Jaws
Movie, 1975, The '70s, Set in Two notes
Jaws is #1 of 29 in release order and #1 of 29 in chronological order in the John Williams.
The story
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 recap
Jaws (1975) follows Martin Brody, police chief of the island resort of Amity, as a great white shark kills swimmers during the summer season. Steven Spielberg directs the thriller, adapted from Peter Benchley's 1974 novel and shot largely on the water off Martha's Vineyard. After a young woman is killed on a night swim, Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) wants the beaches closed, but Mayor Larry Vaughn (Murray Hamilton) fears for the tourist trade, and a boy dies at a crowded beach. Marine biologist Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) confirms the shark is unusually large, and a tiger shark caught by local fishermen turns out not to be the killer. On the Fourth of July weekend the shark enters a lagoon and nearly kills Brody's son. Vaughn finally hires Quint (Robert Shaw), a hardened shark hunter, and the three men head out on his boat, the Orca. The first film in this Williams list, its best-known cue is two low alternating notes that announce the shark long before it is seen, standing in for a mechanical shark that often failed.
Jaws ending explained
Jaws ends with Brody killing the shark by shooting a compressed-air tank lodged in its jaws, blowing it apart. Before that, Quint tells the story of surviving the sinking of the USS Indianapolis, smashes the radio and drives the Orca until the engine fails. The shark wrecks Hooper's shark cage and leaps onto the sinking boat to eat Quint. Hooper surfaces, and he and Brody paddle to shore on the barrels. Three sequels followed without Spielberg. The novel's affair between Hooper and Brody's wife is dropped, and in the book Hooper dies.
Post-credits scenes
No. Jaws has no mid- or post-credits scene.
Where to watch Jaws
Jaws is streaming on Netflix, YouTube TV, TNT, TBS, and tru TV in the US. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 8.1/10, Rotten Tomatoes 97%
Where it fits
Cast
- Roy Scheider as Brody
- Robert Shaw as Quint
- Richard Dreyfuss as Hooper
- Lorraine Gary as Ellen Brody
- Murray Hamilton as Vaughn
- Carl Gottlieb as Meadows
- Jeffrey Kramer as Hendricks
- Susan Backlinie as Chrissie
- Jonathan Filley as Cassidy
- Ted Grossman as Estuary Victim
- Chris Rebello as Michael Brody
- Jay Mello as Sean Brody
Directed by Steven Spielberg.