Practically Defined A Genre

Rating: 10/10 (6 March 2017)

There are some films that no matter how much time passes after their debut, they still completely hold up. "Jaws" is EXACTLY one of those films.
For a basic plot summary, Jaws sees the coastal town of Amity suddenly becoming the hunting grounds for a rogue Great White shark. Sheriff Brody (Roy Schieder) wants to close down the beaches until further notice, but is opposed every step of the way by city official Vaughn (Murray Hamilton), who worries about the potential lose of tourist business. When the attacks continue, however, Brody enlists the help of shark expert Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and grizzled boatsman Quint (Robert Shaw) to help hunt down the predator.
In terms of suspense, "Jaws" may just take the cake for the top prize all-time in the genre. Its theme music is now iconic, the visuals were groundbreaking for their time, and just the overall feel of the whole picture has a creepy vibe to it. Even if you have watched the movie "a thousand times", you'll still find yourself sucked into the drama. Only helping matters is the fact that the shark scenes, though filmed completely devoid of the helpful CGI tactics of today, do not look/feel cheesy in any way. A remarkable piece of filmmaking, for sure.
Of course, a movie like this needs more than just a "villain shark" to be a classic. It also features a collection of iconic characters that still remain a joy to watch. Schieder as the "why-won't- anyone-listen-to-me!" sheriff lets us relate to the story in a much more personal aspect, while Dreyfuss' Hooper is insightful, hilarious, and provides some of the best dialogue of the whole show. Of course, Shaw as Quint nearly steals the show at times with the complexity and jocularity he manages to portray in the single character.
Very soon, "Jaws" will turn 40. When it does (and continuing for the decades to come) it will remain just as visceral of an experience as for those sitting in the theaters in 1975. There is a reason why director Steven Spielberg was vaulted to fame after this effort!