Jaws (DVD)

It left a generation of schoolkids afraid to go into a swimming pool, let alone back into the water. Wunderkind Spielberg's story is all the scarier for hardly ever showing the Great White that is most of the characters' nemesis
Spielberg was still in his twenties when he signed up to direct the shark movie that would transform his career - and Hollywood itself. The production was notoriously chaotic yet, with the help of a major marketing campaign, Jaws became the biggest box office success ever, until the release of Star Wars the next year.

The cast is top-notch. Scheider is police chief Brody, a hydrophobe taking up his new posting on Amity Island off America's East Coast. His buddies in battling the killer fish are rich-kid ichthyologist Hooper (Dreyfuss) and maverick fisherman Quint (Shaw). The film has political undertones - it is marked by a post-Watergate distrust of authority - but also owes a debt in its theme of self and mutual reliance to those twin classic 1950s westerns of contrasting political colours: High Noon and Rio Bravo.

John Williams' great and justly revered score is instantly evocative of the film and its power to terrify, and there are several stand-out shock moments and wonderfully sustained suspense scenes. But the film's real master stroke - keeping the monster unseen for as long as possible - was, ironically, forced on the production by the refusal of the various mechanical sharks to function on demand.

Verdict
A classic. Tense, engrossing, scary and, subsequently, endlessly influential.

The small town of Amity comes under attack from a Great White shark in a film that sealed Steven Spielberg's talent as a master entertainer.

The principal character is Roy Scheider who plays the slightly unheroic local sheriff battling between his instinct to shut the beach for safety reasons and the cost to the local tourist economy if he does.

What is perhaps most surprising about "Jaws" is the lack of screen time given to the ferocious shark. Rather than fill the modestly budgeted film with gratuitous effects, Spielberg relies on other tools to build tension and atmosphere. This includes a fearless use of long shots (not popular in Hollywood) which helps convey both isolation for the victims and endows the shark with seemingly god-like hunting powers. And then there's the soundtrack.

If ever there was an important example for how music can enhance a film it is "Jaws". John Williams' memorable score is used sparingly but its tone of impending terror is more responsible for the power of the film than the sightings of the beast itself.

"Jaws" does seem a little slow in comparison to equivalents today like Spielberg's relentlessly noisy but influential, "Jurassic Park". His style for "Jaws" is calm and steady; building to a climax, which combined with the music, is very much reminiscent of Hitchcock, particularly "Psycho". This confident direction combined with clever editing, lulls you into relaxing at precisely the wrong moments to great effect. Being able to calm the viewer only to wrench into their most primeval fears when least expected is the essence that lies behind the ability of "Jaws" to shock and entertain.

THE BOOK WAS SO INTENCE OUNCE YOU PICK THIS BOOK UP IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PUT IT DOWN UNTILL YOU HAVE READ IT THROUGH, THEN WE WENT TO WATCH THE FILM THE FILM WAS SO INTENCE AND THE ACTORS WERE SUPERVE 10.10 FOR ROBERT SHAW {WHO PLAYED QUINT} WHEN I BOUGHT THE DVD OF JAWS ON EBAY I WAS DELIGHTED I CAN NOW WATCH THIS FILM ON OUR COMPUTER OR TV I WOULD GO AS FAR AS SAYING THIS IS THE BEST DVD I HAVE BOUGHT ON EBAY, AND INSTEAD OF PAYING THE SHOP PRICES WE CAME TO EBAY AND OBTAIN THE DVD HALF THE PRICE OF THE SHOPS THANKS TO EBAY I CAN NOW WATCH JAWS AT ANY TIME

childhood classic horror that makes me jump out of my seat every time!! swim in the sea???? never...lol!!

this film is the best of all the jaws films,i decided to buy this film because i think it is so great with funny little quotes as where going to need a bigger boat right!!! ithink its just a iconic film, and it does not age with time. just a fantastic film.

It stands the test of time, its a classic and the music is unforgettable,what more can I say love it!

my son kept asking for this and i searched all my local shops for weeks then i decided to look on ebay and found it straight away my son loves it thank you

Great , sealed an in mint condition. quick delivery, was a great guy an great price. for a 2 disk DVD

The very start of it all. The best of the best or not. Well i think so, but every one is different, if you the rest in your collection - this is a most for it. I really like this one the best.

Possibly spawned the birth of the summer blockbuster. a bona-fide classic. Watching this film now, i simply cannot imagine anyone other than Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss & Robert Shaw as the male lead characters, i really hope they never remake it. In spite of the ropey looking shark, it manages to build up more tension and anticipation than pretty much any other film i have ever seen. I would go as far to say that i envy anyone who has not yet seen this film, because they have so much to enjoy.

Its so scary, but so brilliant! Will definetly buy Jaws 2 and 3. Love it when all the people mysteriously go missing and they start to realise ita a shark

All I can say is that Jaws is a masterpiece and this dvd just makes it even better. The shark facts are very interesting, the documentry tells about what happened juring the making of the film and of course the fim itself is something that should keep on going for generations and generations to come.

Having been scared following this film to enter the water since I was a child, this special edition confirms the truly scary power of this superbly shot and directed film.

This Film is my favourite, as a fan I have the whole collection and I have watched them again and again, everytime it gets better! One of the best classic movies that will be shown for many years to come. Love this film and an absolute bargain. If you love this, you'll want to buy the others to find out what happens next. A MUST!

It's the classic 70s movie directed by Steven Spielberg about a killer shark terrorising Amity Island. Everybody's seen it. What more can I say..!

The purchase was to get this classic film on DVD. Considering it is over 30 years old, the film stll is one of the best around for suspense, action, photography and the shark is (most of the times) very relaistic. A true icon of our times!

DVD purchased for my young son who is very interested in sharks.
An obvious film classic, whose main character is a giant man eating shark. Quite entertaining and informative, although special effects are a little outdated by today's standards.

i am glad to finally have this in dvd format the extras are great as well i whould recommend to any one

The first and best shark film. Still as good after all these years but now with extras. See the making of the film and extra footage a great film to keep you on the edge of your seat and still as good for youngsters coming of age to watch the film. It will never be out of date. Special effects good even by todays standards.
well worth watching I'd give it 5/5

next best film deep blue sea. The only other shark film thats even come close.

First saw this as a teenager and loved it. I don't care about the rubber shark or the factual difficulties that some people will find with the story line. It makes me jump, makes me laugh and when Robert Shaw describes his experiences on the USS Indiannapolis (?sic), it even makes me stop breathing.

The whole thing is a triumph and even after seeing it a 100 times or more over the years- I still stick it in the video (now DVD) when I'm in the mood.

Enjoy!!!

i decided to buy this film because i have worn my old copy out and i enjoy this film so much.it has a very good story line,not for the squimish.jaws is about a great white shark which inhabits the coast of a small holiday village and brings terror to swimmers etc

first went to see this film at the pictures many years ago with me mum. ever since ive been fascinated with sharks and this film (ive even got the t-shirt)jaws changed my life as i could'nt go in the sea for years after and even now i can get that sh sh sharrrrrrk feeling.
this JAWS dvd (anniversary edition) is the best yet as it has loads of extra features. if you have yet to see this film it is definately outdated by todays film standards, but this is a must see classic. ive watched it many, many times and am still shocked and end up on the edge of my seat even today.
sadly roy scheider who plays chief brody in this film passed away yesterday (12/2/08)

From my first terrifying under-age viewing to the present day. The rubbery-ness of the shark doesn't even matter. Classic endlessly re-watchable.

The original JAWS is a fantasic classic and i've been looking to buy a copy on DVD for absolutly ages, So when i noticed a copy on the DVD section i put my bid straight in.
The price was very reasonable which is the main reason i purchased it.
The delivery time was also great! So all together a nice ebay shopping experience.

Thanks again