Jaws, see it--now!
Rating: Summary: JAWS - DVD turned my 20th viewing into what felt like my 1st Review: Everyone who is anyone has heard of Jaws and more than likely has seen the amazing film in some form or fashion. I'm not here to praise the film itself, which I can accomplish by simply saying "One of the best movies I've ever seen." I've been watching this movie in various ways for years. Edited for TV, old VHS copies, and then my widescreen VHS cassette which was pretty good. But this DVD blew my out of the water. Never has this film looked so crisp and gorgeous. The sound is engaging and powerful. I was absolutely blown away. And the supplementals are classic. The documentary is fantastic, illuminating the troubles with Bruce the mechanical shark and providing some cut scenes. This disc should replace the Matrix as the standard first disc for new DVD customers!
Rating: Summary: Da Dum, Da Dum, da da dum dum, da da dum dum Review: This is my favorite movie of all time and also the first I ever saw at the tender age of 4. This DVD version enhances the home experience to the fullest and gives enough extras to justify purchasign once again. For those who have yet to see it, buy this and live the adventure. THe acting is good, the story is great, and the action is top notch. The deleted scenes are kind of funny, especially the one with Quint mimicking a young boy playing an instrument. The documentary shows how hard the film was to make, yet the success obviously eased the pain. I cant say enough about this movie so go get it now!
Rating: Summary: Jaws-The film that started it all Review: Definitley being one of the best known films of all time, Steven Spielburg's ( Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T., Raiders of the Lost Ark, Schindler's List, Plotergeist, Empire of the Sun, Jurassic Park) classic film Jaws is also one of the most influential and best films of all time. Roy Scheider (The French Connection, All That Jazz, Jaws 2, Sorcerer) stars as Amity Island Police Chief Martin Brody in possibly the best performance of his career. Richard Dreyfuss (The Goodbye Girl, Mr. Holland's Opus, Close Encounters of the Third Kind) is also outstanding as shark specialist Matthew Hooper. Robert Shaw (A Man For All Seasons, The Deep, From Russia With Love) rounds out the trio as wrangled shark hunter Quint. It is really hard to choose who gives the best performance! Personally I like Roy Scheider. Plot is simple. Great white shark is attacking Amity resort around the Fourth of July and Scheider, Dreyfuss, and Shaw travel out to sea to find and kill the big fish. Sets are good-looking, and cinematography is haunting, dark, and overall top-notch. Oscar-winning sound and film editing are great (especially editing by Verna Fields), beating out tough contenders like Bite The Bullet, The Wind and the Lion, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, The Man Who Would Be King, and The Hindenburg. John Williams (Cinderella Liberty, Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, Jaws 2, Indiana Jones and The Raiders of The Lost Ark, Empire of the Sun, E.T., Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom, Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade, Sleepers, JFK, Nixon, Amistad, Home Alone, and Born On The Fourth Of July) gives a haunting, chilling, and eerie score, especially during the attacks and the famous opening sequence. However, the score is also cheery, when the tourists arrive at Amity, the boat leaving, the death of the shark, and especially at the dinner table with Martin and his son. The atmosphere is heavily dark and edgy, yet is sprinkled with comedy on the boat. No matter what age you are, Jaws will make your blood curdle and make you afraid to go for a swim.
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