Jaws (1975)

Director:

Steven Spielberg

Writers:

Peter Benchley (screenplay) and
Carl Gottlieb (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

20 June 1975 (USA)

Genre:

Thriller

Tagline:

The Nation's No.1 Best-Selling Book now the Screen's Super-Thriller

Plot:

When a gigantic great white shark begins to menace the small island community of Amity, a police chief, a marine scientist and grizzled fisherman set out to stop it.

Plot Keywords:

Shark | Beach | Island | Mayor | Fisherman

Awards:

Won 3 Oscars. Another 9 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Roy Scheider	...	Brody
Robert Shaw	...	Quint
Richard Dreyfuss	...	Hooper
Lorraine Gary	...	Ellen Brody
Murray Hamilton	...	Vaughn
Carl Gottlieb	...	Meadows
Jeffrey Kramer	...	Hendricks (as Jeffrey C. Kramer)
Susan Backlinie	...	Chrissie
Jonathan Filley	...	Cassidy
Ted Grossman	...	Estuary Victim
Chris Rebello	...	Michael Brody
Jay Mello	...	Sean Brody
Lee Fierro	...	Mrs. Kintner
Jeffrey Voorhees	...	Alex Kintner
Craig Kingsbury	...	Ben Gardner
Dr. Robert Nevin	...	Medical Examiner
Peter Benchley	...	Interviewer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Chris Anastasio	...	Out of Towner (uncredited)
John Bahr	...	Beach Guitarist (uncredited)
Allison Caine	...	Additional Voices (voice) (uncredited)
Robert Carroll	...	Mr. Polk (uncredited)
Edward Chalmers Jr.	...	Mr. Denherder (uncredited)
Robert Chambers	...	Charlie (uncredited)
Denise Cheshire	...	Swimming Chrissie, First Victim (uncredited)
Fritzi Jane Courtney	...	Mrs. Taft (uncredited)
Cyprian R. Dube	...	Mr. Posner (uncredited)
Paul Goulart	...	Clarinet Player in Music Store (uncredited)
Mike Haydn	...	Bonfire Guitarist (uncredited)
Duncan Inches	...	Townsperson (uncredited)
Belle McDonald	...	Mrs. Posner (uncredited)
Donald Poole	...	Frank Silva, Harbor Master (uncredited)
Ayn Ruymen	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Peggy Scott	...	Polly (uncredited)
Steven Spielberg	...	Amity Point Lifestation Worker (voice) (uncredited)
Alfred Wilde	...	Harry Wiseman (uncredited)
Dick Young	...	Pratt (uncredited)

Directed by
Steven Spielberg

Writing credits
Peter Benchley		(screenplay) and
Carl Gottlieb		(screenplay)
Peter Benchley		(based upon the novel by)
John Milius		Indianapolis monologue (uncredited)
Howard Sackler		Indianapolis monologue (uncredited)
Robert Shaw		Indianapolis monologue (uncredited)

Produced by
David Brown	....	producer
Richard D. Zanuck	....	producer

Original Music by
John Williams

Cinematography by
Bill Butler		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Verna Fields

Production Design by
Joe Alves		(as Joseph Alves Jr.)

Set Decoration by
John M. Dwyer

Makeup Department
Del Armstrong	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Verne Caruso	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Jim Gillespie	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
James Fargo	....	unit production manager (as Jim Fargo)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Barbara Bass	....	second assistant director
Tom Joyner	....	first assistant director
Joe Alves	....	second unit director (uncredited)
Verna Fields	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
Thomas Wright	....	production illustrator (uncredited)

Sound Department
John R. Carter	....	sound
Robert L. Hoyt	....	sound (as Robert Hoyt)
Gregory King	....	sound re-recording mixer (25th anniversary release)
Norval D. Crutcher III	....	sound effects editor (2000 restoration) (uncredited)
George Fredrick	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Gary S. Gerlich	....	sound supervisor (2000 restoration) (uncredited)
Walter A. Gest	....	adr recordist (uncredited)
Roger Heman Jr.	....	sound (uncredited)
William Hooper	....	sound effects editor (2000 restoration) (uncredited)
Andy Koyama	....	2001 restoration sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Richard LeGrand Jr.	....	supervising sound editor (2000 restoration) (uncredited)
Earl Madery	....	sound (uncredited)
Colin C. Mouat	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Patrick O'Sullivan	....	sound editor (2000 restoration) (uncredited)
Walter Spencer	....	dialog editor: restoration (uncredited)
Roger Sword	....	sound editor (uncredited)
James Troutman	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Robert A. Mattey	....	special effects
Kevin Pike	....	special effects assistant
Roy Arbogast	....	special mechanical effects (uncredited)
Richard S. Edwards	....	explosive expert (uncredited)
Richard Stutsman	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Eddie Surkin	....	special effects crew (uncredited)

Stunts
Richard E. Butler	....	stunts (uncredited)
Howard Curtis	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ted Grossman	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)
Frank James Sparks	....	stunt double: Richard Dreyfuss (uncredited)
Fred Zendar	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dick Ziker	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Chapman	....	camera operator
Rexford L. Metz	....	underwater photographer (as Rexford Metz)
Ron Taylor	....	underwater photographer: live shark footage (as Ron)
Valerie Taylor	....	underwater photographer: live shark footage
Vito Carenzo	....	grip (uncredited)
James A. Contner	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Louis Goldman	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Fred Schuler	....	additional camera operator (uncredited)
Ronald Vidor	....	underwater camera operator (uncredited)
Dennis Young	....	underwater grip (uncredited)
Ron Zarilla	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Shari Rhodes	....	location casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Louise Clark	....	wardrobe: women (uncredited)
Robert Ellsworth	....	wardrobe: men (uncredited)

Editorial Department
William C. Carruth	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Jeff Gourson	....	assistant film editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Bob Bain	....	musician: guitar (uncredited)
Joseph Glassman	....	music editor (uncredited)
Tommy Johnson	....	musician: tuba soloist (uncredited)
Paul Kegg	....	musician: cello (uncredited)
Steven Spielberg	....	musician: clarinet in orchestra (uncredited)
John Williams	....	conductor (uncredited)

Other crew
Charlsie Bryant	....	script supervisor
William S. Gilmore	....	production executive (as William S. Gilmore Jr.)
Fred Zendar	....	technical advisor (as Manfred Zendar)
Al Ebner	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Rick Fields	....	assistant: Mr. Spielberg (uncredited)
Ron Veto	....	underwater diver (uncredited)

Thanks
Leonard J.V. Compagno	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of: The Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University (as Mr. L.J.V. Compagno)

Production Companies

• Zanuck/Brown Productions (for)
• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1975) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cinema International Corp. (1975) (UK) (theatrical)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1976) (France) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1979) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• DiscoVision (1981) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MCA Home Video (1984) (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1996) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• CIC Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Prem'er Video Fil'm (Russia) (VHS)
• Universal Home Video (200?) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Canada (2000) (Canada) (DVD) (as Universal Studios Home Video Canada)

Special Effects

• Universal Title (optical effects)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes and dollies (uncredited)
• Cinematique  cosmetics
• Decca Records  soundtrack released by
• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)  this picture made under the jurisdiction of (as I.A.T.S.E.®)
• MCA Records  soundtrack released by
• National Geographic Society  the producers gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of (as The National Geographic Society)
• The Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University  the producers gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of
• Universal Title  titles
• Varèse Sarabande  score album released by

Runtime:

124 min | USA:130 min (TV version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Portugal:M/12 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (1995) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Iceland:16 | Spain:T | USA:TV-14 | Brazil:14 | New Zealand:M | Canada:14A (Canadian Home Video rating) | Argentina:18 | Australia:M | Chile:18 | Denmark:15 | France:-12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:15 | Israel:PG | Japan:PG-12 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 (video rating) | Norway:16 (original rating) | Singapore:PG | South Korea:12 | Sweden:15 | Taiwan:GP | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1987) | USA:PG (Certificate #24175) | West Germany:16 | Finland:K-16

Filming Locations:

American Legion Memorial Bridge, Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Zanuck/Brown Productions

Trivia:

Steven Spielberg originally wanted Joe Spinell and Frank Pesce to be the two guys on the dock fishing for the shark at night (Pesce as the guy who falls in the water and Spinell shouting to him). Unfortunately, Pesce couldn't make it to Martha's Vineyard.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Hooper is in the shark cage he removes the cork from his spear that holds poison, then when the shark hits the cage he loses his spear and as it floats through the water the cork reappears, then the next time you see the spear hit the ocean floor the cork is gone again.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Tom Cassidy: What's your name again?
Christine 'Chrissie' Watkins: Chrissie.
Tom Cassidy: Where are we going?
Christine 'Chrissie' Watkins: Swimming

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Batman & Robin (1997)

Soundtrack:

Spanish Ladies

"You yell barracuda, everybody says, 'Hunh, what?' You yell shark, and we got a panic on our hands on the Fourth of July."

This is the movie that started it all. I'm not talking about the Hollywood blockbuster, or the insane madness that sent thousands of misunderstood Great Whites to their deaths, I'm talking about the beginning of my interest in movies. This is the movie that did it. I couldn't tell you how old I was when I first saw it, but I do remember this is the movie I made my parents rent time and time again when we went to the video store. This is the movie that drove my parents and some of my friends nuts while I watched it day after day after day when my mom gave it to me for Christmas. This is the movie that made me want to turn a real interest in the movies from just a hobby and into a career. For that, I owe Spielberg, Benchley, Scheider, Shaw, Dreyfuss, Williams, Fields and everyone else a sincere and heart-felt thank you. I own this movie on every format in which it is available. I love it that much. I've probably seen it between 200 and 300 times. I guess you can say it is an obsession. A sick obsession. The plot, the pacing, the editing, the score, the acting, and, oh yes, the shark. Who cares that is fake? By the time we finally get to see it, do we care? Truly, a more suspenseful movie was never made. Several come close, but none quite reaches the primal level the JAWS does. No other film so effectively taps into our fear of the unknown, and then gives it a riveting score to boot. No other movie grips us so strongly with heart stopping suspense that we find ourselves nearly falling off our seats. And no other movie leaves us feeling so spent and wasted after a viewing. And the reason for all the fear, suspense and emotional withdrawal is not top-notch special effects. It was the mid-70's. You can barely apply top -notch to anything of that era. The reason the movie does all that to us is that it is a great story. It is filled with real people, who have real jobs, and who have real fears. And who must now confront a real shark. Can you think of anything more terrifying that getting on a rickety, leaky boat to kill a 25-foot shark when you already have a paralyzing fear of the water? I can't. And Martin Brody sure can't. And so, no matter what ranking JAWS may get on AFI's list of the 100 greatest movies, or TV Guides list of the top 50 movies, or any list for that matter, JAWS will always come in number one on mine. Steven, Peter, Roy, Robert, Richard, John, and Verna -- thank you. Not for just giving me a sense of direction in my life, not for just making me want to be a screenwriter, but also for making a movie that still thrills me as much now when I watch it as when it did when I saw it for the very first time.