Jaws… still compelling 30 years later

When Jaws was first released in 1975, I heard about it but it didn’t resonate for me (after all, I lived in land-locked Fairbanks, Alaska). Seeing it now for the first time, I’m realizing what a great movie it is. Roy Scheider’s performance is understated, which ironically only adds to the suspense. Richard Dreyfuss is his circa-1970s self: Unruly hair, big beard, nonconformist attitude. Bystanders react as you’d expect, either oblivious (before they sense the shark’s proximity) or horrified (after they realize a shark is near).

With CGI seeming to impact every movie special effect in recent years, I’m especially impressed by the special effects. By showing the fin or just an outline of the shark’s body underwater, we never really see the enemy but its presence is just as ominous. Great movie, highly recommended!