Still a classic!

Rating: 10/10 (28 August 2000)

The original "Jaws" is still a fantastic film, even by today's standards. It positively set the cinema world on it's ear upon it's release in 1975.

The story is well known and simple. Somehow a great white shark has made its way to the local waters of a New England town. People start disappearing, and the hysteria begins. The mayor (Hamilton) refuses to acknowledge that there is danger, as he wants to protect the precious revenue the summer vacationers will bring to the town. The police chief (Scheider) enlists the help of an marine biologist (Dreyfuss), and a professional shark hunter (Shaw) to battle the shark out on the open seas.
Fantastic scenes include when Shaw recounts the story of a WWII vessel that capsized, dumping all of the seamen into shark infested waters. Nobody can watch that scene without getting affected. There's also the scene with Dreyfuss investigating a wrecked fishing boat for evidence of a shark attack, and the two old men who think they can catch the shark with a thanksgiving turkey as bait. I would be remiss if I didn't mention the opening scene involving the skinny dipping girl and the first shark attack, and of course, the entire last half hour... the true showdown with the beast.
Excellent casting, and believable multi-dimensional characters make this a film that is proving to stand the test of time.
Lots of people will tell you the shark looks ridiculously fake, but I always though that given the era this movie was made, WAY before even the earliest computer special effects, the shark looks pretty good. Besides, the performances and story are so strong, that you don't even stop to critically analyze the effect of the shark.
Go out and BUY this film... I guarantee you WILL want to view this one again and again!