Jaws
Steven Spielberg
(1975)
When the seaside community of Amity finds itself under attack by a dangerous great white shark, the town's chief of police, a young marine biologist, and a grizzled shark hunter embark on a desperate quest to kill the beast before it strikes again.
Jaws (Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Cast
Crew
Hook
Isolation does most of the work here. Before the first body drops, the hospital corridor already feels like a trap, and Jaws never lets go of that slow, suffocating dread.
Identity
Spielberg's pragmatic response was to show the shark as little as possible, instead suggesting its presence through perspective shots, music, and reaction, a creative decision widely credited with making the film far more frightening than extensive shark footage would have been. Beyond its commercial impact, Jaws is recognized as a pivotal moment in American cinema, fundamentally changing how studios approached wide releases, marketing, and the summer season as a commercial opportunity.
Collector Focus
Williams' two-note theme is among the most recognized musical phrases in cinema history, and Spielberg's mechanical shark — which rarely worked — forced filmmaking choices that made the film more frightening than any monster could have. Its status as the film that invented the summer blockbuster makes every piece historically significant.
Context
Directed by Steven Spielberg and based on Peter Benchley's 1974 bestselling novel, which Benchley co-adapted for the screen, Jaws was produced on a budget of approximately $9 million and shot almost entirely on location around Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. Released in June 1975, Jaws became the highest-grossing film in history at the time of its release, surpassing $470 million worldwide and holding the record until Star Wars in 1977. Beyond its commercial impact, Jaws is recognized as a pivotal moment in American cinema, fundamentally changing how studios approached wide releases, marketing, and the summer season as a commercial opportunity.
