TV • PAGE 27
THE BULLETIN • JULY 21 - 27, 2022
BY JAY BOBBIN
Solution on page 18
Nearing 50 years old, ‘Jaws’
retains its bite
Especially appropriate viewing during the summer, a certain movie still generates immediate fear of going in
the water.
It’s not hard to guess the film in question is “Jaws,” whose monstrous success put director Steven Spielberg
on the map. AMC shows the 1975 classic Friday, July 29, and Saturday, July 30 (with the first two sequels also
running there this month). The picture’s legendary production problems, which included a malfunctioning
mechanical “shark,” provide a lesson in how the result still can succeed.
In the adaptation of Peter Benchley’s bestseller, the gruesome death of a moonlight swimmer causes concern
among residents and officials of tourist-supported Amity Island. Eventually, the sheriff, a shark expert and a
local shark hunter (played by the ideal trio of Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw) join forces to
go to sea to find and eliminate the recurring threat.
The pursuit is thrilling and involving, backed by a brilliant John Williams score that incorporates one of the
most famous musical themes in screen history. However, what really sells “Jaws” is the creative approach by
Spielberg, who has admitted that he thought he’d be fired by producers Richard D. Zanuck and David Brown
(or the studio, Universal, which scored one of the biggest hits in screen history by sticking with him) at any of
numerous points during the location filming in New England.
One of Spielberg’s smartest decisions was to not play his
hand too early in showing the shark, letting the audience’s
imagination do much of the work for him. When the ever-
hungry villain finally does appear, it’s a surprise of the sort that
prompted many moviegoers to scream, all the more loudly
because Spielberg knowingly had lulled them into a comfort
zone by that moment.
Other cast notables include Lorraine Gary as the sheriff ’s wife
and Murray Hamilton as Amity Island’s mayor, who would
prefer to keep the site open for profit rather than acknowledge
that there might be a potentially deadly problem swimming
nearby. The casting of Scheider, Shaw and Dreyfuss is ideal,
though; Shaw’s Quint is particularly colorful, and it elevated
the actor’s stardom to new heights internationally in what sadly
ended up being one of his final projects (he died in 1978).
For nearly 50 years, “Jaws” has held up superbly, raising the
hair on the heads of newcomers as well as returning viewers.
Roy Scheider in
And you can pretty much bank on that continuing to be the
“Jaws”
case for the next 50 years ... and beyond.
RICHARD DREYFUSS’
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T OP 1 0 MOVIES
BY JAY BOBBIN
“Mr. Holland’s Opus” (1995) : The title music teacher,
who’s determined to create a timeless composition, is among Dreyfuss’
signature roles.
“Once Around” (1991) : Dreyfuss effectively has his “brash”
quotient set on “high” as a salesman who irritates the close family of his
new love (Holly Hunter).
“Stakeout” (1987) : In the same year Mel Gibson and Danny
Glover scored buddy-cop success in “Lethal Weapon,” Dreyfuss and Emilio
Estevez also did here.
“Stand by Me” (1986) : Largely in a prolonged-flashback
voiceover, Dreyfuss adds much to the Rob Reiner-directed Stephen King
story of an adventure among boyhood pals.
“The Big Fix” (1978) : Some of Dreyfuss’ best moments in
this light mystery, about a radical turned detective, are quiet ones as the
character tearfully watches home movies of his past.
“The Goodbye Girl” (1977) : Oscar came calling for
Dreyfuss for his work as a struggling actor sharing an apartment with its
existing tenant (Marsha Mason, then-wife of the tale’s writer, Neil Simon).
“Close Encounters of the Third Kind” (1977) :
Dreyfuss reteamed with director Steven Spielberg, with mashed potatoes
and aliens thrown in for good measure, in this sci-fi classic.
“Jaws” (1975) : Stardom was cemented for Dreyfuss in the role
of shark expert Matt Hooper, who knew enough to be scared at the right
moments, in the blockbuster that also established Spielberg’s career.
“The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz” (1974) :
The title role of a Montreal hustler gave Dreyfuss another significant step
toward lasting recognition and fame.
“American Graffiti” (1973) : As Curt, the member of a
group of early ‘60s high-school pals who seemed most likely to succeed
despite himself, Dreyfuss had the perfect role for his wit and energy.
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